FAMU football quarterbacks ‘rising to the occasion’ amidst ‘pivotal’ third week of practice
Florida A&M football doesn’t know who its starting quarterback will be this season.
Yet.
What the Rattlers do know is that regardless of who’s under center, they’ve garnered the team’s trust.
FAMU quarterbacks Junior Muratovic and Daniel Richardson are contending for the starting quarterback job for the MEAC/SWAC Challenge versus Norfolk State in Atlanta Aug. 24.
“You had one guy pulling away a little bit. Then, the other guy stepped back up. So, now we’re kind of back even as far as who we’re trying to determine who our starting quarterback will be,” FAMU head football coach James Colzie III said Wednesday following the Rattlers’ 11th preseason practice.
“Both guys have gone through adversity and rising to the occasion.”
Henry Burris was hired as FAMU’s co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach this spring.
The Canadian Football League Hall of Famer has closely worked with and developed FAMU’s signal callers. The Rattlers have seven quarterbacks on their roster, with Muratovic and Richardson leading the pack.
“Everyone knows, right now, it’s between Junior and Daniel. They both have had great days and days they’ve looked at as growth opportunities,” Burris said.
“I’m training them to be leaders for this team, professional and eloquent in any given circumstance. We tell them if they want to be the guy, make sure when they get in there, it’s hard for us to take you out.”
In the Rattlers’ third week of training camp, Burris wants to see someone separate themself as the undisputed starter.
Burris said he’s communicated that with his quarterbacks. He’s excited to see how they respond.
"This is going to be a pivotal week. We’re ready for that cream to rise to the top,” Burris said.
“Add a little bit more pressure on those guys and see if pressure bursts pipes or if it creates diamonds.”
FAMU football quarterbacks brings different backgrounds to the Rattlers
Muratovic has been at FAMU since 2021, arriving out of Wekiva High School in Apopka.
Richardson transferred to FAMU last December after stints at Central Michigan and, most recently, Florida Atlantic.
Muratovic and Richardson’s quarterback battle started as soon as they began sharing the same roster. Whoever is the starter will succeed former Rattlers standout and Deacon Jones Trophy co-recipient Jeremy Moussa, who graduated.
“I got complete confidence in those guys behind the center,” said FAMU assistant head coach and offensive coordinator Joseph Henry.
“We talk about the competition level, and they know what time it is. Each one of them works hard every day to put their best foot forward, command the offense, and gain the trust of their teammates and coaches.
“So, I’m proud of how these guys attack this quarterback competition.”
Muratovic and Richardson have embarked on separate college football career paths.
Muratovic, a redshirt junior, has two career starts, most recently in the Rattlers’ 28-0 win over the Lincoln Oaklanders last season.
Richardson, a graduate student, quarterbacked CMU to a Sun Bowl victory in 2021 and has thrown for 7,392 yards in his career.
“Of course, Junior is not as experienced as Daniel. On the flip side, Junior has the experience in this offense. He knows the personnel and has been around the guys in the locker room much longer,” Burris said.
“So, Daniel has room to catch up to Junior because of those relationships and building the trust.”
FAMU football quarterbacks aren't running from competition
Competition brings out the best.
And Muratovic wouldn’t want it any other way to land his first full-time starter job.
“You always want competition. That’s what football’s about,” Muratovic said. “Coming out here and competing with your brothers is what makes the game so fun.”
Richardson hopes to make an immediate impact for the Rattlers as a new transfer.
He knows the feeling of being the coveted ‘QB1,’ a title he won at his previous stops. In his new chapter at FAMU, he’s embracing earning his chops to hopefully be the next quarterback to lead the Rattlers to a Black College Football National Championship.
“We push each other every day,” Richardson said.
“Some days are good. Some days are bad. It’s still competition. We’ll see what happens.”
FAMU football testing quarterbacks by placing them in adverse situations
FAMU’s offense has to practice against the ‘Dark Cloud Defense’ every day.
The Rattlers’ defense has finished near the top of Football Championship Subdivision rankings in past seasons, most recently No. 2 in 2023.
That could be the most challenging defense the FAMU quarterbacks will face all season. Luckily for the Rattlers’ signal callers, protecting them is an offensive line that returns the most starters on the team.
“[FAMU Defensive Coordinator] Milton Patterson and the defensive staff have done a great job preparing our guys ― putting them in those tough, conflicted positions in the pocket. And also, our O-Line has stood up and given them a clean pocket,” Burris said.
FAMU will have its 12th of 25 training camp practice on Thursday.
The Rattlers will continue to embattle their quarterbacks to assess further who’s best suited for the starting job.
“We challenge them every single day. We’ll go at them again tomorrow,” Colzie said.
“Hopefully, they continue improving and learning the offense to where Coach Henry and Coach Burris want them to do it.”
Florida A&M Rattlers Football's 2024 Quarterbacks
Junior Muratovic ― Redshirt Junior, Orlando, Florida
Daniel Richardson ― Graduate Student, Miami, Florida
Trey Fisher ― Redshirt Senior, Tallahassee, Flordia
David O. Jordan ― Junior, Sherman Oaks, California
Bryson Martin ― Redshirt Sophomore, Clearwater, Florida
Traven Green ― Freshman, Rockledge, Florida
Alston Hooker — Redshirt Junior, Greensboro, North Carolina
Florida A&M Rattlers 2024 Football Schedule
Aug. 24 vs. Norfolk State in MEAC/SWAC Challenge, Atlanta* at 7:30 p.m., ABC
Aug. 31 vs. South Carolina State, 6 p.m., ESPN+
Sept. 7 at Miami, 6 p.m., ACC Network
Sept. 21 at Troy, 7 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN+
Sept. 28 vs. Alabama A&M, 6 p.m., ESPN+
Oct. 5 at Alabama State, 3 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN+
Oct. 19 at Jackson State, 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN Network
Oct. 26 vs. Southern, 7 p.m., ESPN Network
Nov. 2 vs. Texas Southern (HOMECOMING), 4 p.m., ESPN+
Nov. 9 at Prairie View A&M, 3 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN+
Nov. 16 vs. Mississippi Valley State, 1 p.m., HBCU GO
Nov. 23 vs. Bethune-Cookman in Florida Classic, Orlando*, 3:30 p.m., ESPN Network
Nov. 30: FCS Playoffs Begin
Dec. 7: SWAC Championship, LOCATION/TEAMS TBA, ESPN2
Dec. 14: Celebration Bowl, Atlanta*, TEAMS TBA, 12 p.m., ABC
BOLD = SWAC
* = Neutral Site
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 QBs are earning coaches’ trust during position battle
