Brooke Kelly
Managing Editor
Rick Comegy will continue to lead the football program at Jackson State University for two more years.
JSU Athletics Director Vivian Fuller, announced his contract extension yesterday at an 11 a.m. press conference in the Sports Hall of Fame Room in the Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center.
“I believe an individual should have an opportunity to finish what they start,” said Fuller. “We have done a good role with our academic enhancement center, and Coach Comegy and his staff have done a great job with helping us monitor that center.”
She added: “We have seen vast improvement within the APR [Academic Progress Rates]. We still have some work to do and I believe he should be the one to help follow this work through.”
This year, the football team’s APR of 913 rose over the NCAA’s 900 point post season eligibility benchmark. The team’s 2009-2010 score of 886 made the team ineligible for post season play including the SWAC championship game and tournaments. That score brought the team’s four year score down to 888, and since the four year APR has to be over 900, the team will be ineligible to play in next year’s SWAC championship game as well.
“We all look forward to coach Comegy’s continued leadership of Jackson State’s football program,” said JSU President, Carolyn Meyers. “I am confident that he will lead our student-athletes to even greater success on the field and in the classroom.”
“We have established a strong academic enhancement center which created a very good center that will work with our student athletes. Student athletes will be monitored in all aspects of the game, and every coach will be held accountable for these efforts,” said Fuller.
Comegy said he plans to get the team’s grades up. “If I can’t do that then I don’t want to be here. If I can’t do the job completely then I don’t want to be here myself.”
This year, the Tigers finished their sixth season with Comegy as head coach. During the past six years, they’ve had a 41-26 record, and last season, they ended with a 9-2 record. In 2007, the Tigers won the SWAC Championship under Comegy, and they returned to the championship game in 2008.
During the press conference, Comegy thanked Fuller and Meyers for the contract extension and recognized the football staff that he said does not always get the recognition for the work they do.
The coach recognized the success of the JSU football program which celebrated 100 years this year and the efforts of others who work to advance the football program at JSU through the New Players Association, Blue Bengal Association, and Tiger Fund.
“Everybody’s working together on one accord and it makes being here even more beautiful,” said Comegy.
As far as recruiting goes, the coach said he feels the team is going in good directions.
“We lost a great quarterback, but I think we’re going to bring in a quality young man who can stand up in there and do the job we need to be done.”
Throughout his six years, some Comegy critics have argued that he did not bring in enough high school students from Mississippi but rather recruited junior college or transfer students that didn’t always have good academic standing.
In response to a question about bringing in more high school students rather than junior college and transfer students, Comegy said, “A lot of people in our conference have taken up where we started off on, by bringing in junior college guys and winning games.”
“We’re going to concentrate on more high school guys here in the state of Mississippi and try to do the best job we can in our own state with high schools and continue building that four year program,” he added.
Still however, Comegy said he plans to continue bringing in junior college and transfer students. “You’ve got to bring in some ju-co guys to be able to have some stability to your program that can make it swing.”
In an effort to recruit players in good academic standing, Comegy said, “Before we even watch film on a new player, we’ve got to see his transcript first, and we want to make sure that we’re going in that direction and heading that way first.”
“They key right now is just making sure we’re doing the right thing, staying on top of the players and making sure they’re getting in the classroom and doing what they’re supposed to do to be student athletes,” continued Comegy.
In addition to getting his contract extended, Comegy is receiving a three percent raise from his previous salary, making his salary $191,580.
“Everyone should be awarded for their efforts and we sat down and agreed upon a raise and that’s what we came up with,” said Fuller.
Samuel Tingle, an avid JSU football fan who travels from Meridian for every home game and to the Tennessee State and Southern games, said he is relieved to hear that Comegy will be staying for another couple of years.
“His record speaks for itself. It’s a no-brainer. You wouldn’t find a better coach. He’s a huge part of what’s been built in the football program over the past few years,” said Tingle.
Comegy expressed desires to be the football team’s head coach past the two year extension. He said as long as he is winning, capable of winning, and wanted, he plans to be here.
“They want to see good football. I want them to see good football. I want to bring a great brand of football here to Jackson State, and we will continue to do that,” said Comegy.
