Tallahassee, Fla. | With hollowed out bleachers and Bragg Memorial Stadium renovations serving as the backdrop on Saturday afternoon, the Florida A&M football team put the final touches on an unconventional spring.
 
Still dealing with the fallout from a global pandemic, head football coach Willie Simmons and his staff were tasked with leading their student-athletes through the semester in preparation for the Rattlers first season in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).
 
This week, Simmons shared his thoughts on the spring as well as what fans can expect from each position group and the program prepares to push forward.
 
"Our main emphasis was to get back to being fundamentally sound," said Simmons. "At the culmination of five weeks of training camp, we feel like we've made tremendous strides, so I'm pleased with the progress that we've made, but we've still got a long way to go."
 
Starting with his quarterbacks, replacing the talent lost by a signal caller like record-setting quarterback Ryan Stanley is a tough task, especially considering the type of season he had leading FAMU to a 9-2 record, the best among HBCU football programs in 2019.
 
"Obviously, it's big news when you've got to replace a quarterback, let alone one who owns quite a few school records," said Simmons. "However the four guys (quarterbacks) who made it through the spring, we're very excited about."
 
The four players vying for the starting role this season are returners Rasean McKay, Cameron Sapp and LeJohn Howard, along with Kansas State transfer John Holcombe II. Simmons said he sees a quarterback room full of guys with the ability earn the QB1 designation.
 
McKay brings the most game experience to the group, having earned a start in a road victory at Morgan State and leading FAMU to a thrilling overtime win over then nationally-ranked North Carolina A&T. However, Sapp, Howard and Holcombe are all guys that Simmons believes are capable of earning the starting job come fall.
 
"McKay has experience on his side," said Simmons. "He understands the offense, at this point, a little bit better than the other guys and that's why he gets those first team reps. He is a guy that works extremely hard and is what you call a gym rat and a film rat. He has some of the intangibles that make a great quarterback."
 
When talking about quarterbacks, nothing is more important than having guys up front to protect him.
 
The Rattler offensive line showcased added depth over the spring and made good strides before breaking camp and heading into the summer months.

"Every team is only as good as what happens in the trenches," said Simmons. "For us, really solidifying ourselves up front was the biggest priority."
 
One of the newest additions to the FAMU coaching staff is offensive line coach Ryan Stanchek. Stanchek comes to FAMU after spending time at Southern Miss. Stanchek and Simmons were on the staff together at Alcorn State. He has been a key in growing this offensive line.
 
Redshirt senior Jalen Spady has moved from right guard and settled into his new position at center. Keenan Forbes, an All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) performer, and Jalen Brayboy have provided a solid foundation for the unit and look to improve the Rattlers' ability to run the ball.
 
Some of the biggest additions to the offensive line are transfers Jay Williams and Orlando Heggs. Williams joins the Rattlers from Florida State, while Heggs enters the fold from Wake Forest. Bryan Crawford, who battled injury during the spring, is working his way back into action.
 
The spring offensive unit featured four freshman and redshirt sophomore, Cameron Colvin, who Simmons calls the most improved player on the team.
 
An area where the Rattlers took a step back in 2019 was at the running back position. While FAMU had one of the top offenses in the MEAC, the Rattler ground attack was ranked last in the conference in yards per game. This spring, the Rattlers came back healthier and focused on improving production in that area.
 
Simmons has taken a more hands-on approach with the running game this season.
 
"I cut my teeth in this profession coaching the running back position, so I really took more of an ownership role in the day-to-day development of those guys," said Simmons. "We've really seen a drastic improvement."
 
Entering the spring, the Rattlers returned one of the deepest offensive backfields you'll find. Eddie Tillman, Bishop Bonnett, Terrell Jennings and Devonne Kendrick are all back and put on solid performances this spring.
 
Tillman is returning from an injury he suffered near the beginning of the 2019 season. However, Tillman broke a long run in the open practice last Saturday, proving that his injury is a thing of the past.
 
Also entering the ring is Savannah State transfer, Jalyn McCloud. McCloud is a 6-foot-2, 240-pound running back who showcased his ability to pick up tough yards this spring.
 
Tre'ven Smith, a freshman from Blountstown, Fla. is also expected to be on the field in the fall and have an impact on the rotation.

The strongest and deepest position group on the team may just be its wide receiving corps and tight ends.
 
While the Rattlers weren't the best at moving the ball on the ground, FAMU's receivers were busy making big plays and earning the moniker "RAC Boyz 2.0," a nod to the legendary "RAC Boyz," the FAMU receiving corps of the late 90s who were known for picking up big yards and scoring touchdowns in bunches. The 2019 crew held position FAMU as the MEAC's top passing attack. Smith was fifth in the nation in receiving yards per game (105.4) and led the MEAC in total receptions (77).
 
While Xavier Smith, Chad Hunter, Azende Rey and David Manigo are the guys that most fans might be familiar with, they may want to get used to hearing about some of the new guys like Chris Sanders, Aquil Muhammad, Jeremiah Pruitte and more.
 
"This is just an extremely deep and talented group," said Simmons. "When you consider the fact that our two leading receivers from the 2019 season didn't participate in the latter half of spring practice, just shows how deep we are at the wide receiver position."

Hunter is a sight for sore eyes, returning to the Ratter lineup after nursing an injury during the 2019 campaign.
 
Sanders capped off the spring displaying his playmaking ability in the absence of Smith and Manigo, snagging two touchdown catches in the open practice session.
 
While Manigo is already a huge target for QBs to aim, Pruitte, a transfer from Colorado State, will add even more height at the receiver position, standing at 6-5, 220 pounds.
 
At tight end, local products Kamari Young and Nicholas Dixon had significant reps this spring.
 
"I think we have a chance to be a very dynamic offense," said Simmons. "Coach JB (Jelani Barassa) probably has the toughest job among all of our coaches trying to get all of those guys on the field. They are a great group and a very unselfish group."
 
All-in-all, the future looks extremely bright for the FAMU offense, and this spring was resounding success in giving the coach staff, and fans, a look at what the future holds for the Rattlers.
 
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