Any discussion about extending the contract of Georgia State football coach Trent Miles will occur during an annual evaluation process that is done after the season, athletic director Charlie Cobb said on Tuesday.
Miles has two years left on his contract.
The Panthers (5-6, 4-3 Sun Belt) have won three consecutive games for the first time since 2010 and need one more win to become bowl eligible for the first time in school history. They will play at rival Georgia Southern on Saturday.
“I think you have to look at the total picture,” Cobb said. “We’re certainly excited about how the season is ending, but we have a game to play on Saturday and then let’s evaluate the total package of where we are.”
Cobb holds annual post-season evaluations with the coaches, so this isn’t unique to Miles.
Miles became the coach of Georgia State’s football team before the 2013 season, leaving his alma mater of Indiana State to do so. He took over from Bill Curry, who announced just before the 2012 season that he was going to retire from coaching at season’s end.
Miles signed a five-year deal with a base salary of $450,000. His base salary was increased to $463,500 effective July 1, 2015.
Miles inherited a Georgia State program that was not only struggling on the FCS level, going 1-10 in Curry’s final season, but was making the jump to the FBS level, which came with its own set of issues that Miles and the athletic department are working through.
The roster wasn’t balanced by class or position, which made building depth at each position difficult. Miles has since got the roster mostly balanced, and the construction of a strength and conditioning facility located at the team’s practice facility was completed earlier this season. The facility not only helps player development, but is also thought to help with recruiting.
Miles inherited a non-conference schedule that featured games at Washington and at Oregon, which required long trips and aren’t in areas that the Panthers recruit. Under Cobb, non-conference scheduling features more regional opponents, which reduces travel and are in areas where the Panthers may recruit.
The team went 1-23 in Miles’ first two seasons, and started the 2015 season 1-4 before winning four of their next seven games.
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