'FAMU made, ASU paid': Quinn Gray addresses Rattler Nation on current Albany State tenure

No matter where they go, Rattlers are always welcomed back to the 220 Quarterback Club ― a support system of Florida A&M athletics.

On Wednesday, former FAMU standout quarterback Quinn Gray was present to be the keynote speaker of the weekly meeting. It was his second time ever attending the luncheon and the first time since he was the Rattlers associate head coach and offensive coordinator on Earl Holmes' staff from 2011-2014.

In December 2022, Gray was hired to replace Gabe Giardina as the head football coach of the Albany State Golden Rams ― a NCAA Division II Historically Black College and University (HBCU) of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC).

"I'm FAMU made and ASU paid, but I'll never forget where I come from," Gray said while sporting his Albany State royal blue and gold. "I commute almost two or three times a week to Tallahassee to be with my family as much as I can. This is our forever home."

Once the regular season kicks off, Albany State's homecoming game will happen on Saturday, Oct. 14. Concurrently, FAMU will be on a bye week.

Therefore, in true 'FAMULY' fashion, Gray extended an invite for his fellow Rattlers to come cheer on his newly-acquired team against Allen University this fall.

"FAMU football will not be playing, so you all won't have anything to do," Gray joked. "We're about an hour and a half up the road and I would love to see a whole lot of orange and green in the stands that weekend."

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Gray getting acclimated to first college head coaching job as he sets groundwork with Albany State

Gray's Golden Rams, who coins the phrase 'ALL IN,' are also amidst their spring schedule such as the Rattlers. Thus far, ASU practiced twice and will have two intrasquad scrimmages on Saturday, March 18 and Saturday, March 25 at Albany local high schools Dougherty and Monroe.

The Blue and Gold Spring Game will be played on Saturday, April 1 at ASU's Coliseum.

Gray, a MEAC Hall of Famer (2020) and FAMU Sports Hall of Famer (2020) held the Rattlers' all-time record for passing yards for nearly two decades, accruing over 7,000 yards in just two years before playing six years (2002-2008) in the NFL — mostly spent with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

In 2019, his college program record was broken by a player he recruited to FAMU before his departure, former quarterback Ryan Stanley.

Gray is still showing that ability to entice players to a program after inking 18 National Signing Day signees along with seven Division I transfers to Albany State.

Two of those players came from Tallahassee in Dereko McCray and David Hogan from Lincoln High School ― where Gray head coached from 2017-2019.

"Tallahassee is well-represented in Albany," Gray said. "The Tallahassee area is near and dear to me, so obviously I'm definitely going to be here soliciting talent."

Gray was coached by Billy Joe during his time at FAMU and excelled under the Gulf Coast Offense scheme. Though he won't necessarily implement that plan for the Golden Rams, he will look to run up the score through their rapid play.

"We're going to be an offensive team that's going to put some points on the board and be an uptempo offense," Gray said. "It's not going to be the Gulf Coast Offense, but to be able to put the tempo we used back in the late 90's, early 2000's along with the way the game has transitioned to is the way we're going to play football.

"That's going to put us in the best situation to be successful."

Around the FAMU Athletics landscape

• 1966-1968 FAMU 4x100 relay team Nathaniel James, Major Hazelton, Eugene Milton, and Jimmy Ashcroft to be enshrined at the 23rd 'Bullet' Bob Hayes Track and Field Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on March 17 in Jacksonville

• FAMU men's basketball leading scorer, guard Jordan Tillmon enters NCAA Transfer Portal; Alcorn State, Jacksonville State, Portland State, Prairie View A&M, Southern interested

• FAMU football to resume spring practice on Tuesday, March 21

Gerald Thomas, III covers Florida A&M University Athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at gdthomas@gannett.com or on Twitter @3peatgee.

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU Football: Quinn Gray updates alma mater on head coaching journey