FAMU football showcases richness of depth in Orange and Green Spring Game | Takeaways

Bragg Memorial Stadium was filled with eager Florida A&M football fans that wanted a first glimpse of the team.

The Rattlers hosted the annual Orange and Green Spring Game as it provided a gameday simulation for players to react to.

The teams were split by a draft format, but it still gave an accurate synopsis of the makings of the 2023 football team.

"This is the closest we have to a gameday environment until we start this fall, so it was exciting to see the guys come out, compete and have a little fun today," FAMU head coach Willie Simmons said.

"Now, it's about having our best offseason because this is a huge year for us."

It was a primarily defensive game in regulation, but the Green Team prevailed in overtime over the Orange Team, 21-15.

FAMU quarterback Jeremy Moussa scored the game-winning touchdown on a 10-yard scramble to seal the game for the Green Team.

"I really wasn't calling my own number ― it's just how it played out," Moussa said. "I'm a little threat of a runner sometimes because I'm a big guy and kind of hard to take down.

"It was a lot of fun."

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The Rattlers will have no shortage of options on the offensive side

FAMU has a respectable offense.

Moussa (Green) and Trey Fisher (Orange) were the starting quarterbacks for each team. A total of five quarterbacks got playing time (Moussa, Fisher, DJ Boney, Ja'Cory Jordan, and Junior Muratovic).

It would be Muratovic who shined on Saturday as he helped score the lone touchdown in regulation on a seemingly checkdown pass to redshirt senior running back Kevin Sawyer Jr. that broke away for a 45-yard score.

"The goal of the spring game is for everybody to play and get better," Simmons said. "You want to see what those guys can do in real live game situations. Every guy in that room physically can do what needs to be done to give us a chance to be successful.

"I feel good about Jeremy, but I feel like we'll have a well-rounded quarterback room of guys we feel comfortable going into a game with.

"It was really good to see those guys take charge."

Moussa is now in his second year in FAMU's offensive system.

As the starting quarterback, he will continue to bring his fellow signal callers along to make necessary progressions as a unit.

"When I'm on the sidelines, I'm going to put my coaching hat on and help as many dudes as I can," Moussa said. "I feel really comfortable right now because I got a lot of game reps in. I'm not thinking about where everybody's supposed to line up ― it's automatic, so now I can put my focus on what the defense is trying to do.

"I thought the room has performed well throughout the spring. A lot of guys have taken steps forward."

The Rattlers will have options because the running back room is solid.

Kelvin Dean, Terrell Jennings, Lelan Wilhoite, and Jaquez Yant received the bulk of the carries on Saturday.

Redshirt freshman running back Vershod Quinn also has made his mark through the spring. He had the longest rush of the game freshly into the second half as he scampered for a 60-yard run before being stopped just short of the endzone.

"It's makes my job easy," Moussa said. "It's always going to help when you can hand the ball off and get five or six yards or bust a big run."

FAMU's Dark Cloud Defense is dominant no matter the personnel

Due to the draft, the Rattlers' deep starting defense was split between both squads.

But the Dark Cloud Defense still has that stymying impact on the field despite having to share rotational players.

The Orange Team was headlined by defensive lineman Kamari Stephens. The Green Team had linebacker Isaiah Major on its side.

"I had guys that were big keys of the defense," Stephens said. "Being able to be with some of the familiar faces ―we were able to get some of the younger guys on the same page."

That was exemplified as the unit only allowed one touchdown over the course of regulation.

The only scores that were allowed was on short runs when the defenses were pinned in the redzone during the overtime period.

"My team (Orange) basically had the main guys on the defensive line and the Green Team had the safeties and linebackers," Stephens said. "It's going to be very hard for people to move the ball on our front seven when our unit comes together that we're ready to go to war with."

It's FAMU vs. FAMU as the team enters the summer period of the offseason

With an influx of fifteen transfers, Simmons has watched the team come together over the last month since the team began spring practice on March 7.

He hopes to see his players maintain that connection as they'll likely have even more newcomers as the NCAA Transfer Portal reopens.

"We've grown as far as really understanding each other," Simmons said. "Sometimes, it can be a little tricky about how quickly they gel in the locker room whenever you bring in whenever you bring in that much talent and newcomers.

"Aside from running the plays, the spring has really been about understanding what our standards are here and buying into what we're trying to do.

"The closer we get as a team, the better we'll be and that's what these guys have done a really good job of this spring."

It's tunnel vision for Stephens. He wants the Rattlers to just focus on the Rattlers and stay healthy for when it's time for the season to kickoff in September.

"It's us versus us," Stephens said. "We're focusing on the little things and getting into the season healthy is the biggest thing for us."

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: Rattlers provide first public showcase of 2023 team