Bubba McDowell's Former NFL Teammate Applauds His Hiring at Prairie View

A former NFL teammate of Bubba McDowell applauds his hiring as head coach at Prairie View.

A former NFL teammate of Bubba McDowell applauds his hiring as head coach at Prairie View.  

Steve Jackson, a former teammate at the Houston Oilers and current secondary coach with the Cincinnati Bengals, believes the Panthers picked a solid coach in McDowell.

Jackson shared with me that it's a "great opportunity for Bubba and an excellent hire by the university. From recruiting and winning games to molding young men, this mutual investment will pay dividends for a long time." 

1991 Houston Oilers' Young Guns and Draft Picks; Credit: Steve Jackson

The Houston Oilers drafted Steve Jackson out of Purdue University as the 71st overall selection in the third round of the 1991 NFL Draft. Jackson is a native of Houston, TX, and was an outstanding player at Klein Forest High School. McDowell and Chris Dishman mentored the 1991 draftees Mike Dumas, Marcus Robertson (defensive backs coach with Arizona), Darryl Lewis, and Jackson, nicknamed "The Young Guns" for the Oilers secondary.

"Cerebral and physical player that left everything on the field. In addition to being a leader that, as younger players, we looked up to and tried to emulate [McDowell]," mentioned Jackson.

Subscribe to HBCU Legends for FREE!

Bubba McDowell becomes another former NFL player or coach to take over an HBCU football program within the past couple of seasons. Deion Sanders (Jackson State), Eddie George (Tennessee State), Eddie Robinson Jr. (Alabama State)[former Jackson teammate], Hue Jackson (Grambling State), and Robert Massey (Winton-Salem State) are ex-NFL professionals recently hired as head coaches with HBCUs.

Prairie View A&M is the reigning SWAC West division champion. McDowell is fortunate to inherit a program with talented players, excellent facilities, and support from the administration.

"I'm proud to have Coach McDowell as our new head of the football program," said PVAMU Athletic Director Donald Reed. "I chose Coach McDowell because of his vast and successful experiences in collegiate and professional football. His leadership style and student-athlete-centered approach align with our goals to see our athletes excel in the classroom, on the field, and in the community. I'm impressed by Coach McDowell's commitment to PV, and I know he'll lead us to accomplish great things." 

Bubba McDowell has not officially named his staff of assistants. The Panthers are behind a few weeks on their recruiting efforts compared to Jackson State, Grambling, Alabama A&M, Florida A&M, Southern, and Alabama State in the SWAC.  

McDowell can take advantage of Prairie View's deep roots and connection with the abundance of talent coming out of Metro Houston, Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas. Under Coach McDowell's leadership, the Panthers will be ready to defend their SWAC West title and contend for the SWAC Championship in 2022.

HBCU Football Coverage

• Deion Sanders, Hue Jackson, and HBCU Coaches Can Capitalize on Comments
• Celebration Bowl Attendance Outpaced Several FBS Bowl Games
• HBCU Football's Top Stories of 2021
• HBCU Coaches Are Masters in 'The Art of Flipping Recruits'
• John Madden Coached These HBCU Legends
• Deion Sanders to Rich Eisen: At Jackson State, 'We Recruit Up'
• HBCU Football's Top 10 Most Influential Moments of 2021
• HBCU Transfer Portal: JSU, FAMU, AAMU Snag Former FSU and UM Players
• Eric Dooley Adds Former Assistant Coaches to Staff at Southern
• Hue Jackson's Interview with ESPN's Stan Verrett
• Celebration Bowl Viewership Increases