Florida A&M named their head coach from within with the hire of James Colzie III, but it cost the school a pretty penny.
According to a report from WTXL’s Shamaria Morrison, the university’s board of trustees paid Renaissance Search Consulting $25,000 dollars to assist in the search for a head football coach. A Sports Illustrated story on college football usage of search firms indicated that costs average between $10,000 to $50,000 depending on the level of services needed. Others estimate the average cost is about $70,000 across Power 5 schools.
The board of trustees wanted the search firm to hear from the FAMU National Alumni Association, the FAMU booster club, student representatives and athletic faculty, the report said.
After hearing from those parties, Renaissance compiled a list of names and candidates to vet for the search committee to review. As many as 45 candidates applied for the job.
That list was then sent to AD Sykes and FAMU President Dr. Larry Robinson for final review.
In the end, Colzie, the interim head coach after Willie Simmons’ departure to Duke University, won out.
