SECTION 3 COACHES AND ADMINISTRATION - … · SECTION 3 COACHES AND ADMINISTRATION. ... Carter’s Coaching Resume.... Carter, 54, ... (18) and Joshua (17). Andre attended the University

59www.TheFAMURattlers.com

T H E C O A C H I N G S T A F F

SECTION 3

COACHES AND ADMINISTRATION

60 2007 Florida A&M Football




Rubin Carter3rd Year • University of Miami ‘75

HEAD FOOTBALL COACH

Florida A&M’sthird-year coachbrings a winning

blend ofvision, passion,discipline and

experience to theprogram

Rubin Carter was intro-duced as the 14th headfootball coach in FloridaA&M University history onWednesday, July 20, 2005. By season’s end, this pas-sionate firebrand had led theRattlers to a 6-5 finish,capped off by a scintillating26-23 overtime win overarchrival Bethune-Cookmanin the Walt Disney WorldFlorida Classic. The 2005 season witnessedthe Rattler Football Programcome firmly under theleadership of Carter, whoseemphasis on discipline,resilience and executionhelped FAMU defy the oddsand finish in the top half ofthe Mid-Eastern AthleticConference standings, after

being picked anywhere fromsixth to eighth in the pre-season. The lessons that Cartertaught his charges about men-tal toughness and resiliencereally bore fruit in the FloridaClassic, as the Rattlers ralliedfrom a 17-0 first quarter deficitto overtake the Wildcats for thethrilling overtime triumph inOrlando. Last season, the Rattlersshowed marked improvement,posting a 7-4 record, winningfive games in the final period,two in overtime, capping offthe year with a second straightwin over Bethune-Cookman. In the offseason, Cartercontinued his reshaping of theRattler Football Program with

an intense conditioningprogram for his returningplayers, as well as a revampapproach to recruiting ofnew players. Carter placed great empha-sis on recruiting in the Sun-shine State, particularly inthe area of high schoolrecruiting, and the result wasa bumper crop of top pros-pects, along with a renewedvisibility for FAMU Footballacross the state. A native of Fort Lauderdale,Florida, Carter brings over18 years of previous profes-sional and collegiate coach-ing experience to his role ashead football coach atFAMU. Carter also has 12 seasonsof National Football Leagueplaying experience on hisresume.

Carter’s

Coaching

Resume....

Carter, 54, served as thedefensive line coach atTemple University in 2004,facing the Rattlers in anearly September affair,giving him a peek at theprogram he would later takecharge of.



RUBIN CARTER’S

C A R E E R A TA G L A N C ECoaching Experience

•Florida A&M University: Head Football

Coach, 2005-Present •13-9-0 record/2

years.

•Temple University: Defensive Line, 2004.

•New York Jets (NFL): Defensive Line,

2001-03

•Washington Redskins (NFL): Defensive

Line, 1999-2000

•University of Maryland: Defensive Line,

1997-98

•San Jose State University: Defensive

Line/Strength & Conditioning, 1995-96

•Howard University: Defensive Coordina-

tor/Strength & Conditioning, 1989-93

•Denver Broncos (NFL): Defensive Line/

Strength & Conditioning, 1987-88

Athletic Experience

•Denver Broncos (NFL): Defensive Tackle,

1975-86

•Miami: All-America Defensive Tackle,

1972-74

•Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Stranahan High:

All-star in football, track and field.

Athletic Honors

•1999: Inducted into Florida Track and

Field Hall of Fame

•1992: Inducted into the University of

Miami Sports Hall of Fame.

•1986: NFL’s Ed Block Award of Courage

•1981: Inducted into the Fort

LauderdaleSports Hall of Fame

•1975: MVP Hula Bowl All-Star Game

•1974: Kodak, AP and UPI All-American -

first African American

All-America ever at University of Miami.

•1971: Broward County Athlete of the Year

Rubin Carter....was an All-America defensive tackle at theUniversity of Miami in 1974, the first AfricanAmerican to earn that honor for UM. He wenton to earn MVP honors at the 1975 Hula Bowlbefore embarking on a stellar 12-year NFLcareer with the Denver Broncos (1975-86),appearing in two Super Bowls.

