Florida A&M football has welcomed three new coaches to its staff.
After being hired as the Rattlers’ 19th full-time head coach in January, James Colzie III filled needed gaps for his inaugural staff.
Colzie hired Henry Burris as the Rattlers quarterbacks coach, Casey Walker Sr. as the defensive line coach, and Andre Pope as the defensive backs coach.
Colzie, while coaching in Canada from 2015-2021, met Burris, a Canadian Football Hall of Famer. Pope played for Colzie while the current Rattlers coach was the defensive coordinator of NCAA Division II powerhouse West Georgia. Walker, who played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners and in the NFL, attracted Colzie’s attention with his background.
“Three different guys that have made a different impact on my life,” Colzie said of his new assistants after the Rattlers’ 10th preseason training camp practice.
“Great additions to what we’re trying to do here at Florida A&M. Hopefully, I can keep them a little longer.”
Colzie described Burris as a “hot name” because of his hall-of-fame football career at Temple University and in Canada.
Burris played professionally for 19 years, collected three Grey Cups, and two CFL Most Outstanding Player Awards to add to a record-breaking college football career. He also coached on the NFL level, most recently as the Los Angeles Rams’ training camp tight ends coach in 2023.
However, Burris calls his job leading FAMU’s quarterbacks a “dream come true.” His oldest son, Armand, is a freshman wide receiver for the Rattlers.
“The timing couldn’t be any better. It’s a blessing to be here as a father, see your son grow, and impact young men,” Burris said.
“This is everything I’ve ever wanted. I have an opportunity to show these young men that if I could go back and do it over again, this is how I would go about it to maximize their opportunities on and off the field.”
New FAMU football assistant coaches want to uphold Rattlers’ success
Burris enters his first year as FAMU’s quarterbacks coach with a huge responsibility.
He will play a role in the Rattlers coaches deciding who will start at quarterback at the season-opening MEAC/SWAC Challenge versus Norfolk State on Aug. 24 in Atlanta.
It’s a two-man race for the job between Junior Muratovic and Daniel Richardson. Whoever’s named the starter will succeed the 2023 Deacon Jones Trophy co-winner, Jeremy Moussa, who graduated.
“It’s part of the position. You love to see guys battle it out,” Burris said.
“With Moussa leaving after leading the team to a national championship, it will be big shoes to fill. We’ve got some guys that are all up to the challenge. These guys that are all battling and doing their roles.”
After playing at Oklahoma, Walker played professionally for the Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, and Buffalo Bills. Walker was a member of the Patriots’ Super Bowl 49 team that defeated the Seattle Seahawks.
Walker, last coaching Louisiana Tech’s defensive line in 2022, brings Football Bowl Subdivision and NFL knowledge to The Highest of Seven Hills to help the Rattlers remain one of the nation’s top defenses. He says FAMU’s returning defensive linemen James Ash and Allen Smith Jr. have impressed his team’s first 10 preseason practices.
“I just like to play fundamental football. If we can play good technique, the stats and all of that will come with it,” Walker said.
“So, I give them little nuggets that I learned on the way. That type of experience that I bring help, it’ll help out where they’ll see things in a different light.”
Pope comes to FAMU from Alabama State.
And he knows a thing or two about dominant defenses.
In 2023, the Hornets finished third in Football Championship Subdivision total defense. They were one spot behind the No. 2 ranked Rattlers.
Pope’s main takeaway from his defensive backs is depth, which can help them mix up personnel.
“Different philosophy, but the same motto. Lights out defense,” Pope said.
“I’m a ‘D.O.G.S. Only’ guy. We’re going to be disruptive and obedient at the same time. And then we’re going to grind. That’s the grit in us. We’re just picking up where we left off last year — not breaking tradition. I’m here so the wagon doesn’t spark underneath so we can keep moving.
“Same stingy mentality, just a slightly different sauce added to the wings.”
New FAMU football assistants helping first-year coach James Colzie III establish standard
Colzie is putting his stamp on FAMU’s football program.
What Burris has observed is Colzie pushing for the Rattlers to be a player-led team. That approach could lead to FAMU remaining the Black College Football National Champions.
“It’s all about establishing that culture. I’m making sure I implement the standard [Colzie] sets and pass on that message to our players,” Burris said.
“Coach Colzie wants to empower our players ― let them know this is their team. He’s done a masterful job of winning the locker room over, getting the guys to follow suit, and setting a pathway that will lead us in that direction to battle for a SWAC Championship and push for a Celebration Bowl.”
Colzie feels he’s made the right call to hire Burris, Walker, and Pope to his first FAMU staff.The new FAMU coaching trio has embraced the culture of FAMU football as the halfway point of training camp approaches.
“We spoke about the culture, expectations, and standards. Those were easy sells, especially with the experience they’re bringing in,” Colzie said.
“Three guys who bring a wealth of experience and knowledge. Overall, they’re really, really good guys.”
The Rattlers will have their 11th training camp practice on Wednesday.
Florida A&M Rattlers 2024 Football Schedule
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Aug. 24 vs. Norfolk State in MEAC/SWAC Challenge, Atlanta* at 7:30 p.m., ABC
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Aug. 31 vs. South Carolina State, 6 p.m., ESPN+
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Sept. 7 at Miami, 6 p.m., ACC Network
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Sept. 21 at Troy, 7 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN+
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Sept. 28 vs. Alabama A&M, 6 p.m., ESPN+
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Oct. 5 at Alabama State, 3 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN+
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Oct. 19 at Jackson State, 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN Network
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Oct. 26 vs. Southern, 7 p.m., ESPN Network
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Nov. 2 vs. Texas Southern (HOMECOMING), 4 p.m., ESPN+
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Nov. 9 at Prairie View A&M, 3 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN+
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Nov. 16 vs. Mississippi Valley State, 1 p.m., HBCU GO
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Nov. 23 vs. Bethune-Cookman in Florida Classic, Orlando*, 3:30 p.m., ESPN Network
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Nov. 30: FCS Playoffs Begin
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Dec. 7: SWAC Championship, LOCATION/TEAMS TBA, ESPN2
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Dec. 14: Celebration Bowl, Atlanta*, TEAMS TBA, 12 p.m., ABC
BOLD = SWAC
* = Neutral Site
Gerald Thomas, III covers Florida A&M University Athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at gdthomas@tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee.
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Meet FAMU football’s new assistant coaches as they navigate 1st camp
