Tremaine Jackson has the Prairie View football team on the cusp of a SWAC Western Division title, but he did take time out to address another big story with his name attached.
Jackson, who came to PV following a NCAA Division II championship game appearance with Valdosta State, said during Monday’s SWAC media availability that his name being mentioned for the vacant Alabama-Birmingham job was not his focus at this point and time.
“People that are really inside of our business know that it’s not even that time yet. October ain’t that time. Not with jobs on that level,” Jackson said. “There are a lot of guys’ names who came out on that deal. We’re flattered, but it has no bearing on what we’re trying to get done. It’s not going to be the last time we come out on a list.”
Jackson, who has the Panthers riding high at 5-2 and 4-0 in division play, was named in a report by Chris Vannini of The Athletic as one of the candidates for the Blazers’ position. UAB fired Trent Dilfer earlier this month and Alex Mortensen, son of late ESPN NFL Insider Chris Mortensen, is the interim head coach.
“We’ve dealt with that for so long, where we were to coming here. We were on a national championship run and everybody had us going all across the country,” Jackson said of his time at Valdosta State. “We’re just a bunch of D-II guys trying to figure this D-I thing out. That’s what everybody thinks anyway.”
Jackson admitted the report was a sign of respect, but maintained he, his coaching staff, and the Panthers are focused on next week’s game, which is homecoming against Lincoln (Ca.).
“Our guys are focused on keeping the main thing, the main thing, as are our coaches and as am I,” he said. “You’re a loser if nobody’s talking about you or you haven’t positioned your career to be at places where people talk about you. We take great pride in it, but I’m proud of our players for not even dealing with that and going forward.”
