Prairie View A&M University Does Not Renew Contract With Head Coach Bubba McDowell

The team decides to go in another direction a year after winning conference title last season

Former NFL player turned college head coach Leonard “Bubba” McDowell will no longer coach the Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) football team.

The athletic director announced that Bubba was leaving the position after Prairie View A&M University decided not to renew his contract. The former Houston Oilers player had been the head coach since 2022.

PVAMU Athletic Director Anton Goff released a statement thanking Bubba for his professionalism while directing the team for the past three seasons. “Coach McDowell’s commitment to helping our student-athletes succeed in life both personally and professionally is admirable and a true reflection of his character,” he said in a written statement.

PVAMUATH: Prairie View Athletics announces head football coach leadership change. #WhereChampionsAreBuilt pic.twitter.com/UhEij6UhoN

— PVAMU Panthers (@PVAMUPanthers) November 24, 2024

Goff mentioned that they would begin the search for someone to replace him on the football field immediately. Assistant head coach Ashton Green will take over the position until a replacement is found.

HBCU Legends reported that Bubba told the media outlet that his departure is “the nature of the business.”

According to HBCU Game Day, the coach did lead the team to the SWAC (Southwestern Athletic Conference) West Conference Title last season, but having a bad season this year did him in. In three seasons as PVAMU head coach, his record was 17-17 with a 14-9 record in SWAC play. The team had a 5-7 record this past season, the worst record under the now-former coach. Bubba, who also played with the Carolina Panthers during his time in the NFL, played his collegiate career with the University of Miami (he helped the team win the NCAA National Championship as a starter on the undefeated team in 1987). After his time in the NFL, he became a long-time assistant at Prairie View A&M University before taking over the head coaching position when former head coach Eric Dooley left the school to coach at Southern University.