Florida A&M head football coach James Colzie III has a unique approach of expressing belief in the special teams unit.

To conclude the day, the Rattlers’ kickers and punters do field goals and punt yardage drills to decide how many gassers FAMU has.

The better they do, the less the team runs.

It’s a symbolic display of their importance to FAMU’s success.

“They determine our conditioning,” Colzie said after his team’s 10th spring football practice on Tuesday. “There’s nothing but the pressure of their teammates urging them to do what they should.

"We’re trying to put them in adverse and pressure situations.”

FAMU placekicker Cameron Gillis says the practice-closing drills are when the special teamers bond the most. With their backs against the wall and the team relying on them, the Rattlers’ kicking staff must rise to the occasion.

“There’s a lot of pressure on our shoulders,” said Gillis, a 2023 All-Southwestern Athletic Conference First Team selection. “We work so much together, and I have some amazing talent competing with me. We’re making sure we’re held to a very high standard.”

If FAMU special teams underperform at practice, causing more gassers, Rattlers players usually propose Colzie with a ‘double or nothing’ offer for punter Trey Wilhoit to punt. Colzie usually jokingly declines, knowing that there’s a possibility that his FAMU players may win the bet based on Wilhoit’s talent.

“I earned it last year. They’ve been rocking with me from day one,” said Wilhoit, who ranked fifth in Football Championship Subdivision punting average (44.23).

“We want to get to a spot where we don’t have to do double or nothing, and everybody’s walking off the field happy because they didn’t have to run.”

FAMU special teams coordinator Doc Gamble enjoys how the rest of the Rattlers football team rallies around his unit.

“They let those guys know that they carry the team’s weight on their backs,” Gamble said.

“Usually, it’s been about two sprints after practice. Today, they had four. I don’t know how the locker room will be today,” Gamble joked. “But they know the team is behind them.”

FAMU special teams bond and friendships translate to football success

Special teams units are usually one of the smallest groups on a football team.

However, the low manpower of kickers, punters, and snappers strengthens their relationship on and off the football field.

“We’re in this together,” said long snapper Baylor Payan. "Every single person has one job and has to excel at it. It’s based on confidence, so we keep excelling together.”

Wilhoit returned home to Tallahassee to play for the Rattlers last season after stints at Dodge City Community College and Eastern Illinois.

Though a Tallahassee kid, graduating from Chiles, Wilhoit grew up in a military family. Moving throughout the country to different stations and a well-traveled college career has assisted Wilhoit in building connections no matter where life has taken him.

“You just got to jump in and feel out everybody,” Wilhoit said. “Not only on the field but off the field, catering to each kicker and spending as much time with each other off the field. During spring camp, basically we live together and just sleep in different spots.

“We’re with each other every day. That kind of stuff has made us successful.”

Last season, FAMU hired Gamble to oversee special teams, replacing current Los Angeles Rams special teams assistant Chili Davis.

The Rattlers had continued special teams success under Gamble’s first year.

In 2023, FAMU led the SWAC in field goal average (78.6) and was the sole team with a perfect PAT percentage in the league (49-49).

“It showed they developed a bond last year,” Gamble said. “They compete. But they also look out for one another.”

Special teams significant during FAMU football's championship run

Special teams are often the forgotten ones on a football roster.

That’s until they make a complexion-altering play that could turn the tide for the good or the bad.

For example, on the opening kickoff of the Celebration Bowl, FAMU allowed a 63-yard return to put Howard on its 27-yard line, which led to a score. FAMU won 30-26.

Conversely, the Rattlers opened their season with a 96-yard season-opening kick return touchdown by Marcus Riley against Jackson State in the Orange Blossom Classic. The Rattlers won 28-10.

“We won quite a few football games with the value of our special teams,” Colzie said. “We got to be great on special teams because when a game gets tight, special teams are going to be the ones to put you over the top.”

FAMU special teams aim for continued growth as spring football enters its homestretch.

Five practices remain for the Rattlers, including April 13’s Orange and Green Spring Game.

“They got to be on point and know nobody really pays attention to them unless something goes wrong,” Gamble said.

“We’ve been the difference of the game. As long as they know how important special teams are and make sure we have the best personnel on the field, we’ll be fine.”

Florida A&M Rattlers Spring Football Practice Schedule

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 at Bragg Memorial Stadium: 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: Rattlers special teams impacting fate of spring practice