Football coaches resign

FAMU head football coach Billy Joe accepted the resignations of five of his assistants Friday – 48 hours after signing day.

Running Backs Coach Allen Bogan, Offensive Coordinator Jimmy Joe – Billy Joe’s younger brother – Linebackers and Special Teams Coach Terry Jones, Defensive Backs Coach Derek Hill and Defensive Line Coach Herbert Moore submitted resignations late Thursday evening.

The coaches served a combined 65 years with the FAMU football program.

Although Billy Joe denied claims that the five coaches were fired, he did accept all of the resignations, which will be effective March 1.

“All I can say to our Famuans…is that the coaches decided to tender their resignations because they wanted to move in a different direction,” Billy Joe said.

While some changes to the coaching staff were expected following a 3-8 season in 2004, few expected the Rattlers to make such a large shuffle in the coaching ranks.

FAMU’s 2004 schedule would not be a proper indicator of the team’s inconsistency last year, but the Rattlers play against five Division I-AA opponents would be. In those five contests the Rattlers scored 39.4 points per game, which would have ranked second in the MEAC, allowed 28.2 points, sixth in the MEAC, and allowed a whopping 401 yards per game, which would have ranked eighth in a nine team conference.

In an interview with The Famuan Friday afternoon, Billy Joe said he had not spoken with his players as a whole or any of the Rattlers’ 24 recruits, but that he did speak with individual players who stopped by his office. Of the 24 athletes recruited, only six will not be affected by the coaching changes. He is expected to address the team on a number of topics tonight in a meeting that was re-scheduled from Thursday.

All five assistants are expected to stay with the Rattler program for the duration of winter conditioning, otherwise known as mat drills.

Contact Will Brown at thefamuansports@hotmail.com