It has been a week since Willie Simmons resigned as Florida A&M head coach to take a running back coach position at Duke.
Since then, speculation of who could possibly be in line to replace Simmons immediately emerged.
Names such as Los Angeles Rams offensive analyst KJ Black and current Albany State head coach Quinn Gray — both of whom had ties to the school — were mentioned as candidates or potential hires.
The FAMU football team even weighed on the matter, decisively placing their support behind interim head coach James Colzie III in a letter directed to university president Dr. Larry Robinson and Director of Athletics Tiffani-Dawn Sykes.
According to Rattler Nation, an independent blog that covers Florida A&M athletics, the next man targeted to lead the football team will be current Fort Valley State head coach Shawn Gibbs.
Rattler Nation reported Tuesday that Gibbs was recommended by Dawn-Sykes for the post. School officials have yet to publicly announce a hire.
The news development was met with less than an enthusiastic response from many FAMU fans. Some took to social media to voice their concerns, disbelief, and opposition to the potential hire.
Even current and former Florida A&M players weighed in, too.
Ex-player Jordan Moore expressed concern that the wrong hire could disrupt the current culture of the program.
If you know anything about FAMU, then you know The main reason @FAMU_FB has won so many games in the past few years is because the love in that facility is truly genuine from top down. I hope we don’t do anything to mess that up.
— Jordan moore (@jo_moore20) January 9, 2024
Others were incredulous at the prospect of Gibbs helming the FAMU program.
This can’t be true. With so much of our future on the line this is what we want to do? I pray it’s not true.
— Robert Crawford (@RobertCsmothjaz) January 9, 2024
Got to be trolling us… ‘cause ain’t no way
— Polo (@Polo0632) January 9, 2024
One Florida A&M alum was so displeased with the prospect of Gibbs possibly becoming the FAMU head coach that the person suggested on social media pulling financial support from the athletic program and encouraging others to do the same.
Welp, let me begin to figure out where I’ll direct my contributions for athletics to every month.
Also cancel any plans for season tickets and other financial contributions. Also, advise my alumni chapter to do the same.
— SoFloRattler (@SoFloRattler) January 9, 2024
I will not purchase my Invest in Champions package season tickets.
— Golldenbear53 (@DexterM42499218) January 9, 2024
Making A Bad Hire At FAMU Is The Quickest Way To Make The Fanbase Turn On U
— ParodyRattler (@FAMUVideos) January 9, 2024
Florida A&M tight end Kolby Gross chimed in on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, and reiterated the team’s support for Colzie and former assistant head coach and defensive backs coach Billy Rolle.
I NEVER SPEAK ON NOTHING TO ANYONE ON TWITTER ABOUT FAMU FOOTBALL BUT THIS DECISION ABOUT THE NEXT HEAD COACH IS HUGE US AS PLAYERS HAVE SPOKEN AND WE WANT COLZIE OR ROLLE AND IF THAT DOESNT HAPPEN IT WILL NOT GOOD FOR OUR PROGRAM!!! WE WANT TO RUN IT BACK AGAIN IN 2024!!!!
— Koby (@Koby13k) January 9, 2024
Colzie, an assistant head coach and cornerbacks coach on Willie Simmons’ staff, was named interim coach on Jan. 1.
In 2018, the same year that Willie Simmons became the Rattlers’ head coach, he hired 2003 FAMU Sports Hall of Fame inductee Billy Rolle as special assistant to the head coach and nickelbacks coach.
Rolle played under coach legendary FAMU coach Rudy Hubbard and then would later go on to make his mark as a championship-winning high school coach in Miami.
