Despite a convincing 35-7 victory over Texas Southern in a Thursday night primetime game on ESPNU, the “FIRE COMEGY” chants rained downed as the Blue Bengal faithful were still on edge from a disappointing lose to arch rival Tennessee State last Saturday.
This isn’t the first time that Comegy has been placed on the hot seat. In 2011 the team was banned from postseason play due to poor ARP scores which didn’t sit well with the JSU brass.
Also, after last year’s heartbreaking SWAC championship game loss to Arkansas-Pine Bluff, the the Tallahassee Democrat reported Comegy applied for the coaching vacancy at Florida A&M following the 2012 season. Most felt Comegy was on his way out of Jackson.
However, the Tigers are still unbeaten in Southwestern Athletic Conference play and quarterback Clayton Moore showed signs of improvement – accounting for 167 yards of the Tigers’ 295 yard offensive attack – after throwing four costly interceptions last week against Tennessee State.
“We as an offense think that it doesn’t matter who we play as long as we execute,” Moore said in Thursday’s post-game interview. “Nobody can stop us,”
Moore has to be able to back up this statement because Jackson State has one of the most stern fan bases that doesn’t take losing, or for that matter under achieving, lightly. This fan base expects to win championships every year.
For Comegy and Co. the task doesn’t get easier as they travel to Baton Rouge to face a high octane Southern University offense led by SWAC Offensive Player of the Week quarterback Dray Joseph.
This game is pivotal to the Tigers’ road to redemption in winning another championship, but more important to the job security of head coach Rick Comegy.
Several JSU icons have shown support for Comegy, including the program’s winningest coach, W.C. Gordon, and ex-AD Bob Braddy.
The season is still young with tons of football left to be played, but with a disgruntled fan base and plans to build a state-of- art athletic dome, will Comegy win enough to have the support to stay on Lynch Street?
He has some bad losses on his resume that will keep him on the hot seat. Losing to a bad Southern team last year and blowing the SWAC Championship come to mind. Tennessee State has spanked him quite a few times as well. He has the talent every year so the JSU fans aren’t going to be happy with the losses….
He lost to a good UAPB team last season… Tenn State is light years ahead of the SWAC… Lets be real… What other coach is going to be better at JSU… Do worry I will WAIT!