There’s no better feeling than being a one of the first 11 to touch the football field.
So, Florida A&M has spent training camp building a culture of competition for players to battle for those limited starter spots.
“With the amount of talent we have, it’s important for these guys to understand you can’t take a day off when you’re a first-teamer and you got a second-teamer right at your heels,” Rattlers head coach James Colzie III said after his team’s seventh practice on Thursday.
“It’s important to make sure you come in ready to go every day. If you have a guy who wants to take your job, it makes you understand that you must prepare every day.”
FAMU’s 2024 has a roster of approximately 50 new players to join a slate of reserves from last season’s Black College Football National Championship-winning team.
So, the Rattlers will likely have new starters when it’s time for kickoff at Aug. 24’s MEAC/SWAC Challenge versus Norfolk State in Atlanta.
Here’s a look across the board at FAMU football and how many new faces will be in starter spots for the 2024 season
FAMU football letting quarterbacks battle it to decide new starter
FAMU will have a new starting quarterback this season.
The Rattlers quarterbacks are amidst a quarterback battle, which Junior Muratovic and Daniel Richardson headline.
Muratovic has the most years in FAMU’s system, arriving in 2021 and backing up former starters Rasean McKay and Jeremy Moussa. Richardson transferred to FAMU after stints at Central Michigan and Florida Atlantic with starter experience on the Football Bowl Subdivision level.
In total, the Rattlers have seven quarterbacks on their 2024 roster.
The FAMU staff, headed by Colzie, will decide on a starter before Week 0’s game versus Norfolk State.
FAMU football adding running backs to its backfield committee
FAMU typically utilizes a running back-by-committee system.
So, multiple running backs could be considered starters for the Rattlers.
Kelvin Dean Jr., a Preseason All-Southwestern Athletic Conference second-teamer, has become a household name for the Rattlers.
However, redshirt freshman running back Levontai ‘Bo’ Summersett has garnered high praise for his ability to run and catch out the backfield. At Wednesday’s 220 Quarterback Club Luncheon, FAMU running backs coach Marcus Windham said Summersett is one of his top highlight players and would “probably be running back one” if the season started now.
FAMU also signed Thad Franklin Jr., who played at Miami and Louisiana-Monroe and can likely play the powerback role that former Rattlers running backs Terrell Jennings and Jaquez Yant had.
FAMU football will have a new top target for the 2024 season
Jamari Gassett will likely be considered FAMU’s top target this season.
While backing up All-SWAC performers Marcus Riley and Jah’Marae Sheread last season, Gassett had 24 receptions, 320 receiving yards, and three touchdowns for the Rattlers. Gassett was named to the 2024 Preseason All-SWAC Second Team.
FAMU also brought in receivers from the FBS ranks, such as Marquez Bell (Old Dominion), A’Ceon Cobb (FAU), Goldie Lawrence (Florida State), and Jaylen Ward (Middle Tennessee State).
Ward has gotten props from his teammates for his performance through camp thus far.
FAMU football’s tight ends will feature a new go-to guy in 2024
Tight ends are vital to FAMU’s offensive success.
For the past four seasons, Kamari Young was the Rattlers’ main receiving threat and extra blocker for the offensive line. Young has graduated.
However, FAMU’s tight ends have returners with significant playing time, such as Jeremiah Pruitte and Koby Gross.
Pruitte is a tall, slender tight end, who converted from receiving when he transferred to FAMU from Colorado State in 2021. He’s caught 27 passes for 300 yards and four touchdowns while at FAMU.
Gross is a beefier tight end who transferred to FAMU from Florida State in 2022. While with the Rattlers, Gross has caught 12 passes for 124 yards and three touchdowns.
The Rattlers also added Karter Johnson from Pitt, which gives them three capable tight ends. Johnson was a rotational piece at Pitt, starting four games and appearing in 11 in 2023. At Pitt, Johnson caught 18 passes for 264 yards and two touchdowns from 2022 to 2023.
FAMU football offensive line returns the most out of whole roster
The FAMU offensive line has the most continuity from the past season.
Preseason Boxtorow HBCU All-America selection Ashton Grable and 2022 HBCU All-American Jalen Goss headline the unit.
Experienced players like Charles Davis, TJ Lee, Michael Marshall, and Cesar Reyes are also back.
FAMU’s offensive line’s significant loss was HBCU All-American Cameron Covin, who started at right tackle.
However, the Rattlers may have landed his replacement in Troy transfer Elijah Philippe, who stands 6-foot-7…
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