31-07-2025
FAMU football coach James Colzie on QB battle: 'We're excited to see who it's going to be.'
Who will be Florida A&M's starting quarterback is one of HBCU football's hottest topics this offseason.
For the second consecutive year, the Rattlers will enter preseason training camp with a quarterback competition to determine the starter for their season opener versus Howard in Miami's Orange Blossom Classic on Aug. 30.
Whoever wins FAMU's starting quarterback job will succeed two Rattler standouts, Jeremy Moussa (2022-2023) and Daniel Richardson (2024). Both were Southwestern Athletic Conference honorees and HBCU All-Americans.
'Minus being the president of our university, the second most important seat is the quarterback,' said FAMU head coach James Colzie III on Wednesday, July 16, at SWAC Media Day. 'The standard of the quarterback position, especially at Florida A&M, is being an all-conference quarterback.'
FAMU football has signed three NCAA Transfer Portal quarterbacks this season.
Tyler Jefferson comes from Central Michigan and has starter experience. Jett Peddy was an All-American at the junior college level at Long Beach City College in California. RJ Johnson III is a rising redshirt sophomore from Toledo and hasn't taken his first college snap yet.
Colzie said they all will get opportunities to run with the starters during training camp.
'Those three guys, along with Bryson Martin and Traven Green, fill our quarterback room right now. We're giving them every opportunity to see who it's going to be,' the second-year FAMU coach explained. 'We're excited to see who it's going to be. But everyone has done a good job of stepping up.'
The Rattlers open their 2025 preseason training camp on Friday, Aug. 1, where the quarterback battle will officially begin.
Last year, Colzie announced Richardson as the starting quarterback the week of the season opener. Ideally, the head Rattler wants to name a starter before the week of the Orange Blossom Classic this year.
'I know last year, we made a decision the week of. But you could probably look forward to me making a decision a little sooner than later,' Colzie said.
Florida A&M Football 2025 Schedule
Week 1: Saturday, Aug. 30 ― vs. Howard (Orange Blossom Classic at Miami Gardens' Hard Rock Stadium), 4 p.m., ESPNU
Week 2: Saturday, Sept. 6 ― at Florida Atlantic, 6 p.m., ESPN Plus
Week 3: Saturday, Sept. 13 ― vs. Albany State, 7 p.m., SWAC TV
Week 4: BYE/OPEN WEEK
Week 5: Saturday, Sept. 27 ― vs. Alabama State (SWAC), 3 p.m., HBCU GO
Week 6: Saturday, Oct. 4 ― vs. Mississippi Valley State (SWAC/at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium), 4 p.m., SWAC TV
Week 7: Saturday, Oct. 11 ― vs. North Carolina Central, 3 p.m., HBCU GO
Week 8: Saturday, Oct. 18 ― vs. Alcorn State (SWAC/Homecoming), 4 p.m., ESPN Plus
Week 9: Saturday, Oct. 25 ― at Southern (SWAC), 5 p.m., SWAC TV
Week 10: Saturday, Nov. 1 ― vs. Jackson State (SWAC), 7 p.m., ESPN Network
Week 11: Saturday, Nov. 8 ― at Arkansas-Pine Bluff (SWAC), 3 p.m., HBCU GO
Week 12: Saturday, Nov. 15 ― at Alabama A&M (SWAC), 3 p.m., SWAC TV
Week 13: Saturday, Nov. 22 ― vs. Bethune-Cookman (SWAC/Florida Classic at Orlando's Camping World Stadium)
Saturday, Nov. 29 ― NCAA FCS Playoffs Begin (If Necessary)
Saturday, Dec. 6 ― SWAC Championship Game (If Necessary)
Saturday, Dec. 13 ― Celebration Bowl at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium (If Necessary)
Monday, Jan. 5, 2026 ― NCAA FCS National Championship Game at Nashville's FirstBank Stadium (If Necessary)This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU Rattlers football QB battle: 'Standard is to be all-conference.'
