Men?s basketball Coach Jerome Jenkins has his team winning. But he doesn?t have a contract that goes beyond this season.

The year-to-year contract situation is not uncommon at Sacramento State, but the fact that Athletic Director Debby Colberg is leaving her post at the end of this semester could complicate Jenkins? job security. Although neither he nor Colberg are worried, since both feel that Jenkins is the man for the job and will return next year, the fact remains: His contract expires after this season and nothing is a given, especially with a new boss coming in.

“The majority of coaches here are on a year-to-year basis,” Colberg said. “I?ve worked here for 26 years and I?ve been year-to-year for 26 years. This is particularly true with a new, young and unproven coach like Jenkins.”

In regards to a new Athletic Director coming in and replacing Jenkins, Colberg thinks this is doubtful.

“I?m absolutely thrilled with the job he?s done; he?s terrific. I would think that the new person would sit down with me, and I?m certainly in Jerome?s corner. Any changes would be the wrong way to go. If I have anything to say about it, [he?ll be back next year].”

The problem is that Colberg may not have a say in the matter.What should be clear to anybody is that Jenkins is, and has proven to be, the right man for the job. The performance of his team this year, in just his second year as head coach, has been nothing short of shocking for a program that had gone 42-226 (until this season) since it joined Division I in 1991. This year, Jenkins? Hornets are 9-14, although they are defeated on the road. They are also 3-6 in the Big Sky Conference, which ties the school for most wins in that conference (which it entered in 1996), with four conference games remaining (two at home). The team has a legitimate shot of making the Big Sky Conference Tournament, and fans are coming out to Hornet Gym to support their team. Many nights, fans are left without seats, left to fend for themselves against the “Gym Nazi,” who harasses fans who stand anywhere near the entrance.

Sac State is also primed for success in the near future with plenty of this year?s studs returning, including juniors Joel “How did we get that guy” Jones, Jimmy White, Joe Dawson, Rashaad Hooks and sophomore Cedric Thompkins. “I feel like everybody sees the winning and that the future gets better,” Jenkins said about his team, which has seen increased support from students this year.

The program, with Jenkins leading the way, has started recruiting outside of California for the first time and is making great improvements. But the fact that Colberg is resigning is bothersome to Jenkins, since he likes where things are headed with her in charge.

“I wish she wouldn?t step down because she?s doing a great job and brought a lot of respectability to the Athletic Department,” Jenkins said. “She took over when things were bad, and I?m really disappointed that she?s [resigning]. But she still has that fire as head coach. She has had 25 years of success with the volleyball team, and that is a challenge for me; I?m chasing her. Her program runs like a machine.”

Hopefully Jenkins will get the chance to pursue that challenge of leading a successful program, and direct his own machine.Colberg, do whatever is possible to ensure that Jenkins is the coach of the Hornets next year. He is the right man for the job. Give him a new contract before it?s in somebody else?s hands.

Does Russ Edmondson have his lines crossed? E-mail him at [email protected].