There was a celebration of champions in the Al Lawson Center Friday afternoon.

The university acknowledged the Florida A&M football team for its Black College Football National Championship following the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation.

The Rattlers were also presented with a proclamation from Tallahassee mayor John Dailey, recognizing their 30-26 Celebration Bowl victory over Howard last December.

Sharing the Lawson Center's stage included President Dr. Larry Robinson, Vice President and Director of Athletics Tiffani-Dawn Sykes and other FAMU representatives.

Robinson congratulated the team. Sykes did not address the audience.

FAMU Hall of Famer and former sports information director Vaughn Wilson emceed the event.

“We won the national championship, and now we’re being celebrated,” Rattlers interim head coach James Colzie III said. “We had a team meeting a week ago and were already talking about getting ready for the next one."

The team was without former head coach Willie Simmons, who led the Rattlers to a 12-1 record on the way to winning the Southwestern Athletic Conference and HBCU Celebration Bowl title games last December.

Simmons resigned from FAMU on Jan. 1 to become Duke’s running backs coach.

Colzie was immediately named interim coach by FAMU VP/AD Sykes.

FAMU administration is currently searching for a permanent head football coach to replace Simmons as the process has hit snags after confirmation that Sykes was preparing to recommend Division II HBCU Fort Valley State head football coach Shawn Gibbs to lead the Rattlers.

“It’s all been a blur. But we’re thankful we’re in this position because we could’ve lost our coach and not be national champs,” FAMU running back and Celebration Bowl Offensive Most Valuable Player Kelvin Dean Jr. said.

“I’m glad we got that acknowledgment. It was a pretty good day.”

FAMU football hopeful 'right decision' is made for permanent head coach hire

Colzie has been one of the preferred candidates by FAMU football players since Simmons' departure.

The team’s leadership committee immediately backed Colzie as the right one for the job in a letter written to FAMU President Robinson and VP/AD Sykes on Jan. 1.

Colzie says he and Sykes have had “multiple conversations” last week about him leading Rattlers football. He says the discussions have been “favorable,” and he is hopeful he’ll be named FAMU’s 19th full-time head football coach.

“You hope at the end of the day, everyone does what’s best for Florida A&M, and I think that’s where we're headed,” Colzie said.

“When you lose a big-time figure like Coach Simmons, you want to make sure you get the right piece. I’m extremely optimistic that I’ll get the opportunity to lead our young men.”

Dean reiterated that he wants Colzie to be FAMU’s next head coach.

The rising graduate student said his teammates would back him up in Colzie’s endorsement to become the head football coach in the Rattlers’ efforts to repeat as SWAC and Celebration Bowl champions.

“We know the perfect guy to lead us. We’re all lobbying for coach James Colzie,” Dean said. “We just pray and hope they make the right decision so we keep our team together and go back and do the same thing.

“I feel like we got all the right pieces to come back and win another championship.”

FAMU football players staying focused as next head football coach decision looms

FAMU football players hope the head coach search ordeal is resolved soon.

But, for now, veteran players are keeping temperatures cool within the locker room in hopes of a favorable outcome.

“I’m trying to command everyone to stay, so we can keep the same coaching staff to run it back,” FAMU All-American cornerback Kendall Bohler said. “We’re sticking together. Hopefully, we get a coach soon to keep everything in one spot.”

Workouts have been essential for FAMU players to take their minds off who may be the team’s next head coach.

That has brought the team together.

“It’s hard for them to stay focused with everything that’s going on,” Dean said.

“So, I tell them to come to the weight room or to the field to run routes. I want to keep us all close-knit.”

Gerald Thomas, III covers Florida A&M University Athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at gdthomas@tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee.

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU Football: Rattlers staying together as new coach decision looms