Prairie View’s progress under Dooley recognized
Prairie View A&M received some love and respect from SWAC head coaches on Tuesday. The Panthers are the preseason pick to finish second behind Southern in the Western Division preseason poll, which was announced on Tuesday in conjunction with the SWAC Media Day in Birmingham, Ala.
As is the custom, the league’s 10 head coaches and sports information directors tabbed fivetime defending SWAC Eastern Division champion Alcorn State to repeat. The Braves placed 14 players on the two SWAC preseason teams, including nine on the first team.
In coach Eric Dooley’s first season guiding Prairie View in 2018, the Panthers finished 5-6 overall and 4-3 in conference, concluding the season with a 6014 victory over Texas Southern, paving the way for Clarence McKinney taking over the Tigers.
“I feel real good (about our team),” said Dooley, whose Panthers didn’t have trouble moving the ball in 2018 (33.5 points per game) but were vulnerable to giving up points (27.0). “We just have to play sound defense, and we made the adjustments that was needed (in the spring). So I feel real comfortable and good about what we bring into this year.”
Eight Panthers were selected to the preseason All-SWAC teams, including offensive lineman DeJohn Jones, wide receiver Tristen Wallace and defensive back Ju’Anthony Parker on the first team. On the second unit were running back Dawonya Tucker, offensive linemen Christian Rice and Danny Garza, defensive lineman Ron Collins and kicker Zack Elder.
“One thing our team is focusing on this season is attention to detail and finishing,” Wallace said. “Those two things will be vital to us.”
McKinney is tasked with turning around a TSU program which last had a winning season in 2000. Projected to finish fourth in the West, TSU is coming off a 2-9 season, 1-6 in SWAC.
“The biggest thing is the guys returning are hungry to make a difference,” McKinney said. “We’ve got a few guys that we brought in that haven’t been to Texas Southern that we are excited about.
“We want to be able to go out and compete and not be a team that everyone is putting on (their schedule) for homecoming.”
No TSU player is picked on the first team, but wide receiver Tren’Davian Dickson and linebacker Julian Marcantel were selected to the second team.
McKinney takes over from Michael Haywood, who couldn’t get the job done in his three years at the helm.
“He (McKinney) brings a different type of energy,” TSU defensive lineman Jarryl Taylor said. “And with that energy we’re going to make changes this year and win more games than we did last year.”
All the schools are in pursuit of Alcorn State, which has the preseason SWAC Offensive Player of the Year in quarterback Noah Johnson and the Defensive Player of the Year in linebacker Solomon Muhammad.
Last season, the Braves defeated Southern 37-28 in the SWAC championship game before falling to North Carolina A&T 24-22 in the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl.
“We got to get back to it, we got to get back to the game and winning,” Muhammad said. “We have a senior-heavy class and we want to go out with a bang. This is our last ride.”
Southern is an experienced team that should challenge for the title again. Last year’s championship game loss to Alcorn State still stings for Jaguars coach Dawson Odums.
“Any time you come off a season where maybe it didn’t go as well as you liked or didn’t end the way you wanted it to, it gives you motivation in the offseason, it gives you something to look forward to,” Odums said. “That disappointing SWAC championship loss in 2018 has really been the motivation for us going forward.”