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FAMU football 'learned a lot,' knows it can grow after challenging ― but winning ― 2024 season
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- FAMU football 'learned a lot,' knows it can grow after challenging ― but winning ― 2024 season
James Colzie III didn't lead Florida A&M football to the championship aspirations he hoped for in his first season as head coach.
But with his debut season in the books following Friday's 28-20 home victory over Southwestern Athletic Conference opponent Alabama A&M , Colzie can reflect on lessons learned as he moves forward.
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A season after collecting the SWAC and Celebration Bowl titles under former head coach Willie Simmons, FAMU finished 2024 at 7-5 under Colzie .
The Rattlers aren't accustomed to being two games over .500 as they recorded nine or more wins in the last four seasons.
But through the trials and tribulations, the Rattlers stuck together, according to Colzie.
"I learned a lot ― not just on the football side," Colzie said. "Our guys stayed tight the entire time ― even when the highs were highs and lows were lows."
FAMU's Black Friday victory over Alabama A&M on Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium continued a two-game winning streak as the Rattlers defeated Bethune-Cookman in last week's Florida Classic .
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The Rattlers' final two wins came after two weeks of upsets , losing against Prairie View A&M and Mississippi Valley State. Those losses were the final blows to FAMU's hope of repeating as SWAC and the Celebration Bowl champions.
And to many, such as Colzie, the Rattlers underperformed expectations this season.
"I'm excited that we won the last game. Disappointed in a couple of other games we didn't play well enough," Colzie said. "I don't think that's a 7-5 football team, but that's what our record ended as."
In a glass-half-full scenario, the Rattlers finished as projected.
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FAMU tied for second place in the SWAC East, with Alabama State behind division champions Jackson State.
Florida A&M defensive back Justin Bostic makes a hit on Alabama A&M Bulldogs wide receiver Donivan Wright in a Southwestern Athletic Conference football game on Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024.
Before the season, the SWAC voted FAMU to finish No. 2 in the SWAC East .
"You're just upset when you look at that 7-5 record and lose your two games that a lot of people thought you should've won," Colzie said. "That's how I see it. That's what football's all about. We lost two games that we weren't supposed to. That's how the season went."
FAMU football revisits 2024 season, looks ahead to future under James Colzie III
Colzie's first season as FAMU's head coach has reached its stopping point.
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He's sent off his first group of seniors, who heavily advocated for him being elevated from FAMU's assistant head coach and cornerbacks coach to head coach.
"I had an amazing four years and was blessed to be a part of it, especially under Coach Colzie," said FAMU senior cornerback Kendall Bohler . "Went to bat for him every day, trying to make sure he got that spot."
Florida A&M running back Levontai Summersett celebrates a touchdown as the Rattlers take on Alabama A&M Bulldogs in a Southwestern Athletic Conference football game on Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024.
Colzie will lose 20 seniors and aims to return 60-65 players for the 2025 season.
"Changed my life," Colzie said of FAMU's outgoing seniors. "These guys stood on the table for me amongst other people from going from assistant head coach to head coach. Those guys stood firm the entire time."
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Bohler foresees the Rattlers trending towards the right direction under Colzie.
So, FAMU needed to win its final two games of a challenging season as Colzie looks to move the program forward in his second season in 2025.
"Standard is to stay focused," Bohler said. "The season didn't go as planned. But we still fought until the end. We came strong the last two games and won."
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 reflects on 7-5 season that began with title expectations
