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Talking season is underway.
Florida A&M will be at Southwestern Athletic Conference Football Media Day this Wednesday, July 15, in Birmingham, Alabama.
Previewing the Rattlers’ season at media day are first-year head coach Quinn Fordham Gray Sr., quarterback Isaiah Knowles, and defensive end Antonio Camon Jr.
SWAC Media Day starts at 11 a.m. Eastern Time and will be televised on SWAC TV.
Gray will meet virtually with reporters at 1:10 p.m. The newly hired head coach and his Rattler player representatives will also be interviewed during the SWAC TV broadcast and by on-site media.
FAMU is coming off a 5-7, its first losing season since 2017, with a new head coach and an overhauled roster.
Many questions will arise for Gray and the Rattlers about their plan to get the Orange and Green back on track. Here’s what FAMU may likely answer during their Wednesday in Birmingham.
A FAMU Sports Hall of Fame and record-setting quarterback, Gray landed his first college head coaching job on the NCAA Division II level at Albany State, a South Georgia-based Historically Black College and University.
Gray went 24-11 in his three-year tenure from 2023 to 2025.
In Gray’s first year at the helm, the Albany State Golden Rams were the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference runners-up.
The 2025 season was a true breakthrough for the Golden Rams. Gray guided them to a program-record 12 wins in a single season, the SIAC trophy, and to Division II’s Black College Football National Championship. Albany State also reached the quarterfinals of the Division II national tournament.
After Gray’s December 2025 hire at FAMU, his quarterback, Knowles, followed him to The Highest of Seven Hills.
Knowles won back-to-back SIAC Offensive Players of the Year, posting 4,726 passing yards, 50 touchdowns against just 14 interceptions at Albany State. He added 394 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground.
The pro-style quarterback led the Albany State offense to the 36th scoring offense in Division II, averaging 33.1 points per game.
Can FAMU’s new uptempo, Gulf Coast-style spread offense still be productive in the SWAC and the Division I Football Championship Subdivision? The Rattlers may provide insight.
Graduations, transfers, and other departures force the Rattlers to undergo spring football camp with an abbreviated offensive line.
FAMU finished April’s Orange and Green Spring Game with about six or seven offensive linemen.
In June, the Rattlers got a commitment from Albany State transfer Caleb Smith, a 6-foot-4, 325-pound rising sophomore. Starters and rotational offensive line holdovers from the 2025 season include Tommy Bridgewater, Kai Gadson, and Chris Williams.
Having a two-deep lineup plus some overflow players would help the Rattlers avoid fatigue to stay fresh in the trenches, especially in toasty Florida and southern SWAC conditions.
In April, FAMU received NCAA Level Two sanctions due to Academic Progress Rate issues from previous seasons. It banned the team from postseason competition, meaning the Rattlers have no path to the SWAC title game, the Celebration Bowl, or the FCS playoffs. Grades have improved since Gray’s arrival to lead the program.
The APR penalties also prevent the Rattlers from having spring football training camp in 2027.
Additionally, after a down season under the past coaching regime, FAMU hasn’t been favored much in preseason accolades and rankings.
No Rattlers were named to the All-SWAC preseason first or second teams. They also face an uphill climb after the inaugural Division I Black College Football poll placed the Rattlers 10th in the top-10 preseason rankings.
Sure, the Rattlers’ season is slightly damped by the postseason ban.
However, there’s still something to prove in Tallahassee, as FAMU can play spoiler to HBCU football contenders and ascend in the regular season rankings in the SWAC and newly launched weekly Black College Football poll.
All times are Eastern
Gerald Thomas, III, is a multi-time national award-winning reporter 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 [email protected] or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: What Quinn Gray, FAMU football must answer at 2026 SWAC Media Day
Continue reading...
Florida A&M will be at Southwestern Athletic Conference Football Media Day this Wednesday, July 15, in Birmingham, Alabama.
Previewing the Rattlers’ season at media day are first-year head coach Quinn Fordham Gray Sr., quarterback Isaiah Knowles, and defensive end Antonio Camon Jr.
SWAC Media Day starts at 11 a.m. Eastern Time and will be televised on SWAC TV.
Gray will meet virtually with reporters at 1:10 p.m. The newly hired head coach and his Rattler player representatives will also be interviewed during the SWAC TV broadcast and by on-site media.
You must be registered for see images attach
FAMU is coming off a 5-7, its first losing season since 2017, with a new head coach and an overhauled roster.
Many questions will arise for Gray and the Rattlers about their plan to get the Orange and Green back on track. Here’s what FAMU may likely answer during their Wednesday in Birmingham.
