The 2022 football season is nearly here and the Rattlers are heading into the season with high expectations following up on last year’s 9-3 season and their first FCS playoff appearance in nearly two decades.
The Rattlers return Buck Buchanan Award-winning linebacker Isaiah Land as one of the top players in the nation. While the defense did lose safety Markquese Bell to the NFL, head coach Willie Simmons grabbed Iowa State transfer Kym-Mani King to replace him. King joins a secondary featuring an elite cornerback in BJ Bohler, making FAMU’s “Dark Clouds Defense” a strength again in 2022.
However, the Rattlers still face questions offensively. The skill positions should be set with wideouts Xavier Smith and Jah'Marae Sheread back, and running back A.J. Davis transferred in from Pittsburgh to help ease the loss of Bishop Bonnett. Yet, FAMU still has concerns at the quarterback position.
Rasean McKay was the primary starter under center in 2021, but he's currently in a heated quarterback competition Vanderbilt transfer Jeremy Moussa. In the coming days we’ll see who will emerge as the starter, though we suspect both may see playing time in the first few games.
FAMU also looks to replace like two-time All-American Keenan Forbes or All-SWAC honoree Jay Jackson-Williams on an offensive line that last year led the SWAC in fewest sacks allowed while ranking third in scoring and fourth in total offense. Coach Simmons, and the Rattlers, should be in good shape with returners Cameron Covin, 2022 Preseason All-SWAC Second Team Offense, and Bryan Crawford, who participated in six games last year, and TJ Lee, who participated in seven games as a freshman at left guard.
On special teams the Rattlers are loaded with kick returner Jah’Marae Sheread who led the entire NCAA Division-I in punt returns last season. The Rattlers return All-SWAC placekicker Jose Romo-Martinez, punter Chris Faddoul. Faddoul is a two-time All-American who led the NCAA Division-I in two categories in a single year.
FAMU is heading into the season ranked No. 2 among HBCUs by HBCUGameDay and No 24 among FCS schools by CBS Sports. The Rattlers kickoff the season on August 27th at 8:15 pm, against the Tar Heels of the University of North Carolina, in a nationally televised game on the ACC Network.