Temple prevailed, 38-7 in that September 18 clashat Lincoln Financial Field •Prior to joining the the Temple staff in March2004, Carter had served as the New York Jets’Defensive Line Coach for three seasons (2001 to2003). •Before his stint with the Jets, he was the Wash-ington Redskins’ Defensive Line Coach for twoseasons (1999-2000). •Carter first coached in the NFL with Denverunder Dan Reeves from 1987-88, directing theBroncos defensive line while also assisting withstrength and conditioning. Pro Bowl players under Carter during his NFLcoaching tenure included John Abraham, Shawn



Broncos famed “Orange Crush” defenseand played in two Super Bowls (1978,1987). In 1977, Carter was featured on a SportsIllustrated cover which touted him as “ThePrototype NT in the 3-4 Defense.” Upon his retirement, he had played inmore games (152) than any other nosetackle in NFL history. He totaled 1,036 tackles and 33 sackswhile missing only two games in his first 11seasons. Carter was drafted in the fifth round byDenver in the 1975 draft out of Miami,where he was a Kodak, UPI and AP All-American as a senior in addition to beingnamed the MVP of the Hula Bowl. He holds the distinction of being the firstAfrican-American to be cited as an All-American on the Hurricanes’ defensiveline. He earned a bachelor of science degree inbusiness administration in 1975. Carter was inducted into the University ofMiami’s Hall of Fame in 1992. Carter also has a proven record of

community service as an active memberof Pro Athletes Outreach and theFellowship of Christian Athletes. He has also served as a youth motiva-tional speaker. In 1986 he received the NFL’s Ed BlockAward of Courage. A native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Carteris a 1971 graduate of Stranahan HighSchool. He was an accomplished track & fieldathlete, holding the Florida shot putrecord for 15 years. Carter is a memberof the Florida Track & Field Hall of Fame(1999), the Fort Lauderdale Sports Hallof Fame (1981) and was the 1971 BrowardCounty Athlete of the Year. Carter, and his wife Karen are theparents of four children, Andre (26),Diandra (21), Alvin (18) and Joshua (17). Andre attended the University ofCalifornia, and was selected seventhoverall in the 2001 NFL Draft by SanFrancisco.

Ellis, Marco Coleman, Greg Kragen,Rulon Jones and Karl Mecklenburg. •Carter also coached at the collegiatelevel for nine years. He was Defensive Coordinator andStrength & Conditioning Coach atHoward University from 1989 to 1993,leading the Bison defense to a numberone national ranking in Division I-AA intotal defense (220 yards per game) andscoring defense (10.5 points per game) in1989.He went on to serve as Defensive Lineand Strength & Conditioning Coach atSan Jose State in 1995 and 1996. Carter’s last position at the collegiatelevel was at Maryland, where he in-structed the defensive line from 1997-98.

Rubin Carter -

The Playing Days....

Carter began his coaching career afterplaying 12 seasons (1975-86) at defensivetackle in the NFL with Denver. He was part of five AFC West Champi-onship teams as a key member of the

1. We create an environment to mentor young men while developingthe student athlete’s skills to be competitive in today’s society.

2. Relentlessly pursue the MEAC Championship, while alwaysembracing the highest ideals of intercollegiate athletics and stayingwithin the academic mission of the university.

