HBCU Football's Rising Stars: Two Coaches Battle For Top FCS Honor

HBCU Football's future is bright! See which two rising coaches are battling for the coveted FCS Coaching Award.

DSU Coach DeSean Jackson and PVAMU Coach Tremaine Jackson | DSU and PVAMU Athletics

Two of HBCU football's rising coaches were announced by Stats Perform as finalists for the 2025 Eddie Robinson Award.

Delaware State's DeSean Jackson and Prairie View A&M's Tremaine Jackson are making noise as two of the best head coaches in HBCU football. The newcomers are finalists for the Eddie Robinson Award, given annually to the FCS Coach of the Year.

Both coaches helped propel HBCU football into the national spotlight with a major turnaround at their schools, bringing new attention to the tradition of strong Black college football coaches.

WHY THIS MATTERS FOR HBCU FOOTBALL

The award is named after legendary coach Eddie G. Robinson of Grambling State, who for decades set the bar for winning and developing young athletes, many who had great NFL careers. Every FCS conference is represented, but this year stands out with two HBCU coaches.

It's a sign that what they've achieved isn't just about wins, it's about respect, visibility and a seat at the table when it comes to the postseason, media attention, and even discussions about moving to bigger programs in the future.

DeSean Jackson Hoisted After Victory Over Norfolk State | ESPN

DESEAN JACKSON'S IMPACT AT DELAWARE STATE

DeSean Jackson wasted no time in making an impact at Delaware State. The Hornets, who struggled last season, went 8-4 overall and 4-1 in the MEAC. That's a seven-win swing from last year, the biggest jump in the entire FCS and HBCU Football.

Jackson's early success relied on the top-ranked rushing offense in the FCS. It's no surprise that there's already talk of what's next for Jackson, including Power Five interest from his old school, Cal, who just fired its former head coach.

Tremaine Jackson, Prairie View A&M Head Football Coach on the sidelines of the Panthers game against UTRGV. | PVAMU Athletics

TREMAINE JACKSON BOOSTS PRAIRIE VIEW A&M FOOTBALL

Meanwhile, Prairie View A&M is back to winning ways under Tremaine Jackson. He helped the Panthers to a 9-3 record, including 7-1 in SWAC play, for the first time since 2009. capturing the West Division title.

Credited for his steady arm, discipline and smart use of NCAA transfers, Jackson placed Prairie View among the top 10 HBCU football programs for most of the year and led them to a strong run going forward. On Dec. 6, the Panthers will travel to Jackson, Mississippi to meet last year's HBCU champions, the Jackson State Tigers, in the 2025 SWAC Football Championship Game.

Eddie Robinson Becomes All-Time Winningest College Football Coach | SI

FOLLOWING EDDIE ROBINSON'S LEGACY

Both coaches are living examples of the same qualities that Eddie Robinson displayed - finding and keeping talent, making smart plays and helping young men grow. Having two HBCU coaches is another sign of how much these programs are shaping the FCS.

Whether DeSean Jackson or Tremaine Jackson ends up on top when the award is handed out, the bigger story is that HBCU football is getting the credit it deserves. Two of the most talked-about coaching stories this season started in Dover, Delaware and Prairie View, Texas — and people across college football took notice.

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