A new era of Florida A&M football looms.

After Willie Simmons’ departure to coach Duke’s running backs, the Rattlers are searching for their next head coach.

Assistant head coach and cornerbacks coach James Colzie III holds the interim tag.

FAMU can go in multiple directions under the leadership of Vice President and Director of Athletics Tiffani-Dawn Sykes and university administration.

Should FAMU insource or outsource for the next leader of Rattlers football?

Regardless of the path, the main interest should be what best suits the Rattlers to continue their success as the defending Southwestern Athletic Conference and HBCU Celebration Bowl champions.

So, let’s look at the impact of what the upcoming hire of FAMU’s 19th full-time head football coach could have.

An internal FAMU football coach hire helps continuity, championship repeat chances

The Rattlers went an impressive 45-13 during Simmons’ 2018-2023 tenure.

FAMU’s success on the Football Championship Subdivision level led to larger programs poaching his coaching staff yearly.

Associate head coach and head coach of the defense Ryan Smith and tight ends coach James Spady have stood the test of time as the sole holdovers from Simmons’ first year at FAMU. Offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Joseph Henry was also there in 2018 before departing in 2019 and rejoining the Rattlers in 2022.

Interim coach Colzie has been on the staff since 2022. FAMU’s player leadership committee penned a letter for Sykes and FAMU President Dr. Larry Robinson urging them to retain Colzie as permanent head coach.

Two more names to emerge in FAMU’s coach search chatter have been former FAMU assistants Billy Rolle and KJ Black.

Rolle and Black would technically be external hires, but not really.

Rolle is a former FAMU standout defensive back from 1980-1984 and was on Simmons’ staff from 2018-2022 as a special assistant to the head coach and nickelbacks coach. The four-time Florida High School Athletic Association state champion has a decorated career, being the only coach to lead three different programs to titles.

Black served on Simmons’ staff from 2019-2021, ending his tenure as the team’s co-offensive coordinator for his current role as the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive assistant. He also worked on Simmons’ staff at Prairie View A&M from 2015 to 2017.

Coaches who assisted Simmons at FAMU have the formula to keep the train rolling.

More importantly, they know the FAMU culture.

Hiring externally leads to more changes ― but provides new vision for FAMU football

If it’s in the program’s best interest, there’s nothing wrong with someone new coming to take over the Rattlers.

But FAMU should be wary of what could accompany that decision.

The Rattlers have already lost three Power 5 commitments from Florida State running back Rodney Hill, offensive lineman Qae’Shon Sapp, and Clemson tight end Sage Ennis.

But it doesn’t end there.

What happens to the championship-winning coaching staff?

A new face could lead to a cycle of hiring an entirely new coaching staff alongside a mass exodus of players to the always-growing NCAA Transfer Portal.

But don’t balk at the idea of FAMU making an external hire.

Willie Simmons can’t be replicated.

But a non-FAMU staffer could bring similarities to what Simmons reintroduced to Rattlers football when he got the job six years ago.

There could be a hungry, young coach who has the vision to move FAMU football forward to reach the heights of standing atop Black College Football and the FCS.

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: Weighing what the Rattlers consider in new coach search