Three challenges new Jackson State AD Ashley Robinson will face right off the bat

JACKSON, Mississippi -- As Ashley Robinson embarks on his new job as vice president and director of athletics at Jackson State, it's as good a time as any to take a look at the top three challenges he will face, as well as the opportunities meeting those challenges might provide.

Coaches' contracts
The most pressing matter is Tony Hughes' contract. Hughes has a record of 6-16 entering the third and final year of his contract and the longevity of the athletic program as a whole could hinge on what happens next with its biggest revenue producer.

Robinson's predecessor Wheeler Brown gave Hughes a vote of confidence in November, before Jackson State finished the season by winning three of its final four games, including a 10-7 upset of rival Alcorn State in the final game of the season. Brown hired Hughes from Mississippi State, which was considered a coup for JSU.

Men's basketball, JSU's second-biggest revenue-producing sport, is in the same boat with Wayne Brent entering his third and final year on his contract.

"I'm a big believer that you can't properly evaluate your coaches and your programs unless you give them the resources they need to be successful," Robinson said Tuesday.

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