OAKLAND, Calif. -- Mark Jackson will not be a lame duck coach next season. The Golden State Warriors picked up the option on Jacksons contract for the 2014-15 season on Wednesday. While both sides could still work out a long-term extension this summer, exercising the option at least ensures Jackson wont enter the upcoming season with an expiring contract. The Warriors also announced the hiring of 11-year NBA veteran Brian Scalabrine as an assistant coach and promoted Joe Boylan from video scout to assistant coach overseeing player development. Pete Myers, who is already on staff, is expected to be the lead assistant after Mike Malone left to be the Sacramento Kings head coach. Darren Erman and Jerry DeGregorio also remain on Jacksons staff. Warriors general manager Bob Myers said last month that he has had informal discussions with Jacksons agent, Arn Tellem, about an extension for the coach and didnt anticipate contentious negotiations. Tellem was Myers long-time mentor at the Wasserman Media Group before Myers moved into the Warriors front office two years ago. Jackson, who doubles as an ordained minister, has said all along that his contract situation will "work itself out." "I trust in God. Im in the best hands possible, and I dont mean Arn Tellem," he quipped after the season ended in May. Jacksons job certainly seems secure. He took the Warriors from a 23-43 record during the lockout-shortened season his first year to a 47-35 team that earned the Western Conferences sixth seed and eliminated Denver in the first round of the playoffs. The eventual conference champion San Antonio Spurs knocked Golden State out in six games in the second round. The Warriors posted the second-highest winning percentage improvement behind Brooklyn. Golden State also is positioned for more success with point guard Stephen Curry anchoring a collection of promising young talent, and Jackson has so far found a way to blend them all together. The former New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers point guard, among others, had worked as a broadcaster before joining the Warriors on June 6, 2011, with no coaching experience at any level. Jackson has emphasized defence and rebounding -- two areas where Golden State had historically been weak -- during his tenure. The Warriors have improved drastically in several of those categories, including opponents field goal percentage (fourth in NBA last season; 20th in 2011-12), opponents 3-point percentage (seventh last season; 28th in 2011-12), defensive rebounding (first last season; 24th in 2011-12) and rebounds per game (third last season; 28th in 2011-12). 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LOUIS -- St. The Southeastern Conference is down to one playoff contender.Defending national champion and top-ranked Alabama is a lock for its third straight berth if the Crimson Tide can beat No. 15 Florida in the SEC championship game Saturday in Atlanta, and may not even need to win.`Bama much prefers the first scenario.Winning the SEC championship is something thats really important to us and we think a very, very significant accomplishment, Alabama coach Nick Saban said Sunday. Thats kind of one of the goals that we have. Whatever comes beyond that, comes beyond that but our focus needs to be on this game.The Gators (8-3) were playoff longshots even before Saturday nights 31-13 loss to rival Florida State but could have made a case with two huge closing wins. They emerged from a topsy-turvy SEC East to earn a title game rematch.I gave them until 3:45 in the morning, which is when we unloaded the bus, to think about it and then erase it and learn from it, said Floridas Jim McElwain, the first coach to lead a team to SEC championship games in each of his first two seasons.He wanted them to start preparation realizing that theres a whole bunch of people that wish they were playing on this championship weekend.Nobodys surprised that the Tide (12-0), the last unbeaten team from a Power 5 conference, is back in the Georgia Dome. `Bama players werent particularly interested in talking about their playoff prospects after Saturdays 30-12 win over rival Auburn.We just worry about the next game, linebacker Ryan Anderson said. Teams that start worrying about the Final Four and all that, they get beat.The SEC championship winner has played for a national title or made the playoffs in eight straight seasons.Here are some story lines to waatch in the SEC championship game:FAMILIAR FOES: The winner will take the lead in this frequent SEC championship matchup.dddddddddddd. Florida and Alabama have split the previous eight meetings dating back to the games debut in 1992. Five times the winner has gone on to win a national title, three for the Tide and two for the Gators.Alabama won 29-15 last season en route to a national title.Its two storied programs and two programs that year in and year out expect to be in Atlanta, McElwain, a former Tide offensive coordinator, said.TOUGH DEFENSES: The two best defenses in the league will take on offenses that have been less consistent. The Tide leads the nation in run defense, scoring defense and total defense The Gators rank third in pass efficiency defense and fifth in both points and yards allowed.The Tide hasnt allowed a touchdown in the last 267 minutes, 54 seconds of game time, dating back to the third quarter of the Texas A&M game on Oct. 22.OFFENSIVE ISSUES: Alabamas offense has been prone to stopping itself at times, including two Jalen Hurts interceptions in the first half against Auburn. The Tide also fumbled four times in the half but recovered all of them. Those kinds of things could come back to haunt them in their bid for titles. Florida has perhaps more serious offensive concerns after gaining just 207 yards against FSU, including 58 on the ground.SHERIT OUT: McElwain said starting defensive end Jordan Sherit wont play in the game. He sustained an apparent right leg injury against FSU.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 ' ' '