College Football: 10 Group of Five coaches with most to prove in 2019
By Zach Bigalke
To be fair, San Jose State is a tough place to get things going. But this year is so critical for Brent Brennan precisely because of what his predecessors have been able to accomplish by year three in the South Bay. Specifically, Brennan needs to get to bowl eligibility to ensure that he has employment in the field in 2020 and beyond.
Even at a place like San Jose State, three wins in two years is not an ingredient for longevity as a college football coach. About the only thing working in Brennan’s favor is the fact that he at least secured a Mountain West victory in each of his first two seasons, surprising Wyoming in the 2017 season finale and taking down UNLV last year.
Brennan and his staff do not have a ton of returning talent in 2019, with the Spartans ranking 68th in returning offensive production and 72nd in defensive productivity returning from last season. Getting more out of what he does have in San Jose will be critical moving forward.
The Spartans open with FCS opponent Northern Colorado, then host Tulsa before a trip to Fayetteville to face Arkansas. Winning two out of the three would set up San Jose State for a chance at bowl eligibility. Getting to six wins is crucial for Brennan this year as he tries to build the Spartans back into a Mountain West contender.