3. Embrace and establish relationships with coaches, leaders andbusiness throughout the community.

4. Maintain a highly successful program in compliance with univer-sity and NCAA guidelines.

5. Commitment to excellence while striving to develop leaders basedon honesty, integrity and strength of character.

RUBIN CARTER’S

M I S S I O N S T A T E M E N T





Robert “Bob” ColeOffensive Coordinator • Quarterbacks

3rd Year • Widener (Pa.) ‘82

Bob Cole is entering his thirdseason as the Rattlers’ OffensiveCoordinator. Cole likes a wide-openoffensive style, and brings a wealth ofknowledge and experience in his 20-plus seasons as a coach to the Rattlerprogram. Last season, Cole tutored quarter-back Albert Chester to one of thefinest single season performances inschool history, as he led the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference inpassing and total offense. Cole began his coaching career asan assistant football coach at MoreauHigh School (1982-85) in Hayward,Calif. He held that position until hebecame the head football coach atSan Leandro (Calif.) High School(1985-88). After a six-year stint in the highschool ranks, Cole was named theOffensive Coordinator and Quarter-backs coach at Sonoma State Univer-sity (1988-92) in Rohnert Park, Calif. During the 1992 season, his offenseset school records for most passingyards in a season (2,988), mostpassing yards (278.6) per game andthe most points per game (29.6). The1991 offensive unit set school recordsfor touchdowns passes in a season(26), most total yards in a season(3,958) and most wins in a season(9). Cole ventured to Portland StateUniversity (1993-99) as OffensiveCoordinator and Quarterbacks coachin 1993, and the Vikings’ offensive

units quickly reached several mile-stones. They led the nation in total offense(464 yards per game) in 1998; finishedin the Top Ten in the nation in totaloffense (472 yards per game) in 1995and 1994 (464 yards per game). Coleproduced a running back, CharlesDunn, who became the Vikings’ all-time leader rusher and a quarterback,Jimmy Blanchard, who led the nationin passing efficiency in 1998. After six seasons with PortlandState, Cole headed east to the Univer-sity of Montana (1999) to serve as theOffensive Coordinator and Quarter-back coach, a position, he held for oneseason. The Grizzlies advanced to thequarterfinal round of the 1999 NCAADivision I-AA play-offs. They finishedsecond in the nation in total offense(517.4 yards per game), passingoffense (370.0) and their startingquarterback finished in the top five in

the nation in passing efficiency. Under Cole’s tutelage, the Griz-zlies averaged over 50 points pergame, produced a wide receiver tofinish in the top ten in the nation inreceiving yards per game and arunning back to become theschool’s all-time rushing leader, byrushing for 1,350 yards in a season. Cole took over as OffensiveCoordinator and Quarterbackscoach at Division I-A Utah StateUniversity in the spring of 1999. The Aggies finished 13th in thenation in passing offense in 2001;finished seventh in the nation inpassing offense and 40th in scoringin 2002. Cole produced a runningback to lead the nation in all-purpose yardage and holds thesingle game record for all purposeyards (578 yards) in 2000. Cole was a three year startingquarterback at Widener University(1979-81), where he led the Pio-neers to a 35-2 combined recordduring his tenure and they won the1981 Division III National Champi-onship. Also, the Pioneers madeappearances in the 1979 and 1980Division III play-off semifinals. Cole holds B.S. degree in SocialSciences from Widener (Pa.)University (1982). He and his wife Kathy have twochildren, a daughter Zoe, and a sonBobby.





Charles HuffDefensive Coordinator • Linebackers

3rd Year • Presbyterian (S.C.) ‘85

Charles Huff is entering histhird season as the RattlersDefensive Coordinator andLinebacker coach and SpecialTeams Coordinator. He brings a wealth of experienceand knowledge of the game to theRattlers defensive corps. Last season, FAMU placed threedefenders - end Tyrone McGriff,linebacker Vernon Wilder anddefensive back Jason Beach - earnAll-MEAC honors. Huff begin his coaching careerat Presbyterian College (1989-91)in Clinton, S.C., as their RunningBacks Coach in 1989, and theirDefensive Backs Coach for the1990 season. As the Blue Hose Running BackCoach, Huff coached Steve Pars-ley, a first team Division II All-American, who rushed for 1,110years in six games, before aseason ending injury. In 1991, Huff ventured toMurray (Ky.) State (1991-93) asthe Racer’s Defensive Backs /Outside Linebackers Coach. TheRacers finished second in theOhio Valley Conference in passdefense for two seasons. Huffsigned 10 players for the Racersfor the 1992 recruiting season,which included Anthony Hutch,an eventual Defensive Lineman ofthe Year in the OVC. After a two-year stint at MurrayState, Huff became the DefensiveBacks /Outside Linebackers coach

