“We are highly appreciative of the work AD Overton has done
during his tenure at FAMU and wish him well in his future endeavors,” Robinson
said. “This opportunity moves him closer to his family.”
Overton thanked Robinson, Board of Trustees Chair Kelvin
Lawson, and the FAMU community “for embracing our department’s effort to build
champions in the classroom, on the field and in life with academic excellence
and integrity.”
Following a six-year stint as senior associate athletics director at the University of Alabama, and six years prior as associate athletics director at Texas A&M University, Overton was hired to lead Florida A&M Athletics.
Overton has guided a remarkable transformation at FAMU. For
the first time in more than decade, the athletics department boasted a balanced
budget in 2016-17, while achieving three consecutive years of record-breaking
fundraising and ticket-sales growth.
Florida A&M's revenue has increased by $2 million
dollars under Overton's watch and fan participation has soared with the
football team finishing among the top five in FCS attendance in 2015 and top
three in 2016. One of his benchmark initiatives was the establishment of FAMU's
giving program, "Investing In Champions," that was a key component of
the increased revenue.
Thanks in part to Overton's emphasis on academics and NCAA
compliance, FAMU boasted higher team grade point averages and increased APR
scores across every sport. Under his watch, each Rattler team remained eligible
for NCAA postseason competition for the first time in several years.
Robinson has named FAMU graduate John Eason as the interim
athletic director. He received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from
FAMU and served as a member of the Rattler football team. He retired at the end
of 2015 from the University of Georgia as its director of player development.
“Mr. Eason is well-equipped to help keep our program moving
forward,” said Robinson, who announced that he would immediately launch a
national search for Overton’s permanent replacement.