The 2023 campaign was remarkable for Prairie View A&M. The season began with an overtime win over rival Texas Southern in the Labor Day Classic. It ended with a loss in the SWAC championship game, the second time the Panthers had won the SWAC West Division in three years.

PVAMU concluded the season with a 6-6 overall record, a commendable feat considering the offense's average of 19.5 points per game. The offense displayed more promise against SWAC opponents, averaging 24.2 points per game. However, head coach Bubba McDowell decided to introduce changes during the offseason.

The Panthers offense will be drastically different this season after McDowell hired former PVAMU wide receiver Anthony Weeden as the new offensive coordinator. During his senior season in 2007, Weeden returned a punt 73 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter to give the Panthers an early lead en route to earning the program’s first SWAC championship since 1964. 

McDowell said fans should expect multiple packages from spread formations to power sets with two tight ends and one or two running backs.

“There will be a lot of movement in the offense, and it will be fast-paced,” McDowell said. “It won’t be fast on every down, but it’ll be pretty close. 

“Football has a cycle that we go through every five or six years where it’s all spread for a while. Then it’s back to the big boys with a lot of two tight-end sets. Much of the change has to do with the athletic abilities of the tight ends today influenced by guys like (Travis) Kelce, who can block and win a mismatch against a linebacker.”

The Panther offense has focused on instilling new verbiage and the different techniques for each player between the spread offense and the power sets.

“I always want my players' opinions so I can stay ahead of the curve, and they love the new offense,” McDowell said. “They understand it’s a totally different offense than they’re used to, and (Weeden) put in both styles simultaneously. On one play, the receivers are spread out to get open and beat your guy. The next play, they’re in a pro-style where they don’t know if they will be blocking or catching the ball.”

McDowell admits that some of his offensive players were frustrated after the spring game because they performed below their expectations. The veteran coach expresses the need to remain patient.

“We had a long meeting after the spring game, and I explained to them that we’re where we need to be at this particular time,” McDowell said. “We didn’t watch the whole film but picked out certain plays to show them. We showed how dynamic our offense will be when we put everything together. There are still some things we haven’t put in yet, which will make our offense very dynamic after we get the other stuff down.”

McDowell believes PVAMU has its most talented roster in his 11 seasons as an assistant and head coach on the hilltop. Nonetheless, he understands the key to returning to the SWAC championship game for the third time in four years is winning the battle of explosive plays, which was an issue last season.

“You don’t win many games, let alone championship games, when you’re giving up big plays on defense and not making the big plays when we have the chance on offense,” McDowell said. “We have to beat the guy across from us on every play. Either you will be better, or the opponent will be better each play. It’s that simple at every position on the field. We have to have more big plays than our opponent.”

While the Panthers roster is filled with talent, McDowell and his staff will continue to search the portal for players who can help immediately.

“We told all of our guys after the spring game that we’re still evaluating every position, and there are no secure spots right now,” he said. “That’s good because I want the guys to compete for a starting spot daily. I always tell my players that we’re trying to out-recruit the guys we have on the roster every time we hit the road, whether that’s a freshman or someone from the portal.”

DCTF’s Take

On paper, Prairie View A&M has all the ingredients for another SWAC West Division title and a chance to appear in the Celebration Bowl. The schedule is favorable, with the Panthers set to host SWAC rivals Texas Southern, Southern, Florida A&M, and Alcorn State. PVAMU’s game against Grambling is inside the Cotton Bowl during the opening weekend of the State Fair.

While the Panthers have a talented roster, it’s not at a level where they dominate the SWAC. There are other concerns, including whether a defense that allowed 25.6 points per game against conference foes last year limits the big plays and whether the offense can produce enough explosive plays to put games away. The defense will depend on an improved secondary, while the position to watch on offense is at quarterback, where Jaden Johnson and Kilgore transfer Cam Peters battled during the spring.