Florida A&M University has officially appointed James Colzie III as its 19th full-time head football coach. 

The Rattlers set out to find a new head football coach after Willie Simmons departed the institution to become running backs coach at Duke University on January 1st.

Florida A&M enlisted Renaissance Search and Consulting to assemble a committee of university-affiliated representatives for the search for a new head coach. Following competition with 45 other candidates, James Colzie III, a former baseball and football player for Florida State, emerged as the successful applicant.

James Colzie joined the Rattlers’ staff under Willie Simmons as the cornerbacks coach in the summer of 2022. Colzie’s contributions to the team in that time were recognized as he added the title of assistant head coach during the 2023 season, which proved historic for FAMU as they secured their first Southwestern Athletic Conference championship and Celebration Bowl championships.

In a statement, Colzie voiced his appreciation for the opportunity and underlined the honor of becoming one of the notable people who have held the title of Head Football Coach at FAMU. 

“It’s truly an honor to join names like William Bell, Jake Gaither, Rudy Hubbard, Billy Joe, and Willie Simmons to hold the illustrious title of Head Football Coach at Florida A&M,” said Colzie. “I am ready to do my part of carrying on the tradition of this storied university as the #1 public HBCU in the country.”

The football players at FAMU were even vocal in endorsing Colzie as the team’s permanent head coach during the hiring process. Kelvin Dean Jr., the offensive most valuable player in the Celebration Bowl and running back for the Rattlers, was also on the search committee.

Colzie, a native of Miami, brings 23 years of coaching experience to the FAMU head coaching position.

Additionally, he coached the St. Mary’s University Huskies for seven years from 2016 to 2022, finishing with a 23-19 record, according to his FAMU Athletics profile. He also led the SMU Huskies to two Atlantic University Sports championship appearances in 2018 and 2019.

In light of Saturday’s announcement, FAMU Vice President and Director of Athletics Tiffani-Dawn Sykes expressed enthusiasm for Colzie’s appointment, stating how excited she was to announce Colzie’s new title.

“I am thrilled to announce Coach James Colzie III as our new head football coach,” said Sykes. “Coach Colzie’s dedication as interim head coach and now as our permanent leader exemplifies his commitment to excellence.”

New Head coach James Colzie says that he is already preparing his team for another successful season, outlying his vision for the team’s future.

“The 2023 Celebration Bowl Champions have already started the work to duplicate last season’s success,” expressed Colzie. “My job will be to surround these incredible young men with an outstanding coaching staff to ensure a great student-athlete experience while on the Highest of Seven Hills.”

The appointment of James Colzie III signifies a continuation of FAMU’s football legacy, and fans eagerly anticipate the upcoming season under his leadership.