FSU Football improving relationship with FAMU can only help programs

FSU football seems to be attempting to mend fences with their FCS neighbors from across the street in Tallahassee, a move that will benefit both programs.

In the late 1990’s – as the FSU football teams was well into their dynasty era of top five finishes and national titles – the city of Tallahassee was arguably the best location for college football in the country as the Noles dominated and the Florida A&M Rattlers went to the FCS playoffs six straight seasons, including a final four spot in 1999 as Florida State was winning a national crown.

While both teams took a downhill turn in the early 2000s, the Seminoeks bounced back to win a national title and ACC crowns while FAMU has continued to struggle when it comes to regaining their footing as one of the top HBCU football programs in the country.

Since the days of Bobby Bowden leading the FSU football program, it has been no secret that the Seminoles have used the resource of having one of the most well known and respected HBCUs in the country to help recruit the African American player – something that has led to resentment in the past from some in the FAMU family who feel as though they were being used.

During the previous coaching administration, any relationship between the two programs seemed almost non-exsistent on the surface except for the Seminoles giving their old scoreboards to the Rattlers for their stadium – hardly an olive branch if you ask many.

Now, it seems as if things could be changing in the less than eight months that Wille Taggart has been the head coach of the FSU football team – including having FAMU head coach Willie Simmons on campus for the Saturday Night Live event.

Of course, the possible relationship was thrust into the national spotlight when the top rated recruit in the country, California native Kayvon Thibodeaux, raved about visiting FAMU while he was in town for the FSU football event.

Now, with all due respect to out friends from FAMU (and I did have many during my time at FSU as most of my high school class went to one of the two colleges), the chances are VERY slim that Thibodeaux would choose the Rattlers over FSU football or another big name program.

With that being said, something like this could be beneficial to both programs in the long run. If you are the Seminoles, you have a chance to rebuild this previously strained relationship and work with the Rattlers to bring the best athletes to Tallahassee by allowing them to feel at home in either program.

If you are FAMU, you have the chance to sway the occasional few players who don’t choose the Seminoles for whatever reason but fell in love with Tallahassee and the Florida A&M campus and family during their visit.

Taggart and the FSU football family – along with Simmons and the FAMU family – have a chance to use this new beginning as a fresh start for what at one point was the greatest college football city in the country…and someone like that can only help both schools in the long run.