COLLEGE TOWN, FL (WTXL) — FAMU head coach Quinn Gray once played in the Atlanta Football Classic. Now he's leading the Rattlers in its return.
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A rivalry that once took center stage in HBCU football is back.
Florida A&M head coach Quinn Gray knows Saturday's matchup with Tennessee State well — because he once played in it himself.
Before Gray was leading the Rattlers from the sideline, he was their quarterback. That meant taking on Tennessee State in the Atlanta Football Classic — a matchup Gray says became much bigger than just the game on the field.
"I mean, the rivalry is just one of those things as it relates to John Merritt," Gray said. "And, you know, it goes dates back to those times where, you know, some of those legendary coaches would tee off with each other... So, you know, you're talking about a game that was played in a city that was really being geared up around the African-American community. So — it was a HBCU classic that was right in the heart of it."
Now Gray gets to experience the rivalry from a different perspective — as the head coach of his alma mater. He says bringing the matchup back is important for more than just FAMU.
"Memories — we won more than we lost, which is great," Gray said. "But at the end of the day, you know, to have it back and to try and get this classic or get this game back to where it once was is something that I think will definitely be good for the HBCU culture."
While Saturday brings back plenty of history, the Rattlers are also focused on what's in front of them. With Isaiah Knowles' season over following surgery, Dustin Fletcher now takes over the FAMU offense. After being thrown into the fire against Miami, Gray says this week has been about putting Fletcher in the best position to succeed.
"He just got to play within the system," Gray said. "He's done some good things in terms of using his legs when need be. He brings an added dimension in terms of his size and running ability to our offense... But at the end of the day, you know, we just got to make sure we're putting him in the best situation to be successful, to lead this offense."
For the Rattlers, Saturday is a chance to bring back a piece of FAMU's past while trying to get this year's team back on track.
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