Quinn Gray returns to Tallahassee against his alma mater

ALBANY – It will be a homecoming of sorts Saturday night for Albany State head coach Quinn Gray. The Golden Rams, off to a 2-0 start, travel to Tallahassee to take on Florida A&M at Bragg Memorial Stadium in a 7 p.m. kickoff.

For Gray, now in his third season at the helm, this will be his first trip back to FAMU as the head coach of Albany State. Gray starred for the Rattlers under legendary coach Billy Joe, guiding the program to back-to-back MEAC championships in 2000 and 2001. He contributed to four straight playoff appearances, including the memorable 1999 run to the national semifinals, and in 2020 was inducted into the FAMU Hall of Fame.

Gray remains one of the most decorated players in Rattler history. He is the school’s all-time leader in passing yards (7,378), pass attempts (1,113), completions (562), and touchdown passes (57). He still holds the single-game record for most pass attempts (65 vs. North Carolina A&T in 2001) and owns three of the top passing yardage games in FAMU history.

Gray, who maintains his permanent residence in Tallahassee, acknowledged that Saturday’s game carries personal meaning, but insisted the focus remains squarely on his current team.

“I don’t think I have to motivate the guys this week. The motivation is on the schedule,” Gray said on his weekly show A Chat with Coach Gray. “They understand who we are playing and what we are going to face. We are going to have to be disciplined and do our jobs. The motivation is already there. It’s a Division I school and I’m a former Rattler. We are going to have to have our A game to come out of there with a win.”

The Rattlers (0-2) opened the season with losses to Howard and Florida Atlantic, but Gray warned against underestimating them.

“Just because they are 0-2 doesn’t mean they are not a good football team,” he said. “We’ve got to play a very, very sound football game. Hopefully we can take care of our preparation this week and go down there and play the best game we’ve played so far this season.”

Experienced group

Gray believes one of Albany State’s biggest strengths is its continuity. The Golden Rams return nine starters on offense and eight on defense from last season.

“We have faced a lot of adversity as a program together in the past,” Gray said. “A lot of these players have been together under our leadership for the last three years. So when we face adversity, which I am sure we will, I know what’s in their tank. I don’t have a doubt in my mind that we will be able to overcome those things and right the ship.”

He also emphasized that Albany State’s ceiling will be determined by the play of his offensive line and quarterback Isaiah Knowles, the SIAC Preseason Player of the Year.

Knowles was brilliant in last week’s 49-21 victory at Kentucky State, throwing for more than 300 yards and six touchdown passes.

“The thing about Isaiah is he is very, very smart. He knows this offense and is the epitome of what you want in a signal caller,” Gray said. “He is also a great teammate. Sometimes you see quarterbacks just hanging with the receivers or the offensive line, but with Isaiah, you’ll find him with the defensive line or the defensive backs. He’s a great leader.”

Defensive challenge

Albany State’s “Dirty Blue” defense will also play a key role Saturday. The unit has long carried a reputation for toughness dating back more than 40 years to the Mike White era.

“We want to live up to that legacy,” Gray said. “The defense did a really good job of making adjustments with Coach Cash at halftime last week at Kentucky State and did a good job of shutting down a good offense in the second half.”

Still, Gray said he expects more from his defensive line, noting he directly challenged the group in a team meeting on Sunday.

“I challenged them in our meeting and I think we will see a different level of play on our defensive line as we move forward,” Gray said.

With the offense clicking and the defense building momentum, Albany State enters Tallahassee looking to keep its perfect record intact. For Gray, it’s also a chance to walk back into Bragg Memorial Stadium — the place where he set records as a player — now leading a Golden Rams team determined to make its own statement.