at the University of West Alabama(1993) in Livingston, Ala. TheTigers finished second in GulfSouth Conference in pass defense in1993. In 1994, Huff became the Defen-sive Coordinator/Linebackers/Secondary and Special TeamsCoach at Austin Peay State Univer-sity (1994-97) in Clarksville, Tenn.Under Huff’s tutelage, the Gover-nors led the OVC in rushing defense(129.7 yards per game), finishedsecond in total defense (239.9yards per game) and finished 19thin the nation (Division I-AA) in totaldefense. In the spring of 1997, Huff joinedthe University of Central FloridaGolden Knights staff (1997-2003) inOrlando, Fla., as their Defense EndsCoach/Special Teams Coordinator.The Golden Knights led the nation(Division I-A) in blocked kicks (17),while holding opponents to under

30 yards on kickoffs for twoseasons. UCF also finished in the top 10in the nation in kickoff returns,while holding opponents to a netpunt return of four yards perpunt. Meanwhile, his punt returnersranked in the top 10 in the nationin punt returns (15 yards perreturn). Huff’s defensive lineman ledthe nation in sacks (37) and hedeveloped a pair of All-Ameri-cans - defensive ends EltonPatterson and Reshard Jeanty. In 2003, Huff worked with theMiami Dolphins in the team’sMinority Coaching Program,working with defensive linemanand special teams. He alsoworked with the Carolina Pan-thers as a Mini-camp coachworking with their defensivelineman and special team play-ers. Huff returned to the coachingranks in 2004 at Norfolk StateUniversity as their DefensiveCoordinator, Co-Special Teams’Coordinator and Linebackerscoach, a position, he held untilhe accepted the position here atFAMU. Huff holds a Bachelor’s of Artsdegree in Coaching from Presby-terian College (1985). He and hiswife of 20 years, Maggie, havethree children - Daron (14),Trevin (12) and Sharmar (10).





Renato DiazRunning Backs•Recruiting Coordinator

3rd Year • South Florida ‘83

Beginning his third season as theRattlers Running Back Coach isRenato Diaz, a seasoned veteran,who brings a wealth of experienceto mentor a the FAMU backfield. In 2005, Diaz masterminded the1,000-yard season of halfbackRashard Pompey, who finished asthe third leading rusher in schoolhistory. He will also serve as the overallcoordinator of Rattler Footballrecruiting efforts. Diaz began his coaching his almamater, the University of SouthFlorida in Tampa, Fla. (1996-1998), where, he assisted theOffensive Coordinator in variousduties: organizing and implement-ing the offense; evaluating playerstrengths and weakness, and needsof the offense; in coaching thequarterbacks in the classroom andon the field; practice plan andgame plan development andcoordination of all scouting effortson opponents as well as qualitycontrol for the offense. In 1998, Diaz was promoted toTight Ends Coach for USF, and alsoserved as the Special Team Coordi-nator and Recruiting Coordinator(1998-2000). In 1998, the Golden Bulls puntreturn unit led the nation in totalreturn yards (30 yards per return);seventh (7th) in the nation in netpunting, by limiting opponents to2.1 yards per return. For the 1999 season, his punt unitfinished eighth (8th) in the nation

in net punting and his kick return unitfinished ranked 12th in the nation(22.3 yard per return). In August of 2000, Diaz venturednorth to Columbia University (2000)in New York, N. Y., to serve as theirRunning Back Coach. At Columbia, Diaz coachedJohnathan Reese, the school’s first1,000 yard rusher, who was a unani-mous selection for All-Ivy leaguehonors and led the conference inrushing (1,330 yards) in 2000. Reese also finished the seasonsecond in Division I-AA in all-purposeyards, sixth in the nation in scoring,with 19 touchdowns, and was a secondteam selection to the 2000 EasternCollege Athletic Conference All-StarTeam. After a one-year stint in at Columbia,Diaz became the Running Backs Coachat Florida International University(2001-03) in Miami, Fla. Under Diaz’s tutelage, the FIU

