The HBCU Football coaching cycle continued with the reports that Florida A&M will turn to program legend Quinn Gray to return the Rattlers to the top of Black College Football.
Not only is this a homecoming for Gray, but FAMU’s newest hire marks a potential trend that is possibly just getting started; Division I HBCUs elevating successful Division II coaches to run their programs.
This year’s Celebration Bowl featured Tremaine Jackson, who took Valdosta State to the D2 championship game in 2024, and Chennis Berry, who won two SIAC championships at Benedict. Also, Alabama A&M hired Sam Shade fresh off of an SIAC championship at Miles College.
As Berry pointed out following South Carolina State’s Celebration Bowl win, there are great coaches in the MEAC who were not NFL players.
While that statement may have ruffled some feathers, it shows there’s more than one way to find a coach for your football team.
Why are Division II coaches succeeding at the Division I level? Well, for starters, they are good coaches.
Jackson won 10 games during the odd time that was winter/spring/fall football 2021 at Colorado Mesa, then went to Valdosta State, where he led the Blazers to the national championship game in 2024.
He took over a Prairie View program hungry for consistency and personality, then guided them to the SWAC title and their first Celebration Bowl appearance ever in his first year.
Berry’s story is a longer one. Serving as an assistant coach and coordinator at various HBCUs for over 25 years, he finally got his chance to run a program, and he made Benedict a nationally relevant team by his second season.
When Buddy Pough announced he would be retiring after the 2023 season, it was clear SCSU was going to go after Berry.
That pursuit has paid off with two MEAC titles and a Celebration Bowl trophy.
Gray will now have the opportunity to restore FAMU’s place in the HBCU football hierarchy after leading Albany State to the SIAC title and D2 quarterfinals in just his second year as head coach.
Also, recruiting matters, as well as a slight closing of the gap in terms of talent.
Make no mistake about it, you can still tell an FBS/potential NFL player from an FCS/D-II/NAIA player, but the latter level of athlete has risen in recent years. Berry has won at South Carolina State with players he brought with him from Benedict, including MEAC defensive player of the year Jarod Washington.
The key will always be to recruiting talent, but coaching up players is still important. Berry, Jackson, Gray and Shade can do both. Athletic directors, board of trustee
While splash hires and former NFL players will still be considered for HBCU football jobs, there are Division II winners succeeding at the Division I level, proving that your game is just as important as your name.
