Striking from the Top

 Get the Point!

By Churck Hobbs

Yesterday in Atlanta, the Florida A&M University Rattlers, champions of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), capped a magical 12-1 season by defeating Howard University, the Mid-Eastern Athletics Conference champs, 30-26 in the Celebration Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

A crowd of nearly 42,000 fans that included (below) Vice President Kamala Harris (Howard alumna) and U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock (Morehouse alumnus), watched at rapt attention as the Rattlers were named the undisputed champions of Black College football for the first time since legendary Coach Billy Joe led the Rattlers to the top in 1998.

Now, the FAMU faithful in the stadium and watching live via ABC television had a few anxious moments yesterday, particularly early in the first quarter when Howard jumped out to a surprisingly quick 14-0 lead.

But with a nod to former Heavyweight Champ Mike Tyson’s famous quip that “everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth,” well, it was clear that Coach Willie “Shotgun” Simmons surely had a plan, one that included calming down his team so that they executed his game plan on offense and defense—as they have to victory in each game this season with the exception of a relatively close 38-24 loss to South Florida, an FBS team that took the playoff bound Alabama Crimson Tide to the wire the very next week.

While my blood pressure shot high when the Rattlers let a 24-16 lead evaporate into a 26-24 deficit in the middle of the 4th quarter 😆, staying true to the social media mantra “In Shotgun We Trust,” the Rattlers offense, led by SWAC Offensive Player of the Year Jeremy Moussa, calmly marched right down the field in a drive that culminated with Moussa’s 38 yard touchdown strike to senior receiver Jah’Marae Sheread.

As the confetti fell and FAMU celebrated what is now the school’s 16th National Championship, I took a moment to reflect back on the outstanding job that Coach Willie Simmons has done since being hired back in December of 2017. I remember all too well the multiple years of mediocre to substandard play on the gridiron before Simmons was hired, and having watched the Quincy, Florida native’s rise from assistant coach at several schools to head coach at Prairie View A&M with great interest, I sensed that former Athletics Director and Hall of Fame Rattler John Eason hit a home run by handing him the keys to the FAMU program six years ago.

Well, my senses were right, which is why I give mega kudos to Coach Shotgun, his ace recruiter that keeps the shells (new talent) reloaded, Devin Rispress, and the entire FAMU coaching staff for their efforts in molding young men into student-athletes that dominate in the classroom—and on the field of play!