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John Davis begins tenure as FAMU's new athletic director
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- John Davis begins tenure as FAMU's new athletic director
There's a new head of athletics on the Highest of Seven Hills, effective this Monday, Jan. 5.
Monday marks the first day for John F. Davis as Florida A&M's Vice President and Director of Athletics . Davis comes to FAMU after serving as the Florida Lottery's Secretary, a role he was appointed to by Governor Ron DeSantis in October 2020 .
John Davis has been appointed FAMU's new vice president and athletics director and starts Jan. 5, 2026. He currently serves as the 10th secretary of the Florida Lottery.
Davis, a former safety on the Florida State Seminoles football team (1989-1992), replaces former FAMU athletic director Angela Suggs .
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Suggs became the athletic director in September 2024, but was placed on paid administrative leave from June 2025 to November 2025 after being arrested on fraud and theft charges stemming from her former role as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Florida Sports Foundation.
Travis Glasgow was named interim athletic director but departed in October 2025 to become Alabama A&M University's Deputy Athletics Director .
Longtime employee, former Rattlers football player, and FAMU Sports Hall of Famer Michael Smith stepped into Glasgow's place. It was Smith's fourth time as FAMU's interim athletic director since 2013.
Suggs has been repositioned to FAMU's Special Assistant to the President and Advisor for Intercollegiate Athletics.
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Davis, announced as FAMU's next athletic director last November, will earn an annual salary of $250,000 according to his contract obtained by the Tallahassee Democrat through a public records request.
Although not having an athletic administration experience, the Pahokee native has worked in business, with previous stops including the Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce and was a member of the FAMU Law Dean's Advisory Council.
Davis' contract indicates that FAMU President Marva Johnson is looking for him to focus on "providing a world-class student-athlete experience and leading a business-oriented enterprise that grows revenue, drives innovation, and elevates the university's brand."
Davis represented the Florida Lottery during an on-field check presentation at Orlando's Florida Classic rivalry football game between FAMU and Bethune-Cookman to highlight the organization's $76 million support of both Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The funding goes towards the institutions' students who enrolled through the Bright Futures Scholarship Program, a merit-based opportunity funded by the state that awards Florida high school graduates based on academic achievements.
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Davis is FAMU's 22nd athletic director change, interim and permanent, since 1994.
His tenure begins on the heels of FAMU hiring its 20th full-time head football coach in former Rattlers star quarterback Quinn Gray Sr. , replacing James Colzie III, who was relieved after two seasons after a 12-12 record, including going 5-7 in 2025, the program's first losing output since 2017 .
FAMU has launched the 'Restore the Strike' fundraiser coinciding with Gray's hire from Albany State , where he went 24-11 and claimed the 2025 NCAA Division II Black College Football National Championship. FAMU aims to raise $250,000 by Jan. 31, 2026, to support student-athletes with scholarships, equipment, and the overall student experience.
FAMU's men's and women's basketball teams are in the midst of their Southwestern Athletic Conference basketball seasons . Davis' Florida State football teammate Charlie Ward , the 1993 Heisman Trophy winner, is in his first season as the Rattlers' men's basketball head coach.
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Other FAMU sports set to begin later in the spring semester are baseball, bowling, golf, softball, tennis, and track and field.
Gerald Thomas, III is a multi-time award-winning journalist for his coverage of the Florida A&M Rattlers at the Tallahassee Democrat.
Follow his award-winning coverage on RattlerNews.com and contact him via email at GDThomas@Tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee .
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU athletic director John Davis tenure starts Monday, Jan. 5
