How PV's Tremaine Jackson Is Reframing HBCU Football And Challenging Coaching Bias

Coach Tremaine Jackson speaks on HBCU coaching equity, rebranding black college football, and leading Prairie View’s SWAC title chase.

Coach Tremaine Jackson - Takes The Helm At Prairie View A&M | PVAMU Athletics

HOUSTON — Prairie View A&M head coach Tremaine Jackson didn't hold back in his recent interview with Donal Ware, founder and host of BOXTOROW Media.

Jackson made clear that he isn't distracted by talk connecting his name to potential FCS and FBS coaching opportunities, including reports of interest from UAB. While he appreciates the recognition, Jackson's focus remains fixed on Prairie View's goals.

"When you coach at Valdosta State and you're playing for national championships on that side of the tracks, this is a normal deal," Jackson told Ware. "We were in the second round of the playoffs last year, and people thought I was going to five different places — and I wasn't even talking to none of those people."

Under Jackson's leadership, Prairie View A&M has surged to a 5–2 overall record and currently leads the SWAC West Division at 4–0, including a tiebreaker over Texas Southern. Despite outside speculation, Jackson remains grounded in one mission: winning a Southwestern Athletic Conference championship.

For him, success is not determined by rumor or reputation, but by consistent work and leadership on the field.

Prairie View A&M football team led by head coach Tremaine Jackson. | PVAMU Athletics

Confronting the Double Standard in HBCU Coaching

During his interview, Coach Jackson addressed a broader issue faced by HBCU coaches: the unequal recognition they receive for their work compared to their peers at predominantly white institutions.

"I read an article about why," Jackson said. "Why do I get the opportunity to have my name out there when there are coaches on our level in HBCUs that have done a really good job with a lot less? My answer is, man, I came from outside of the SWAC. And it's not right, but we're certified on the PWI side. Until you get that, it's not gonna bode well for people inside of our league, which is not right. It is actually dead wrong."

Jackson's words echo persistent concerns across college football. Coaches within HBCU conferences, such as the SWAC, MEAC, SIAC, and CIAA, continue to achieve remarkable success, often despite limited resources. Yet their accomplishments are regularly overlooked by FBS-level athletic directors — a pattern rooted not in performance, but in perception.​

PVAMU head football coach Tremaine Jackson on UAB job talk and why him: "I came from outside of the SWAC." BOXTOROW w/ Donal Ware this weekend on a radio station near you https://t.co/HifRG3dvlX#PVAMU #UAB #HBCU pic.twitter.com/CeZhsJyQJh

— BOXTOROW MEDIA (@boxtorow) October 22, 2025

Recent advancements by former HBCU coaches, such as Willie Simmons (now at FIU) and Jerry Mack (Kennesaw State), show that progress is possible, but pathways remain uneven and indirect.

"There's a lot of coaches in the SWAC, in the MEAC, in the SIAC, in the CIAA that can coach anywhere in the country," Jackson stressed. "But there's a lot of decision makers at that [FBS] level who have no idea what goes on in black college football."

All Games Matter - Prairie View A&M Head Coach Tremaine Jackson | Credit: PVAMU Athletics

Rebranding HBCU Football Beyond the Stigma

Since arriving at Prairie View A&M on Jan. 1, 2025, Coach Jackson has been intentional about reshaping language and perception surrounding HBCU football.

"When I got here, I started telling people, stop calling us black college football. Just call us college football," Jackson said. "It had nothing to do with not being proud of where we are. It had everything to do with taking away some of the stigma and some of the thoughts that people think at PWI or at places that don't look like ours about our brand of football."

Jackson's approach mirrors his coaching philosophy, demanding recognition for excellence without labels. He wants outsiders to view HBCU football not as an alternative or niche, but as an equal in terms of quality, intensity, and legitimacy.

Having previously guided Valdosta State to a perfect 13–0 season, a Division II National Championship Game appearance, and an AFCA National Coach of the Year award, Jackson brings championship credibility and purpose to the PVAMU sideline.

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

The Bigger Picture

As Jackson leads Prairie View through a dominant stretch in the SWAC, his message stands tall across the HBCU community: recognition must match the results.

His insights highlight how success in Black college football is not about validation from outside institutions; it's about redefining respect from within. "The brand of football we play deserves the same level of acknowledgment," he noted.

For Prairie View A&M and HBCU programs nationwide, that message carries both urgency and pride. The challenge, as Jackson frames it, now extends to presidents, athletic directors, and conference commissioners: sustain equity in hiring, development, and opportunity so that future conversations about HBCU coaching are no longer about catching up — but about leading forward.

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