Tremaine Jackson Shakes Up Prairie View A&M Coaching Staff

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – Prairie View A&M head coach Tremaine Jackson announced on the SWAC Coaches Media Session on Oct. 12 that he has made midseason changes to his coaching staff, first reported by Terrance Harris of the Houston Defender.

Following two straight disappointing losses to Mississippi Valley State (28-27) and Southern (28-14), Jackson said he reassigned Panthers offensive coordinator Chris Buckner and defensive backs coach Darren Garrigan.

Running backs coach Clifford Fedd was promoted to offensive coordinator, leading the Panthers' offense.

"I needed to shake some thing up, to moving in a new direction. So we do that, we move forward," Jackson said.

HBCU Legends spoke with Coach Jackson, who confirmed that both were no longer on his coaching staff and the reassignments would be handled by the Prairie View A&M administrators.  

Garrigan also confirmed with HBCU Legends that he was removed as the Panthers' defensive backs coach.

The moves come one season after Prairie View won the SWAC championship. In Jackson's first season in 2025, the Panthers went 10-4 overall and 7-1 in conference play and reached the Celebration Bowl. Jackson was named SWAC Coach of the Year.

A Rough Start to 2026

Prairie View opened the season with a 49-30 loss at Tarleton State. The Panthers rebounded with a 52-14 win over Texas Southern in the Labor Day Classic, then lost 44-3 at Baylor and 31-10 at home to Stephen F. Austin.

They defeated Grambling State, 21-14, at the 2026 State Fair Classic, but lost to Mississippi Valley State the following week, 28-27, after leading 24-0 early in the matchup.  

The Prairie View A&M defensive backfield surrendered a critical late touchdown to both MVSU and Southern.

Entering the Oct. 10 game against Southern, Prairie View averaged 311.5 total yards and 23.8 points per game. The offense ranked 96th in FCS in total yards. The passing game averaged 177.8 yards per game, and the rushing attack averaged 134.5.

The defense allowed 30.0 points and 394.3 yards per game over the same stretch. Opponents had thrown 13 touchdown passes against the Panthers, which ranked 93rd in FCS.

Those numbers are a sharp drop from the 2025 season. Garrigan's secondary led the SWAC in 12 statistical categories during conference play last season, according to his Prairie View biography.

Who Is Clifford Fedd

Fedd joined Jackson's first Prairie View staff in 2025 as running backs coach. The Jacksonville, Fla., native has more than two decades of coaching experience.

His career began in 2001 at Brooks County High School, where he stayed through 2007. He later coached at Dutchtown High School from 2017 to 2021, Sumter County High School in 2022, and Griffin High School in 2023 and 2024.

Fedd has held roles as an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, a defensive coordinator, and a defensive backs coach. He holds a career coaching record of 46-43.

Buckner and Garrigan

Buckner arrived in 2025 as offensive coordinator. The Arlington, Texas, native played wide receiver and defensive back at New Mexico State. He began coaching at Jackson State, first as a graduate assistant and later as wide receivers and tight ends coach. The 2011 Jackson State offense led the FCS in total yards, averaging 490 per game.

Buckner later coached at North Carolina Central, served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Western New Mexico, and held position coaching jobs at Arkansas State, Southern Miss, and Sam Houston.

Garrigan, known as Coach DG, followed Jackson from Valdosta State, where he coached the secondary on the 2024 team that reached the NCAA Division II national championship game. He also serves as Prairie View's NFL liaison.

His previous stops include Texas Southern, Incarnate Word, Texas A&M-Commerce, and East Central. Garrigan has worked NFL training camps with the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions.

What Comes Next

Fedd's first game in charge of the offense is set for Oct. 17, when Prairie View hosts Alcorn State for homecoming at Panther Stadium on Blackshear Field.

The Panthers then travel to East Texas A&M on Oct. 24, followed by an open date. Prairie View closes the regular season at home against Alabama A&M on Nov. 7, at Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Nov. 14, and at Alabama State on Nov. 21.

Clifford FeddRunning backs coachLeads the offenseChris BucknerOffensive coordinatorReassigned [CONFIRM duties]Darren GarriganDefensive backs coachReassigned [CONFIRM duties]