When a team expected to compete for championships sits at 2-5 overall and 2-2 in SWAC play, with two back-to-back league losses, something clearly has to give.
That give came Monday morning when second-year Prairie View head coach Tremaine Jackson announced changes to his coaching staff ahead of Saturday’s Homecoming Showdown against Alcorn State. Second-year offensive coordinator Chris Buckner and defensive backs coach Darren Garrigan are both out.
Running backs coach Clifford Fedd takes over as offensive coordinator, and defensive coordinator Brandon Anderson and defensive analyst Frank Whirley will share duties in the secondary.
“Need to shake some things up and get some things moving in a different direction,” Jackson said during Monday’s SWAC Coaches Call with the media. “So, we do that and move forward.”
The Panthers entered the season as the defending SWAC West and SWAC champions and were the heavy favorites to repeat as both and likely return to the Celebration Bowl for the second year in a row. But something clearly is off.
Jackson identified two areas that needed immediate change: Offensive playcalling and the back end of the defense.
After seven games, the Panthers rank near the bottom of the SWAC in all key offensive categories. They are ranked 10th in scoring (22.4 points), ninth in overall offense (318.6 yards per game), 10th in rushing offense (141.3 yards per game and nine touchdowns), and seventh in passing (177.3 yards per game and nine touchdowns).
“We are either coaching it that way, or we’re allowing it to happen, and I’m not down with either. So I have to get those things fixed, so I think we took the necessary steps to get those things fixed.”
– Tremaine Jackson, Prairie View A&M University Head Coach
Prairie View 27 or more points in back-to-back games – consecutive losses to Mississippi Valley State and Southern. In the loss against Mississippi Valley State, the Panthers held a 24-0 lead in the second quarter but could only manage a field goal in the second half as the Delta Devils stormed back for a 28-27 win.
Buckner has been a part of Jackson’s staff since last season and came with an impressive resume, having spent time on the coaching staffs of Sam Houston State, Texas State, Southern Miss, Arkansas State, and North Carolina Central.
“We haven’t been scoring the football. We haven’t been getting the ball to people who can score. Coach Buckner is a really good football coach. We won a championship together.,” Jackson said to the Defender. “But right now at this time, we’re not doing well offensively. When you continue not to do well offensively, then we have to do something different.”
The same applied on the defensive side of the football, where Jackson said the Panthers’ secondary gave up too many big plays. Garrigan came over to Prairie View last year after being a member of Jackson’s coaching staff at Valdosta State.
But in this results-only business, Jackson felt that Garrigan wasn’t getting the job done. The Panthers are allowing 207.6 passing yards and have allowed 14 passing touchdowns this season, ranking sixth in the SWAC.
The Panthers’ defensive problems, however, seem more complicated than just the deep passes. They rank last in the SWAC in sacks with just 10, and have given up back-to-back big 100-yard rushing efforts in losses to Mississippi Valley State and Southern.
“Defensively, we have given up too many deep balls. It’s just that simple,” Jackson also said to the Defender. “I’m a defensive guy. Guys cannot run wide open.”
In both instances, Jackson said something had to change.
“We are either coaching it that way, or we’re allowing it to happen, and I’m not down with either,” Jackson said. “So I have to get those things fixed. I think we took the necessary steps to get those things fixed.”
