Florida A&M Shakes Up Football Leadership: James Colzie Out As Rattlers' Head Coach

Florida A&M University has dismissed head coach James Colzie III after a 12-12 record across two seasons.

Florida A&M Rattlers head coach James Colzie III looks on as his team faces the North Carolina Central Eagles in a Week 7 NCAA college football game on Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. | Gerald Thomas / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Florida A&M University has parted ways with head football coach James Colzie III after two seasons leading the Rattlers, according to reports from Abreon Scott of Offscript and John Brice of Football Scoop.

Colzie finished his tenure in Tallahassee with a 12-12 record.

“It’s part of the business... you want to finish what you started... you’re given three years,” Colzie told the Tallahassee Democrat. “I know expectations are expectations. Those are the things that come with the job. I don’t think we finished the way we needed to finish.”

Florida A&M alumni and fans expressed disappointment with this year’s 5-7 finish — the program’s first losing season since 2017, when all victories were vacated due to NCAA infractions committed under former head coach Alex McNealy.

Florida A&M Rattlers head coach James Colzie III argues a call with the referee. The Florida A&M Rattlers defeated the Albany State Golden Rams during the first home game of the season on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. | Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

McNealy was dismissed following the violations, and FAMU hired Willie Simmons in December to become its 18th head coach. Colzie joined Simmons’ staff as cornerbacks coach after leaving St. Mary’s University (Canada), where he compiled a 23-19 record as head coach.

After the 2022 season, Colzie was elevated to assistant head coach and helped Florida A&M capture the 2023 SWAC and Celebration Bowl championships with its dominant “Dark Cloud Defense.”

When Simmons left to become the running backs coach at Duke University, former FAMU vice president and athletic director Tiffani-Dawn Sykes promoted Colzie to the program’s 19th head coach on Jan. 27, 2024.

Florida A&M opened the 2024 season strong but stumbled with back-to-back November losses to Prairie View A&M and Mississippi Valley State. The Rattlers closed the year 7-5 overall and 5-3 in the SWAC.

In 2025, the team opened with a 10-9 loss to Howard in the Orange Blossom Classic. Colzie guided FAMU to a 1-4 start through its first five games, with the lone victory coming against Albany State.

Lopsided home losses to Alabama State (42-14) and North Carolina Central (45-7) at Bragg Memorial Stadium added to frustration among fans and alumni. A 38-34 defeat to Bethune-Cookman in the Florida Classic, followed by a second straight loss to Mississippi Valley State, 35-31, on Nov. 29, intensified calls for a coaching change.

University president Marva Johnson recently hired former Florida Lottery Secretary John F. Davis as FAMU’s new vice president and director of athletics, effective Jan. 5, 2026. Former AD Angela Suggs remains with the university as a special advisor.

On Monday, Johnson’s administration elected to move on from Colzie, ending his two-year tenure as head football coach.

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