Brent Brennan might be a perfect fit at Arizona. The San Jose State coach has proved he can win with an underdog program. He has extensive West Coast ties and plenty of Pac-12 experience. He has a connection to Dick Tomey.
But what if Brennan doesn’t want to leave San Jose State?
The fourth-year coach spoke to the media Monday to preview the Mountain West Conference Championship Game, which the Spartans are playing in for the first time. He was asked by a reporter about being linked to the UA job. This was the exchange:
Question: “I don’t know if you’ve seen, but over the last 24, 36 hours, your name has been thrown out a lot regarding the vacancy with the Arizona head-coaching position. I’m curious as to what your thoughts are about your name being included in that hunt.”
Brennan: “C’mon, dude. We are climbing the mountain. That’s all I’m worried about right now. That’s it. This team, moving forward, playing in the biggest game in the history of our school.”
The reporter then asked Brennan about a comment he made last year. According to a story in the San Jose Mercury News, Brennan asked his players to write down their goals.
“The first thing I wrote down,” Brennan said at the time, “is that I want to be the head coach here for the next 15 years.”
Brennan signed a three-year contract extension with SJSU last December. The deal, worth $2.55 million, runs through 2024. And that 15-year line? What was the impetus for that?
“Because I love San Jose State University,” Brennan said. “I grew up here. My dad played here. I went to these games as a young man, as a kid. Rolling down the hill before the stands were in the north end. That’s been my whole life.
“When I said that, that came from the heart. I love this place. I love what we’re doing. I believe we can build a winning football program at San Jose State, and I think we’re into our process of demonstrating that.”
Neither the contract extension nor Brennan’s feelings about his hometown school mean he wouldn’t entertain an offer from Arizona, if one were forthcoming. Objectively, this might be the best Brennan ever could do at San Jose State, which is 6-0 and will finish above .500 for only the second time in the past 14 seasons.
It comes down to what Brennan’s ambitions truly are – and whether the UA is truly interested.
