By Jarra Gojolo — Senior Content Editor
San Jose State head coach Brent Brennan’s prop for this week’s press conference was a makeshift miniature stop sign, decorated with the words “STOP!!!!! I’M CLIMBING THE MOUNTAIN!!!!!” and the Spartans’ logo.
He came up with the slogan as a response to the outside noise that comes with college football.
Whether it be against them:
“There [were] so many people that did not believe we could win,” Brennan said. “Like, ‘you guys are good but you can’t beat Air Force, they’re going to run for 600’ … Whenever you get any of that negativity, tell them ‘stop, I’m climbing the mountain, I don’t have time for your negativity.’”
Or in their favor:
“Then we win three in a row … now people are gonna tell you how good you are, and try to get you to fall into a trap and lose against UNLV. So you tell them ‘stop, I’m climbing the mountain.”
Today Brennan was named a finalist for the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award.
Brennan led the Spartans to their first Mountain West title in history and first conference title since 1991, when Terry Shea led SJSU to a Big West Conference championship.
The fourth-year head coach says the nomination is simply a by-product of the team’s success.
“If we sucked, I’m not on that list,” Brennan said. “We’re playing good football because of the players, because of the way this team came together.”
The Spartans are No. 19 in the AP’s Top 25 poll, their highest ranking since the 1939 season.
The other candidates for the award are Tom Allen (Indiana), Matt Campbell (Iowa State), Jamey Chadwell (Coastal Carolina), Karl Dorrell (Colorado), Luke Fickell (Cincinnati), Nick Saban (Alabama), Kalani Sitake (BYU) and Dabo Swinney (Clemson).
The winner of the award will be announced the week of Jan. 4, 2021.
In addition to the accolades, success also comes with calls from Power 5 teams.
The Mountain West Coach of the Year again dodged questions about the head coaching job at Arizona while flashing the aforementioned red sign towards the camera.
“When those conversations start, it’s really a reflection of what’s happening here at San Jose State,” he said. “Which has been — in my opinion — nothing short of exceptional. It’s pretty cool to be a part of that”
Speaking of Arizona, the Spartans will spend the next couple of days at home before making the trip to Tucson on Sunday in preparation for the Arizona Bowl against Ball State (6-1).
Brennan says the team came home for the mental health of the players, who haven’t seen their families since July 14.
After the Spartans recharge, all eyes will be on the Cardinals in SJSU’s first bowl game since 2015.
Brennan drew similarities in the path both teams have taken to get to this point, from two-win seasons in 2017 to a bowl berth in 2020
“We’ve got a big time opponent down there in Tucson, and it’s going to be an awesome event.”
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