Note: This story is featured in the 2026 edition of Dave Campbell's Texas Football's Summer Magazine, which you can order here.

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Tremaine Jackson is the most quotable coach in Texas. He’s got an arsenal of short sayings he repeats so often that his staff refers to them as ‘Jackisms.’ Iron sharpens iron, but you can’t be afraid of the sparks – a reference to his demanding culture. You’ve got to see it before you see it, or you’ll never see it – the importance of believing in yourself and your process.  

But after leading Prairie View A&M to the HBCU National Championship Game in his first year as head coach, his guarantee in last year’s Dave Campbell’s magazine sticks out the most. 

“If you think it’s going to take me until Year Three to win here, I’m a white man,” Jackson said.  

Jackson, notably still Black, turned Prairie View A&M from 5-7 to 10-4 in one season, winning the program’s first SWAC Championship since 2009. But he admits Christmas was depressing. The Panthers’ historic season ended in a four-overtime loss in the national championship game. And – we’re sorry for this reminder, Panther fans – they had a 21-0 lead. 

But that heartache was the origin story for the upcoming season. Over that break, Jackson crafted his most important Jackism yet: ‘Finish the Fight,’ a motto coined from Acts 20:24 of the Bible. Finishing the fight, Jackson says, doesn’t stop at the players and coaches.   

“I’m now glad we didn’t win the national championship,” Jackson said. “Because we would’ve cheated the process. And people around here would’ve thought it was easy. These days, just like football coaches get held accountable, the administration has to be held accountable, too.” 

Jackson says the only NIL money last year’s team got was to cover their cell phone bills. But in April, Prairie View A&M’s administration pledged at least $200,000 in NIL money. It also bumped both Jackson’s salary and his staff pool by 35 percent. 

Everything points back to that Jackism: you’ve got to see it before you see it, or you’ll never see it.  

Jackson saw a team far closer to a finished product in spring football practice compared to the same time last year. Half of last year’s team was brought in over the summer, whereas the Panthers had 103 participants in 2026 spring practice. The coaching staff is confident they’ll avoid last year’s sluggish 1-2 start because of it.  

Prairie View A&M’s offense should hit the ground running with FCS Freshman All-American running back Chase Bingmon (970 total yards, eight touchdowns). The offensive line returns four of five starters after surrendering just eight sacks the entire season. First Team All-Conference selection Chase McMillian headlines the group, while 6-foot-7-inch tight end Travon Jones is a versatile weapon as both a blocker and pass catcher. Receiver Rodny Ojo (30 catches, 427 yards, three touchdowns) will see an increased role after the loss of 1,100-yard receiver Jzyaiah Rockwell. 

Quarterback is the biggest question mark on offense. But Jackson considers senior Tevin Carter (6-foot-4-inches, 225 pounds) as a returning starter after going 2-1 in relief of the prolific Cameron Peters. 

The biggest offseason move on the defensive side was retaining Second Team All-Conference cornerback Eric Zachary. The 6-foot-1-inch junior is a dominant defender with the confidence to take on the opponent’s No.1 wide receiver every week. He led the Panthers with 13 pass breakups.  

While Jackson has the utmost trust in Zachary, his greatest faith in an overall unit lies with the defensive line. Malik Gucake (42 tackles, 10.5 TFLs, two sacks) and Molik Mason both return at the 4i lined up inside the shoulder of the offensive tackle. But depth is the most exciting development. The Panthers were one injury away from disaster last year with eight total defensive linemen. Jackson and his staff had 15 during spring practice.  

With those added troops and funds, Prairie View A&M is confident it has the resources to ‘finish the fight’ in Atlanta this December. Before you doubt that, just remember how that worked last year.  

DCTF Take

We know some must have rolled their eyes reading that Tremaine Jackson was ‘glad’ to lose the national championship. But there is a kernel of truth that the loss spurred change. Most of the team was Portaled over the summer. There were no TVs to watch film in the coaches’ office when Jackson’s staff arrived, much less NIL. 

Those issues were rectified this offseason, both through the administration’s huge investment and Jackson’s staff having an entire Portal window to recruit. With that in mind, complacency is the only reason to bet that Prairie View A&M doesn’t reach the national championship. That’s part of the reason Jackson deployed the ‘Finish the Fight’ mantra – to ensure his Panthers keep the hunter’s mindset, not that of the hunted.