For much of the offseason, the FAMU football program has focused on turning the page.
Earlier this week, first-year head coach Quinn Gray Sr. made sure the rest of college football noticed.
Appearing on The Paul Finebaum Show, Gray used one of the sport's biggest national platforms to discuss his plans to restore one of the most tradition-rich programs in Black college football.
Finebaum, whose daily ESPN and SEC Network program reaches millions of fans, introduced Gray by recalling FAMU's place in college sport's history.
Gray welcomed the opportunity to tell a story he believes too many college football fans have forgotten.
"HBCU football and the things that come along with HBCUs is really no different than the SEC," Gray said. "Before the SEC, it was truly about HBCU football and HBCU players, before integration."
Gray reflected on the coaches who built FAMU football's powerhouse reputation, Jake Gaither, He noted that legendary coaches such as Woody Hayes, Bear Bryant, and Bobby Bowden, used to travel to Tallahassee to learn from Gaither during his coaching clinics, underscoring the program's influence on the game.
"When I first got here in January, I made it a point to make sure our student-athletes understood who built the foundation," Gray said. "Every meeting we had during spring football included a history lesson."
Gray said many players arrived with little knowledge of the program's icons or what the orange and green represent.
"We wanted to make sure these kids understood the colors they wear, why we're called the Rattlers and the standard that's been established here," he said.
That historical perspective has become a cornerstone of Gray's culture as he rebuilds a program coming off a 5-7 season.
Throughout the football facility, players are surrounded by reminders of FAMU's legacy, including displays honoring past coaches, eight Black national championships and the program's 1978 NCAA Division I-AA national championship.
"We have a rich tradition in winning," Gray said. "We're focused on pushing this thing in the right direction and getting Rattler football back where it belongs."
We've got a Division II national champion, a Division I HBCU national champion and an FBS national championship runner-up in the first three weeks," Gray said.
Despite the demanding schedule, Gray said the emphasis has been on building trust, accountability and chemistry throughout the roster and coaching staff.
"It's always standards over feelings," he said.
It put a FAMU football program, that has struggled in recent yearn s, back in the national spotlight before one of college football's largest audiences. Rather than simply promoting his team, Gray used the moment to highlight the coaches, players and traditions that helped shape the sport.
As FAMU prepares for the 2026 season, Gray's message was clear: rebuilding the Rattlers is about more than wins. It's about reconnecting the program with the championship standard and national relevance that have long defined FAMU football.