running backs amassed 1,621 netyards on 292 carries to average 5.6yards per carry in 2001. Also Diaz coached Rashod Smith, aFirst Team Division I-AA All-Inde-pendent Team at running back andwho was named twice the Division I-AA Independent Offensive Player ofthe Week. Smith finished the 2001 seasonwith 785 yards on 131 carries in nine(9) games. In the summer of 2003, Diaz did abrief stint with the New York Jetsduring their training camp, workingwith the offensive staff in all phasesof preparation for the season;assisted the Running Backs Coach incoaching tasks and responsibilitiesand also assisted the staff in weeklypreparation for preseason contests. In the fall of 2003 Diaz, became thewide receivers coach at ChristopherColumbus Catholic High School(2003-2004) in Miami, Fla., whileserving as a substitute teacher. Diaz returned to the collegiateranks in the Fall of 2004 as theRunning Backs Coach and SpecialTeams Consultant at WidenerUniversity (2004-05) in Chester, Pa. That season, the Pioneers finishedthe season ranked 11th in the nationin Division III in kick returns (23.3yards per return). Diaz graduated from South Florida(1983) with a Bachelors in Geology. He is also a 2005 graduate of theNCAA Advanced Coaches Academy.





William “Tim” OrrDefensive Line Coach • Defensive Ends

3rd Year • East Carolina ‘88

Tim Orr is a young, energeticcoach who will serve his thirdseason as the Rattlers’ Defen-sive Line Coach in 2006. His charges will be talentedand armed with rugged experi-ence from the past two seasonsand will be looking forward tohis leadership to lead them todominance. Orr began his coaching careerat Bethel High School (1990) inHampton, Va., as their defen-sive line coach. He then took aone year hiatus from coachingand served as the Director ofMarketing and Public Relationsof the Southern IntercollegiateAthletic Conference (1991) inAtlanta. Orr returned to the coachingranks in 1992 as the outsidelinebacker coach at Idaho StateUniversity (1992-94) inPocatello, Idaho, where heproduced several All-Big Skyperformers. After his stint at Idaho State,Orr ventured to Austin PeayState University (1994) inClarksville, Tenn., where heserved as the defensive linecoach for one season. For the 1994 season, APSUwent from the worst to the bestdefense in the Ohio ValleyConference. They finished the seasonranked first in rushing defense(126.7 yards per game) andranked second in the confer-ence in total defense (237 yardsper game). The Governors alsofinished 19th in the nation in

total defense in Division I-AA. The following season, Orrbecame the defensive coordinator/ defensive line coach atMorehouse College (1995) inAtlanta, Ga. The next season Orrmoved on to Elizabeth City StateUniversity (1996-00) to becomethe Vikings’ defensive coordina-tor / defensive line coach / line-backers coach. In 2000, the Vikings’ defensefinished the season ranked 10thin total defense in Division II andproduced the 2000 CentralIntercollegiate AthleticAssociation’s Defensive Player ofthe Year. Orr returned to the high Schoolranks in 2002, at Heritage HighSchool in Newport News, Va.,(2002-04) to served as the assis-tant head coach and defensivecoordinator. In addition, to hiscoaching duties, Orr taughtTechnology Education. In the fall of the 2004, Orrbecame the defensive line coach

at Delaware State (2004). The Hornets increased theirsack totals by 20 percent andimproved their run defense by 10percent. Also, the Hornets wentfrom a last place finishin the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in2003 to a third place finish in2004. He coached first team all-conference defensive linemanBrent Davis, the school’s firstdefensive lineman to receive thathonor since 1990. Also, he servedas the Advisor for the Hornet’sFellowship of Christian Athletesand initiated an Academic En-hancement Program, in which 17players finished the 2004 springsemester with a 3.0 GPA. Orr is a member of the Ameri-can Football Coaches Association,the Fellowship of ChristianAthletes; was a member of theDeacon Board of the GalatiaMissionary Baptist Church,Omega Psi Fraternity, Inc., and amember of the Prince Hall Ma-sons. He was named the 2002Galatia Missionary BaptistChurch Man of the Year, andrecipient of the 2001 MartinLuther King Community ServiceAward Orr graduated from East Caro-lina State University (1988) witha Bachelor degree in IndustrialTechnology and holds a Mastersin Sports Management from theUnited States Sports Academy(1993). He and his wife Pamela havetwo children Nyla (5) andDeVaughn (5).