Can FAMU football coach Quinn Gray translate Division II success in the FCS?
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A FAMU Sports Hall of Fame and record-setting quarterback, Gray landed his first college head coaching job on the NCAA Division II level at Albany State, a South Georgia-based Historically Black College and University.
Gray went 24-11 in his three-year tenure from 2023 to 2025.
In Gray’s first year at the helm, the Albany State Golden Rams were the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference runners-up.
The 2025 season was a true breakthrough for the Golden Rams. Gray guided them to a program-record 12 wins in a single season, the SIAC trophy, and to Division II’s Black College Football National Championship. Albany State also reached the quarterfinals of the Division II national tournament.
After Gray’s December 2025 hire at FAMU, his quarterback, Knowles, followed him to The Highest of Seven Hills.
You must be registered for see images
Knowles won back-to-back SIAC Offensive Players of the Year, posting 4,726 passing yards, 50 touchdowns against just 14 interceptions at Albany State. He added 394 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground.
The pro-style quarterback led the Albany State offense to the 36th scoring offense in Division II, averaging 33.1 points per game.
Can FAMU’s new uptempo, Gulf Coast-style spread offense still be productive in the SWAC and the Division I Football Championship Subdivision? The Rattlers may provide insight.
Has FAMU football increased its offensive line manpower since spring?
Graduations, transfers, and other departures force the Rattlers to undergo spring football camp with an abbreviated offensive line.
FAMU finished April’s Orange and Green Spring Game with about six or seven offensive linemen.
In June, the Rattlers got a commitment from Albany State transfer Caleb Smith, a 6-foot-4, 325-pound rising sophomore. Starters and rotational offensive line holdovers from the 2025 season include Tommy Bridgewater, Kai Gadson, and Chris Williams.
Having a two-deep lineup plus some overflow players would help the Rattlers avoid fatigue to stay fresh in the trenches, especially in toasty Florida and southern SWAC conditions.
Has offseason chatter motivated FAMU football?
In April, FAMU received NCAA Level Two sanctions due to Academic Progress Rate issues from previous seasons. It banned the team from postseason competition, meaning the Rattlers have no path to the SWAC title game, the Celebration Bowl, or the FCS playoffs. Grades have improved since Gray’s arrival to lead the program.
The APR penalties also prevent the Rattlers from having spring football training camp in 2027.
Additionally, after a down season under the past coaching regime, FAMU hasn’t been favored much in preseason accolades and rankings.
No Rattlers were named to the All-SWAC preseason first or second teams. They also face an uphill climb after the inaugural Division I Black College Football poll placed the Rattlers 10th in the top-10 preseason rankings.
You must be registered for see images attach
Sure, the Rattlers’ season is slightly damped by the postseason ban.
However, there’s still something to prove in Tallahassee, as FAMU can play spoiler to HBCU football contenders and ascend in the regular season rankings in the SWAC and newly launched weekly Black College Football poll.
Florida A&M football 2026 schedule
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All times are Eastern
- Saturday, Aug. 29: vs. Albany State, 7 p.m., SWAC TV
- Sunday, Sept. 6: vs. South Carolina State, Orange Blossom Classic at Miami Gardens' Hard Rock Stadium, 3 p.m., ESPNU
- Thursday, Sept. 10: at Miami, 8 p.m., ACC Network
- Saturday, Sept. 19: vs. Tennessee State, 7 p.m., HBCU GO
- Saturday, Sept. 26: vs. Alabama A&M (SWAC), 7 p.m., SWAC TV
- Saturday, Oct. 3: BYE
- Saturday, Oct. 10: at Alabama State (SWAC), 3 p.m., HBCU GO
- Saturday, Oct. 17: at Jackson State (SWAC), 3 p.m., ESPN Network
- Saturday, Oct. 24: vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (SWAC/Homecoming), 3 p.m., HBCU GO
- Saturday, Oct. 31: vs. Southern (SWAC), 3 p.m., HBCU GO
- Saturday, Nov. 7: at Alcorn State (SWAC), 3 p.m., SWAC TV
- Saturday, Nov. 14: vs. Mississippi Valley State (SWAC), 3 p.m., SWAC TV
- Saturday, Nov. 21: vs. Bethune-Cookman (SWAC/Florida Classic), 3:30 p.m., ESPN+
Gerald Thomas, III, is a multi-time national award-winning reporter 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 [email protected] or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: What Quinn Gray, FAMU football must answer at 2026 SWAC Media Day
Continue reading...
