2023 Fall Football Training Camp Guide: Everything to know before the FAMU Rattlers report

Are you ready for some football?

The Florida A&M Rattlers are set report to campus for fall training camp on Wednesday, Aug. 2 in preparation for the 2023 football season.

After two days of informational meetings and community service, the Rattlers will finally enter Bragg Memorial Stadium for their first practice on Friday, Aug. 4.

Last season, FAMU finished with a 9-2 record, runner-ups in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) East Division, but were on the outside looking in on the league's championship, Cricket HBCU Celebration Bowl, and the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Playoffs.

The Rattlers are looking to build on last year's successes under sixth-year head coach Willie Simmons (33-12 record at FAMU), who has led them to four-consecutive winning seasons and three-straight nine-win seasons since arriving in 2018 (2020 season cancelled/COVID-19 pandemic).

Here's a full breakdown of what to know before FAMU steps on the turf to practice for what Rattler Nation hopes to be a championship-winning season on the Highest of Seven Hills.

How many practices will the FAMU Rattlers have?

The Rattlers are scheduled to hold 17 practices within a 22-day window, beginning on Friday.

Of those 17 practices, two will be preseason scrimmages. The Beanie Bowl is slated to make a return this season.

FAMU has spent the summer utilizing the allocated eight hours per week from the NCAA to participate in organized team activities.

FAMU Rattlers, quarterback Jeremy Moussa expected to be near the top of HBCU Football

The Rattlers are favorited to sit atop the SWAC East this season in the predicted order of finish. FAMU received 116 points, ahead of division and Week 1 opponent Jackson State's 94.

Southern was chosen to win the SWAC West.

FAMU had a league-leading ten Preseason All-SWAC selections, headlined by starting quarterback Jeremy Moussa, who was named the conference's Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.

FAMU Rattlers Preseason All-SWAC Selections

First Team: Quarterback Jeremy Moussa, wide receiver Jah'Marae Sheread, offensive lineman Jalen Goss, offensive lineman Cameron Covin, linebacker Isaiah Major, defensive back Kendall Bohler, defensive back Javan Morgan

Second Team: Wide receiver Marcus Riley, tight end Kamari Young, defensive lineman Gentle Hunt

The Rattlers are aiming to play in December's SWAC Championship (Dec. 2) and the HBCU Celebration Bowl (Dec. 16). Winning, or even reaching both games would be the first in program history in FAMU's third season since moving to the SWAC from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) in 2021.

FAMU Rattlers depth could lead to some vehement position battles

Having a lot of depth is a good problem to have because it opens the door to elevate competition as players contend to be one of the first 11 to take the field.

After finishing last in the SWAC for rushing in 2022, the Rattlers hit the transfer portal and brought in Tallahassee high school stars Kelvin Dean Jr., who played at Florida Atlantic (FAU) from Rickards in 2019 and Jaquez Yant, who originally went to Division I-FBS Nebraska out of Godby. Those additions will help four-year starter Terrell Jennings as FAMU may look to create a three-headed snake out the backfield.

An All-American talent like Xavier Smith can't be replaced with a singular person. So, FAMU has brought in six new wide receivers, boosting the total number to 20. Luckily for the Rattlers, they have veterans Sheread and David Manigo returning. But, they also have some proven players like Jamari Gassett from FBS Buffalo and former Rickards star, Bethune-Cookman grad transfer Riley headlining the 2023 recruiting class' receiving room.

Almost every key piece on the offensive line is back led by left tackle Goss and right tackle Covin. Linemen who got starts last year, Charles Davis, TJ Demas, TJ Lee, and Morgan Moore are also returning. Headlining the Rattlers' offensive line transfers is former five-star prospect, LSU transfer Kardell Thomas, Jacksonville State transfer Ashton Grable, and Buffalo transfer Janik Ogunlade.

FAMU's defensive line will be without 2021 Buck Buchanan winner Isaiah Land, who now plays for the Dallas Cowboys, and 2022 All-American selection Kamari Stephens, who transferred to Jacksonville State. Led by Hunt, the Rattlers also have players like Dre Jones and Anthony Dunn Jr., who is expected to make a big jump in 2023. Keep an eye on someone like James Ash, who transferred to FAMU from Wake Forest ahead of last season. New transfers with prior Division I starter experience to watch are Dakar Edwards (Stony Brook), Makody Robertson (Tarleton State), and Cherif Seye (Southeastern Louisiana).

Major and Jordan Moore will likely be the starters in FAMU's defensive set that features two linebackers. Johnny Chaney Jr., Aric Horne, and Allen Smith Jr. will also be in the mix as rotational players that can produce.

After losing another All-American talent Jose Romo-Martinez, the Rattlers are looking for a new kicker. Stetson grad transfer Cameron Gillis may be that guy as the one with the most experience on the roster. But young players like Maclay alumnus Michael Smith, Marko Dubak, and Logan Fuller may try to contend to be an underclassman starter.

Another special teams position that could be up for grabs is the long snapper spot between Lawrence Martinez, who started seven games for FAMU in 2022 and Baylor Payan, who transferred from Utah Tech this offseason.

Events leading up to the FAMU Rattlers reporting for training camp

As the Rattlers prepared for the upcoming season, the team had a hiccup two weeks ahead of training camp.

An unauthorized music video for Tallahassee artist Real Boston Richey's song, 'Send A Blitz' recorded inside of FAMU's Galimore-Powell Fieldhouse locker room.

Therefore, Simmons suspended all football-related activities on Friday, July 21, stating that the filming or subject matter of the song was not consistent with FAMU's core values. The team met on the following Monday, leading Simmons and Vice President and Director of Athletics Tiffani-Dawn Sykes to lift the pause.

The Rattlers are now moving forward and locking in on training camp for the upcoming football season.

FAMU is currently doing an internal investigation through the institution's Office of Compliance and Ethics of the music video's occurrence, but Simmons is not expecting any season-altering ramifications.

Sykes will make herself available for comment once the investigation is complete, she said in her released statement on July 24.

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

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU Football: Here's some information regarding fall training camp