More than a couple of college football leaders noticed the Year 2 turnaround and continued impact of Kane Wommack atop the University of South Alabama program.
The Jaguars, after all, are just three years removed from a 10-loss season as they enjoy a breakthrough 10-win campaign in Wommack's second year.
On Thursday, USA officials worked proactively to recognize the work of Wommack and his staff; they extended their head coach's contract through the 2028 season.
Per sources familiar with the move, Wommack's expected to move into a million-dollar salary range after earning just more than $800,000.
And the extension comes immediately after Wommack not only guided the Jaguars to a 10-2 campaign, nearly an 11-win season after the team almost won at nationally-ranked UCLA early in the fall, but had been pursued by multiple other programs with head coaching vacancies.
Sources told FootballScoop this week that Wommack had been prioritized as the top target for a specific search, and he had received interest from other programs.
But Wommack has prioritized his commitment to the South Alabama program, its players, coaches and also his family, From his playing career at both Arkansas and Southern Miss to his first-ever collegiate job on Jason Simpson's UT-Martin staff, Wommack has primarily climbed through the coaching ranks in the South -- aside from his decorated work as defensive coordinator at Indiana.
The Jaguars' 10-win campaign is the school's all-time best mark since it moved to Football Bowls Subdivision competition, and they are slated to learn their postseason bowl destination Sunday when all formal postseason bids are awarded.