COLLEGE TOWN, FL (WTXL) — FAMU head coach Quinn Gray once played in the Atlanta Football Classic. Now he's leading the Rattlers in its return.
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A rivalry that once took center stage in HBCU football is back.
Florida A&M head coach Quinn Gray knows Saturday's matchup with Tennessee State well — because he once played in it himself.
Before Gray was leading the Rattlers from the sideline, he was their quarterback. That meant taking on Tennessee State in the Atlanta Football Classic — a matchup Gray says became much bigger than just the game on the field.
"I mean, the rivalry is just one of those things as it relates to John Merritt," Gray said. "And, you know, it goes dates back to those times where, you know, some of those legendary coaches would tee off with each other... So, you know, you're talking about a game that was played in a city that was really being geared up around the African-American community. So — it was a HBCU classic that was right in the heart of it."
Now Gray gets to experience the rivalry from a different perspective — as the head coach of his alma mater. He says bringing the matchup back is important for more than just FAMU.
"Memories — ...