Offensive Line Coach3rd Year •Savannah State ‘96

Kevin Thompson is

entering his third sea-

son as the Rattlers Of-

fensive Line Coach,

bringing an impressive

resume to the FAMU

Staff.

Thompson began his

coaching career at his

alma mater Savannah

(Ga.) State (1995-97) as

their Offensive Line

Coach.

After a two-year stint

at Savannah State, Th-

ompson became the

Offensive Line/Strength

and Conditioning Coach

at Johnson C. Smith

(1997-2003) in Char-

lotte, N.C.

Under Thompson’s

guidance, the Bulls’

offensive line were the

key factor in the 2001

season, during which

the Bulls finished fourth

in the Central Intercol-

legiate Athletic Associa-

tion in rushing offense

(1,352 total rushing

yards) and produced the

2001 CIAA Offensive

Player of the Year.

In 2002, the Bulls fin-

ished second in the con-

ference in passing offense

(1,976 yards).

In the fall of 2003, Th-

ompson became the As-

sistant Head Football

Coach/Offensive Coordi-

nator at Livingstone Col-

lege (2003-2005) in

Salisbury, N.C.

Thompson’s offensive

line surrendered only 10

sacks and produced the

conference’s all-purpose

yards leader, during the

2004 season.

In 2006, despite com-

ing on board in August,

Thompson marshalled

his offensive line

charges to help halfback

Rashard Pompey rush

for over 1,000 yards.

Last season, left tackle

Dan Parrish earned

first-team All-MEAC

honors and signed as a

free agent with the

Jacksonville Jaguars.

Thompson holds a

bachelors degree in

Criminal Justice from

Savannah State (1996).

He won the Strongest

Man contest in Savan-

nah, Ga., in 1993 and

earned second team

All-SIAC Honors at

offensive lineman in

1994.

He was also named

Southern Intercolle-

giate Athletic Confer-

ence Honorable Men-

tion as an offensive

lineman in 1992.

Kevin Thompson



Marcus HooverInterior Defensive Line Coach

2nd Year • Stanford ‘02

Interior Defensive Line Coach

Marcus Hoover, begins his sec-

ond season at FAMU, working

with a young, but talented cadre

of players.

Last season under Hoover’s

leadership, freshmen like

Cameron Houston and

Demetrius Lane headed the list

of Rattler performers whose

stock rose as the 2006 cam-

paign wore on.

Hoover was a three-year

starter for Stanford (1998-

2001). He served as the team’s

captain in 2001 and was the

PAC-10 Player of the Week in

October in 2001. Hoover a re-

ceived his degree in sociology

from Stanford University in

2002.

Hoover begin his coaching ca-

reer at Springfield High School

in Oreland, Pa., as their offensive and defensive line coach for the 2003 season. He also served at the Mid-

States Sports Complex in Mechanicsburg, Pa.



