Florida A&M coach Quinn Gray said the challenges of his first season leading the Rattlers haven’t caught him by surprise as the program prepares to begin SWAC play.
Gray, who took over the program after leaving Albany State, said he understood the expectations and demands that came with the job when he accepted it.
“No, that’s exactly what I expected,” Gray said Monday when asked whether the job had been tougher than anticipated days after the Rattlers fell to 1-3. “There’s nothing about this job that hasn’t been what I expected. I know what this job is all about. I’m a Rattler. I know what the expectation is.”
FAMU has faced several challenges during the transition, including APR issues that led to a postseason ban, reduced practice time, and academic matters tied to circumstances that occurred before Gray and his staff arrived.
Gray said those issues have affected the program but will not serve as excuses. “It’s all part of the process,” he said. “We’re not making any excuses about it.”
The Rattlers have also dealt with injuries, including losing starting quarterback Isaiah Knowles for the season that has been compounded by inconsistent play overall.
“Our kids are going out there playing and trying to put their best foot forward,” Gray said. “There’s just some mistakes that we’ve made that have kept us out of the winning column.”
For Gray, responsibility extends to both the coaching staff and players.
“At the end of the day, they have a responsibility of performing, and we have a responsibility of putting them in the right situation to be successful,” he said.
Gray also said coaches must be willing to examine their own performance when the team falls short.
“If we can’t get it done, then we as coaches have to look at ourselves, and then also the players have to look at themselves to make sure that they’re putting their best foot forward as well,” he said.
As SWAC play starts versus Alabama A&M, Gray said the staff will focus on making the most of the limited time available with its players.
Gray also rejected the idea that outside criticism would alter the program’s approach.
“One thing I do know is what we won’t do is allow outside noise to deter us from what the job is,” he said.
For Gray, the formula remains simple: prepare the players, hold everyone accountable and continue working.
“You won’t hear any complaints from us,” he said. “We’re going to do what it is that we have to do to try and get our guys ready to play on Saturdays.”
