Prairie View A&M University‘s Panthers football team has a new head football coach! Get the full story from the PVAMU release below.

Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) Athletic Director Donald Reed has announced the appointment of Leonard “Bubba” McDowell as PV’s new head football coach.  The appointment follows McDowell’s brief stint in the interim head coach role after former head coach Eric Dooley’s departure in December.

McDowell will inherit a promising and experienced team that finished the 2020 season with a 7-5 record overall and a 6-2 conference record, leading to a western division title within the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).  Long regarded as a vital component of the team’s success, he has been credited with helping to build the current program alongside Dooley.  He served as the assistant head coach for the past eight seasons while also leading the development of the defensive unit over the past three seasons. He also spearheaded recruitment efforts and advanced the team’s range of skills after joining the staff in 2011.

McDowell began his coaching career through a series of appointments at Houston-area collegiate programs after engaging in extensive development through the National Football League’s (N.F.L) minority coaching program. McDowell had a successful career as a starting safety in the NFL with the Houston Oilers and the Carolina Panthers.  He retired in 1996.

“I’m proud to have Coach McDowell as our new head of the football program,” said PVAMU Athletic Director, Donald Reed. “I chose Coach McDowell because of his vast and successful experiences in collegiate and professional football. His leadership style and student-athlete centered approach align with our goals to see our athletes excel in the classroom, on the field, and in the community. I’m impressed by Coach McDowell’s commitment to PV and I know he’ll lead us to accomplish great things.”