Receivers’ Coach2nd Year • Howard ‘94

Gary Harrell

Gary Harrell, begins his second year asreceivers’ coach at FAMU in 2007. His tutoring was responsible for the siz-zling performances from the FAMU re-ceivers, including All-MEAC selecteeRoosevelt Kiser and second-team pickWillie Hayward, a preseason All-MEACchoice for 2007. Harrell was a four-year letter winner asa wide receiver and punt return special-ist (1990-93) at Howard University,where he is ranked in the top five for re-ceiving and punt returns. He currentlyholds the school record for most recep-tions in a game (13) and in a career (84).As a member of the Howard’s 1993 BlackCollege National Championship team,Harrell reaped first team All-Mid East-ern Athletic Conference honors. The former Howard University starplayed two seasons for the NFL’s NewYork Giants (1994-95); a season for theWorld League’s the Frankfort Galaxy

(1996) and two seasons in the Canadian Football league with the Montreal Alouettes (1996-’97). He began his coaching career at Howard University (2002-04), as their wide receiver coach. After two seasons at Howard , Harrellbecame the wide receiver’s coach at Texas Southern (2004-06), until accepting the position as wide receiver’s coach at Florida A&M. Harrell graduated from Howard in 1994 with a degree in Marketing. On November 4, 2005, Harrell was inducted into the HowardUniversity’s Hall of Fame and received a Proclamation from the City of Miami declaring it Gary “Flea” Harrell Day. Harrell attended a Miami Northwestern High School (1986-90), where he finished No.1 in receiving in 1990.





Akima Dina Akima Abrakata Dina

begins her 13th year as Head

Athletic Trainer at Florida

A&M, serving as the pri-

mary coordinator of

FAMU’s Sports Medicine

services for all 18 sports.

She has been an integral

part of the school’s Sports

Medicine program since

1988, serving in virtually

every capacity from gradu-

ate assistant to head trainer.

A native of Nigeria,

Abrakata Dina was a former

track All-American at Lin-

coln (Mo.) University in

both 1981 and 1982, per-

forming in the javelin and

high jump. She graduated

from Lincoln with a B.S. in

Health and Physical Educa-

tion in 1985.

She obtained a master’s

in Sports Medicine, from the

United States Sports Acad-

emy in Mobile, Alabama and

received her formal certifi-

cation as an athletic trainer

by the National Athletic

Trainers’ Association

(NATA) in November 1993.

The personable Abrakata

Dina began her sports medi-

cine career at the University

of South Alabama as a

graduate assistant trainer

(1987-88), before coming

to Florida A&M in the fall

of 1988 to fill a similar role

for one year.

She was then elevated to

Assistant Athletic Trainer

in August of 1989.

Prior to her permanent

promotion to Head Ath-

letic Trainer in 1994, she

had twice served as the in-

terim head athletic trainer

in the 1989-90 school year

and again in the winter and

spring of 1993-94.

KYLEGAINES

AssistantAthleticTrainer

Head Athletic Trainer • Coordinator of Sports Medicine



Athletic Physical Therapist

Dr. Arnold Bell has beenone of the most valuablesupport personnel in FAMUAthletics for over twodecades, beginning his workwith athletics in 1981. Bell is a highly decoratedpractitioner of the theraputicarts with a wide range ofexperience in the field. Aquite personable gentleman,Bell worked the CentennialOlympic Games in 1996 inAtlanta, as head trainer forthe rifle competition. In 2004, Bell was honoredby induction into the FAMUSports Hall of Fame. A licensed physicaltherapist and certifiedathletic trainer, Bell is atenured professor of Physical

Therapy in the FAMU Schoolof Allied Health Science. In1989, he was accorded a Doctorof Philosophy from FloridaState University. Bell, who has served as headtrainer for FAMU, is arehabilitation consultant,

coordinating rehab regimensfor student-athletes, servingthe entire athletic program. A native of New York, Bellearned his bachelor’s degreefrom Springfield (Mass.)College, obtaining aProfessional Certificate inPhysical Therapy from NewYork University and amaster’s from ColumbiaUniversity of New York. Bell has had a lengthyinvolvement with the UnitedStates Olympic Committee,serving at the TrainingCenter in Colorado Springs.He is also a Board CertifiedClinical Specialist in SportsPhysical Therapy, by theAmerican Board of PhysicalTherapy Specialists.

Florida A&M headtrainer AkimaDina (center) andDr. GarrisonRolle, Team Or-thopedic Surgeon(right) andEusebius Jinks(left), tend to aninjured playerduring a nightgame in Bragg.

