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How Quinn Gray's FAMU football hire led to transfer portal withdrawals
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- How Quinn Gray's FAMU football hire led to transfer portal withdrawals
Roster retention is an uphill battle in the current era of college athletics.
Especially for newly hired head coaches.
Florida A&M football's Quinn Gray Sr. has been making headway to retain NCAA Transfer Portal-bound players for his inaugural roster since being hired on Dec. 23, 2025.
Florida A&M University held a joint introductory press conference for new head football coach Quinn Gray Sr. and Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics John Davis at the Al Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center in Tallahassee, Florida, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.
Former portal entries, running back Jamal Hailey and defensive end Antonio Camon Jr. , headline players who cancelled their transfer plans to play for Gray's Rattlers in the 2026 season.
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Hailey was a speedy tailback for FAMU's offense last season, getting 84 rushing attempts for 516 yards and six touchdowns. Meanwhile, Camon led the Rattlers with four sacks in 2025 and also added 19 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and three pass breakups from the line of scrimmage.
Florida A&M Rattlers running back Jamal Hailey (28) works his way around a defender. The Florida A&M Rattlers hosted the Jackson State Tigers at Bragg Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025.
Other starters withdrawing from the transfer portal are wide receiver Armand Burris , defensive end James Gardner Jr., and defensive back Justin Bostic .
"It's about making sure they understand the vision," said Gray, who replaced James Colzie III to become the 20th full-time head coach at his alma mater.
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"When we had our first team meeting, five or six of them came up out of the portal. Because they believe in what we're trying to do."
Gray is realistic.
He knows the Rattlers won't be able to keep everyone.
Mainly because it's a challenge for FAMU, an NCAA Division Football Championship Subdivision participant, to compete with what Football Bowl Subdivision teams offer players.
Some of FAMU's transfer portal departures have left for FBS schools in recent days.
Tight end Miles Campbell is headed to the University of Texas at San Antonio. Receiver Goldie Lawrence and Southwestern Athletic Conference first-team kicker Daniel Porto will remain teammates at Coastal Carolina.
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"We're bringing our good players back," Gray said. "Have we lost a couple? Yeah, absolutely, because the money is real that some of these bigger universities are offering."
Gray's responsibility is to 'Restore the Strike,' after FAMU went 5-7 before Colzie was dismissed at the season's end last December. It was the Rattlers' first losing season since 2017.
Colzie went 12-12 as FAMU's head coach.
Gray notched his first FAMU transfers in a haul from his former job, Albany State, which includes quarterback Isaiah Knowles , the 2024 and 2025 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year.
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Taylor Smallwood, a cornerback from Tennessee-Chattanooga, is FAMU's most recent commit, announcing his move on Sunday, Jan. 11.
Gray cannot discuss commits until they sign their National Letter of Intent.
"When it comes down to 'Restoring the Strike,' we're going to need good players to do that," Gray explained.
Gray held his introductory press conference on Jan. 9 after FAMU hired the former Rattlers Hall of Fame quarterback away from being head coach of the Albany State Golden Rams , where he guided the program to a 24-11 overall record and 20-4 mark in SIAC games.
The 2025 season saw the Golden Rams go 12-2, the school's most wins in a season, reach the Division II quarterfinals, win the SIAC title, and be declared the Black College Football National Champions.
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Gray will speak at the 220 Quarterback Club, a FAMU financial support group, on Wednesday, Jan. 14, at noon. It will be streamed on YouTube .
Florida A&M football NCAA Transfer Portal
Who's Coming?
Since Quinn Gray hire on Dec. 23, 2025
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Isaiah Knowles, Quarterback, Albany State
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Corey 'Deuce' Petty, Wide Receiver, Albany State
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Xavier Herndon, Tight End, Albany State
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Terrell James, Defensive Lineman, East Mississippi Community College
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Taylor Smallwood, Defensive Back, Tennessee at Chattanooga
Who's Leaving?
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Tyler Jefferson, Quarterback, Committed to Bethune-Cookman
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RJ Johnson III, Quarterback
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Jett Peddy, Quarterback
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Ja'Cory Jordan, Wide Receiver
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Goldie Lawrence, Wide Receiver, Committed to Coastal Carolina
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Jalen 'Speedy' Rogers, Wide Receiver
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Kenari Wilcher, Wide Receiver
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Miles Campbell, Tight End, Committed to University of Texas at San Antonio
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Andrew Ritter, Tight End
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David Gardner, Offensive Lineman
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Nicholas Toussaint, Defensive Lineman
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Davion Westmoreland, Defensive End
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Ah'Mare Lee, Cornerback
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Daniel Porto, Kicker, Committed to Coastal Carolina
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Jack Carson-Wentz, Long Snapper
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: Quinn Gray's 'vision' persuaded FAMU football players to not transfer
