JACKSON, Mississippi -- Wayne Brent knew he was under the gun last season. The third-year Jackson State coach had led the Tigers to consecutive 11-win seasons and was working under a contract set to expire at season’s end. But this wasn’t something he shied away from."You come into a situation and you have three years on a contract and you start counting," Brent told Jackson’s WJTV12 in March. "Year one, 11-20. Year two, 11-21. You come back your third year and you say okay, if this is going to work, we’re going to have to win. That was something we talked about and I thought our guys responded well to the adverse situation we were placed in."
That pressure may have played a role in a 20-win season that featured the Tigers first postseason victory since 1993. After losing to Southern 54-53 in the SWAC tournament final, Jackson State beat Sam Houston State in the first round of the CIT before bowing out to Grand Canyon on the road. The 20 wins were the program’s most since 2006-07, and represented just the fourth 20-win season since 1977.
Unsurprisingly, Brent was rewarded with a contract extension shortly after the season. He not only has job security going into next year, but also a roster talented and experienced enough to challenge for a SWAC title.
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