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Why James Colzie III should and shouldn't remain FAMU football's coach
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- Why James Colzie III should and shouldn't remain FAMU football's coach
A 5-7 record isn't what many expected from Florida A&M football.
But it's the reality.
For the first time since 2017, the Rattlers have finished a season with a losing record.
Last Saturday, Nov. 29, FAMU failed to even its record in its 35-31 loss to Southwestern Athletic Conference foe Mississippi Valley State .
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Mississippi Valley State has just three NCAA Division I wins since 2023, with two of them being against the Rattlers.
FAMU head coach James Colzie III is 12-12 in his two-season tenure at the helm after this year's 5-7 finish and 2024's 7-5 record.
As of Dec. 3, Colzie is still the head Rattler in charge as the offseason officially begins for the FAMU football program.
His future is up in the air, though. FAMU hasn't said anything regarding Colzie's status moving forward.
Some FAMU fans feel he should return in 2026. While some lean towards Colzie being fired.
Regardless of what side you err on, here's the case for Colzie to stay at FAMU and why the Rattlers should move on.
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The case for James Colzie III to remain FAMU's football coach
A press conference was held at Bragg Memorial Stadium officially announcing James Colzie III as Florida A&M University’s 19th head football coach Monday, Jan. 29, 2024.
Colzie was promoted from assistant head coach and cornerbacks coach to become FAMU's head coach in January 2024 to replace Willie Simmons, who left to become Duke's running backs coach.
While Colzie inherited a Rattler team that had just won the SWAC and Celebration Bowl en route to winning the Black College Football National Championship, he still had to grapple with the inevitable, especially with HBCUs and NCAA Football Championship Subdivision teams.
The NCAA Transfer Portal gutted the Rattlers rosters as many of those championship players left to join bigger college football programs .
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So, Colzie had to flip the FAMU roster before the 2024 season and then somewhat did it again in 2025. The Rattlers' 2025 recruiting class was ranked one of the FCS' highest in 2025, Colzie's first complete recruiting cycle.
Colzie signed a three-year contract worth $720,000. He's owed a salary of $250,000 for the 2026 season.
The question remains if FAMU wants to enter a buyout agreement if they decide to remove Colzie from his position now or allow him to coach next year's team, then let his deal expire if the Rattlers have a similar output next year.
Plus, it's only been two years of the Colzie era.
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Giving Colzie his third season could help the FAMU coach catapult the Rattlers back into the championship picture.
But will Colzie have the backing to support it?
There has been constant flux, with five athletic director changes and three presidential changes at FAMU, while Colzie has been the head coach. That includes both interim and full-time.
Florida Lottery secretary and Florida State football player John Davis will become FAMU's next athletic director on Jan. 5, 2026.
Colzie has cited the revolving door of FAMU's administration, alongside a lack of resources, as challenges that have encompassed his tenure .
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The case for James Colzie III to be relieved from duties as FAMU's football coach
College athletics is a results-driven business.
And FAMU football hasn't delivered under Colzie's leadership.
The Rattlers constantly shrank in big games , suffering blowout losses to HBCU powerhouses Alabama State (42-14), North Carolina Central (45-7), and Jackson State (41-16) at home on Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium.
Another unacceptable loss the Rattlers suffered this year was to Bethune-Cookman, 38-34, on a last-second game-winning touchdown to end FAMU's four-game winning streak over its Florida Classic rivals .
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And FAMU has lost to the SWAC's worst team, Mississippi Valley State, in its last two matchups in 2024 and 2025. The 2024 shortfall ended FAMU's 23-game home winning streak, which started in 2019.
Going 12-12 in the fashion that FAMU has lost while fumbling sentimental streaks will not cut it for Rattler football fans.
Furthermore, it has been difficult to gauge FAMU's identity over the past two seasons.
Florida A&M Rattlers head coach James Colzie III looks on as his team faces the North Carolina Central Eagles in a Week 7 NCAA college football game on Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025.
And that's even with Colzie reshaping his coaching staff ahead of the 2025 season .
Colzie hired a new offensive coordinator (Henry Burris), defensive coordinator (Kenwick Thompson), and special teams coordinator (Kevin Weston), and named himself the defensive playcaller.
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The FAMU offense showed bright spots , finishing fifth out of 12 teams in the SWAC. Meanwhile, the Rattlers' defense plummeted to ninth in the league with Colzie calling the plays.
Altogether, the Rattlers regressed and wins decreased despite the staff changes.
And that shouldn't be taken lightly.
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: James Colzie's future at FAMU football in question. What should happen
