Prairie View A&M head coach Tremaine Jackson always keeps it real when it comes to college football. The 42-year-old is not afraid to call things exactly how they are, even if it ruffles some feathers along the way.
His most recent claim pulls back the veil on the modern era of recruiting.
More and more college football programs are moving away from high schoolers in favor of the transfer portal and the coaches are forced to deal with all kinds of friends and family members who act like agents. There is apparently one specific person who is the absolute worst.
Who is Tremaine Jackson?
There may not be a college football coach on a faster rise than Jackson. The 42-year-old former defensive tackle at Texas Southern and Louisiana-Monroe began his coaching career with the defensive line at Texas A&M-Kingsville. He has since worked his way up the ladder with stops at Trinity Valley, Texas Southern, Evangel, Sioux Falls, Abilene Christian and Texas State. He received his first opportunity as a head coach at Colorado Mesa in 2020, which led him to Valdosta State and later Prairie View A&M.
All Tremaine Jackson does is win. The last six years have been a great success.
- 2020-21: Colorado Mesa, 2-1
- 2021: Colorado Mesa, 8-2
- 2022: Valdosta State, 5-6
- 2023: Valdosta State, 12-2
- 2024: Valdosta State, 13-1
- 2025: Prairie View A&M, 10-4
The Panthers went 6-5 in 2022, 6-6 in 2023 and 5-7 in 2024. They won 10 games as the Southwestern Athletic Conference champions during Jackson’s first season at the helm to make their first-ever appearance in the Celebration Bowl, which serves as the de factor HBCU national championship.
It was another immediate turnaround for a head coach who just keeps winning.
Part of what makes Jackson so successful is his no-nonsense attitude. He will always call it how it is. He will always shoot you straight.
Jackson shoved his rivals into a locker with a savage excuse for his lack of recruiting at the beginning of December. The second-year head coach at Prairie View later established a very specific set of rules for prospective athletes in the transfer portal. You don’t have to guess at what he expects. He will tell you.
College football recruiting lacks regulation.
Part of Tremaine Jackson’s ability to win right away stems from his focus on the transfer portal. Like many coaches in the modern era, he would prefer to add 30+ guys with college football experience than even 10 high schoolers who have yet to prove themselves on the next level.
That may not be Jackson’s exact approach to recruiting but you get the gist. He does not believe he (or any coach) can be successful and keep his job “with a bunch of 18-year-olds.” That’s a real quote.
Prairie View HC @coachjack212 on why he attacks the transfer portal so hard each offseason:
— College Transfer Portal (@CollegeFBPortal) January 11, 2026
“I don’t think we can be successful and keep our jobs with a bunch of 18 year olds…” 😳
📍 @WeAreAFCA pic.twitter.com/NxSEYN2wbl
Jackson spoke in depth about recruiting at the American Football Coaches Association convention. His worst nightmare is the “uncle to the single mom.”
Prairie View HC @coachjack212 on dealing with street agents during the transfer portal:
— College Transfer Portal (@CollegeFBPortal) January 11, 2026
“The uncle to the single mom is my worst nightmare”@WeAreAFCA pic.twitter.com/DgQRUxUE6V
Agents in the NFL must be certified. That is not the case for college. Anybody can represent anybody. A roommate can represent his best friend. A father can negotiate for his son. An uncle can cut deals on behalf of his nephew.
The lack of regulation amongst agents is a serious headache for coaches. They deal with some wild characters who have no idea what they are doing due to a lack of knowledge and prior experience— none worse than the uncle to the single mom, apparently.