This week, James Colzie III will lead his first practices at his new gig.

The newly hired Florida A&M head football coach will oversee the Rattlers’ 15 spring practices starting on Tuesday.

Colzie, the Rattlers’ former assistant head coach and cornerbacks coach, got elevated to become FAMU’s 19th full-time head football coach on Jan. 27 to succeed Willie Simmons, who's now Duke’s running backs coach on Jan. 1.

Colzie was the Rattlers’ interim head coach while FAMU fielded candidates for the vacancy.

Now, he's permanently tasked with overseeing the entire FAMU football team.

“It’s just a broader spectrum for me. It’s about this whole team,” Colzie, 49, told the Tallahassee Democrat in a one-on-one interview. “I’m asking our guys to lock in on the details and end the spring better than we start. We have a talented football team with players that can play at the next level.

“But my biggest thing is ensuring we get better individually and play much better as a team.”

Colzie has hit the ground running during his short tenure.

He’s built a recruiting class that’s No. 1 in transfer ranking average in the Football Championship Subdivision.

Additionally, Colzie has overseen the offseason grind, which includes the Rattlers’ early-morning organized team activities, ‘4th Quarter Drills.’

What Colzie has done for FAMU football thus far is a prelude as the Rattlers enter their 2024 spring practice season. Colzie’s roster currently features 98 players, he said.

“Everything’s moving smoothly,” Colzie spoke of his first month as FAMU’s head coach. “The guys are doing everything I asked ― getting stronger and in better shape. The mindset is no matter the situation, we’ll arise and overcome adversity to get the job done.”

New FAMU football coach James Colzie III making rounds in Rattler Nation

It was an eventful process that led to Colzie landing the FAMU head football coach job.

The 26-day stretch included players advocating for Colzie and an appointed search committee that did the same.

There was a push for FAMU to make an internal coaching hire to retain the remainder of its roster and coaching staff from 2023's Southwestern Athletic Conference title and Black College Football National Championship team.

Ultimately, Colzie signed a three-year contract worth $720,000 to lead the Rattlers’ football program. So, there’s a need to win quickly for the new FAMU head coach.

“I think there’s just added pressure to begin with. You’re trying to win football games with a team that just won a national championship,” Colzie looked ahead.

“The pressure is there. I know that going in. If we can control what we can control and do what we can as a football team, we should be in good shape. I got to make sure our guys are playing as a unified football team.”

Colzie is no stranger to Florida. He’s from Miami.

Moreover, Colzie is a familiar name to Tallahassee. He spent college as a two-sport athlete in baseball and football for Florida State (1993-1996). He was a freshman on the Seminoles’ 1993 National Championship football team.

However, Colzie has now entrenched himself in FAMU’s culture.

He had his first 220 Quarterback Club address last Wednesday. And he’s built a rapport with former FAMU head football coach Rudy Hubbard, who led the Rattlers to win the inaugural NCAA Division I-AA National Championship in 1978.

Colzie had seen a photo of Hubbard on the Ghosts of the Orange Bowl Facebook Page, which showed the legendary FAMU coach directing the Rattlers to a 17-13 Orange Blossom Classic win over Howard on Dec. 7, 1974, in Miami. Colzie was born on Dec. 8, 1974, in Miami.

“Coach Rudy Hubbard reached out to me when I first got hired. We’ve texted on a few occasions,” Colzie said. “I sent him the Facebook post, and we laughed about it. It was a kind of a unique deal.”

FAMU finalizing coaching staff, ready to assess team in spring

The FAMU football coaching staff is being assembled.

Colzie added assistant head coach to offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Joseph Henry’s duties. Henry will also now call the plays.

Co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Milton Patterson got promoted to defensive coordinator and will move over to coach the linebackers, the position he played in college.

Safeties coach Davon Morgan will now oversee all of the defensive backs.

Colzie will still coach the cornerbacks.

Vacant FAMU on-field positions include a quarterbacks and defensive line coach. Support staff openings are director of football operations and recruiting director.

“I have an idea of what type of I want to coach on those individual spots,” Colzie said. “We’ve done our interviews and making sure we do everything thoroughly through the university and the athletic department. We’re excited for once they get here.

"But until then, we’ll keep doing what we need to do as a staff to make sure all of our guys are coached properly.”

Colzie is ready to begin his first spring practice as FAMU’s head coach.

The 15 spring practices are culminated by April 13’s annual Orange and Green Spring Game. FAMU football cans will get a preview of the defending HBCU National Champions.

“We’re looking forward to seeing everybody at the spring game,” Colzie said. “The spring is where Rattler Nation finds out about the new guys that are the future faces of this program.”

Florida A&M Rattlers Spring Football Schedule

Practice 1: Tuesday, March 5

Practice 2: Thursday, March 7

Practice 3: Friday, March 8

Practice 4: Tuesday, March 19

Practice 5: Thursday, March 21

Practice 6: Friday, March 22

Practice 7: Tuesday, March 26

Practice 8: Thursday, March 28

Practice 9: Friday, March 29

Practice 10: Tuesday, April 2

Practice 11: Thursday, April 4

Practice 12: Friday, April 5

Practice 13: Tuesday, April 9

Practice 14: Thursday, April 11

Orange and Green Spring Game: Saturday, April 13 at 4 p.m.

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: New Rattlers coach previews spring football practices