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FAMU football coach James Colzie III tackling offseason duties, staffing, recruiting
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- FAMU football coach James Colzie III tackling offseason duties, staffing, recruiting
It wasn't until late this January when James Colzie III got hired as Florida A&M's full-time head football coach.
So now, after his first season, Colzie can finally enjoy the luxury of having a complete offseason to prepare for what's next.
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And expect some changes with FAMU football, which finished 7-5 in Colzie's first year .
Currently, Colzie is modifying his coaching staff for the 2025 season.
"You want to make sure your staff is a symbol of myself and guys that I think are going to represent me and my message to the best of its ability," Colzie told the Tallahassee Democrat in a one-on-interview at his at Galimore-Powell Fieldhouse office.
"That's where I'm at and why some of the changes that we made were made."
On top of FAMU football's list is offensive coordinator, a position Joseph Henry held since 2022. Colzie cannot discuss who he's eyeing for the offensive coordinator job during FAMU's human resource process.
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However, he said the offense will have someone promoted to an unspecified position.
FAMU co-offensive coordinator Henry Burris called the Rattlers' plays in their final two games of 2024, which ended in a 41-38 win over Bethune-Cookman in the Florida Classic and a 28-20 victory over Alabama A&M.
Colzie also said a "special teams opportunity" will be filled for the Rattlers . FAMU's defense will undergo slight changes.
Florida A&M’s head coach James Colzie III poses in front of the Florida Classic trophy at the end of the game at the Camping World Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024.
Colzie wants to have his entire staff in place by Jan. 6, 2025.
"Full offensive staff should be ready by the beginning of school. Going to change up some things on defense," Colzie said. "But we're working on offense first."
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FAMU football head coach James Colzie III is on the recruiting trail
The recruiting season is in full swing.
So, Colzie is taking inventory of team needs for the 2025 football season. FAMU expects to return 70-75 players, sign 10-15 scholarship players, and 10-15 preferred walk-ons by the time spring football practice begins.
The NCAA Transfer Portal opened for player entry on Dec. 9 and closes on Dec. 28. FAMU has already landed portal commitments from Central Michigan quarterback Tyler Jefferson, Florida State defensive lineman Xavier Perkins , Morehead State defensive back Damion Thompson, and Mississippi Valley State punter Alexander Davis.
A handful of FAMU players are in the transfer portal, but none of its All-Southwestern Athletic Conference players, which plagued the Rattlers' roster after the 2023 season .
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"We won't be hit as hard as we may have been hit last year," Colzie said.
The portal reopens for the spring period from April 16, 2025, until April 25, 2025. FAMU will then sift through talent who entered their name throughout the spring and summer to round out its 2025 roster.
FAMU's primary focus is the trenches ― offensive and defensive lines.
The Rattlers had trouble running the ball and stopping opposing rushers throughout the 2024 season.
FAMU finished seventh out of 12 in SWAC rushing yards with 1,740 but the league's least touchdowns on the ground with eight ― the only team in single digits.
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The Rattlers' top running back, Thad Franklin Jr. , will return for the 2025 season. FAMU's All-SWAC First Team offensive linemen Charles Davis and Ashton Grable will be back, too. Grable was also an Boxtorow HBCU All-American Honorable Mention and an NCAA All-HBCU selection.
FAMU's run defense was seventh in the SWAC, giving up 2,006 yards and 20 touchdowns. FAMU's tackle for loss leader (eight), defensive lineman Davion Westmoreland , returns to the Rattlers' defense in 2025. All-SWAC second team defensive lineman James Ash will also be at FAMU next season.
Davion Westmoreland transferred to Florida A&M after stints at Hutchinson Community College and Kansas. Westmoreland, a defensive lineman, joined the Rattlers as a graduate student.
"That's going to be the symbol of our football team ― stopping the run, running the football, and getting the ball to our athletes," Colzie said. "We did that for the most part, but at times, we didn't do it as well as we needed to. We're going to bring in some guys that you might not know, but they will be beneficial to our football team because we have to make sure we take care of the line of scrimmage.
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"If we do those things effectively, everything will take care of itself," Colzie added.
Where can FAMU football grow the most? Rattlers head coach James Colzie III weighs in
Colzie wants his team to be known for playing disciplined football moving forward.
It was something the Rattlers struggled at in 2024.
FAMU was one of the Football Championship Subdivision's most penalized teams , being flagged 93 times for 876 yards in 12 games. The Rattlers also had 13 lost fumbles and 12 interceptions to lose the turnover margin by 12, one of the worst in the FCS .
"When I think about this past season, it kind of makes the hairs kind of get up on your back a little bit," Colzie said. "We were an undisciplined team at times. And that might've cost us in some small and big ways."
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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 football offseason: Rattlers coach James Colzie III provides update