FLORIDA A&M’s SPORTSMEDICINE TEAM AT WORK

Arnold Bell



Travis BlueAthletic Equipment Manager

Travis Blue is in his fifth

year as head football equip-

ment manager at Florida

A&M.

This year however, Blue

will continue in the addi-

tional role of as equipment

chief for FAMU’s other 17

sports.

In 2003, Blue had the

unenviable task of stepping

into the enormous shoes of

the legendary George “The

Godfather” Thompson, who

retired after 54 years in

2002.

Blue will be responsible for

the outfitting all of the

Rattler sports teams, as well as

overseeing the upkeep of all

athletic equipment.

A native of Callahan, Florida,

the personable and highly

resourceful Blue, spent six

years as Assistant Equipment

Manager for the football

program, working with

Thompson.

A highly motivated profes-

sional, who deveised new

and sometimes innovative

approaches for his work,

Blue is a 2001 graduate of

FAMU.

He holds a Masters degree

with honors in Applied Social

Science from FAMU (2003)

and is presently pursuing a

doctorate in Education

Leadership.

TravisBlue (farright)with brotherTyrone Blue(far left), theRev. Dr.EdwardScott, TeamDentist(2nd fromleft) and astudent assis-tant on thesidelines priorto a recentgame.


T H E C O A C H I N G S T A F FF A M U A T H L E T I C S

Nelson TownsendDIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS

Florida A&M’s quest for a man ofvision, experience and consensus-building to lead its’ storied athleticprogram ended when veteranadministrator Nelson E.Townsend, was presented as theschool’s Director of Athleticsduring a news conference at theGalimore-Powell Fieldhouse onDecember 20, 2005. “ Mr. Townsend brings the depthand quality of leadership experi-ence which will be critical tomoving our athletic programforward in the coming years,”FAMU President Castell Bryantsaid. “His familiarity with our programand our conference, not to mentionhis extensive work on all levels ofsports administration will serve uswell, as we seek to elevate FAMUAthletics to higher levels of com-petitive excellence,” Bryant con-cluded. Townsend brings over 30 years ofexperience as a director of athleticsand as an administrator in educa-tion at both the collegiate andsecondary levels to Florida A&M,where he previously served asDirector of Athletics from 1986 to1987. His overall administrativeexperience spans athletics, studentaffairs, educational supportservices and secondary education. “I am looking forward to thisopportunity to lead a program likeFlorida A&M Athletics with its’tradition of competitive successand national acclaim,” Townsendsaid during the news conference. “Our charge will be to build aconsensus among all aspects of theFlorida A&M family and marshallall the resources necessary to moveAthletics forward,” Townsendadded.

Already during his second tour,Athletics at FAMU has witnessedseveral milestones: •A dramatic improvement in thedepartment’s Academic ProgressRate (APR) in the past two years,with all 18 sports in full NCAACompliance academically. •Facility improvements includingair-conditioning of Gaither Gymna-sium and weight room expansion ofthe Galimore-Powell FootballFieldhouse.•The creation of a fund-raisinginitiative - the Rattler Sports Fund -which will generate financial dona-tions toward scholarships and facilityimprovements. Townsend comes to Florida A&Mfrom the University of MarylandEastern Shore, where he had beenserving as Director of Athletics sinceJanuary of 2003. He previously served as Director ofAthletics at UMES from 1976 to 1979. Prior to returning to UMES asDirector of Athletics, Townsendworked as Director of CollaborativePrograms between Salisbury (Md.)University and UMES, from 2000until January of 2003. For 12 years, Townsend served asDirector of Athletics at the Universityof Buffalo (1987-98), spending thetwo years after that as Associate VicePresident for Student Affairs (1998-99). At Buffalo, Townsend worked tomove that athletic program fromNCAA Division III to Division I inthree-and-a-half years. While at Delaware State University,he engineered the move of theschool’s athletic program from NCAADivision II to Division I. Townsend has been a leader in thesports and education administrationat the state, national and interna-tional levels. He held significant

leadership roles in intercollegiateathletics, international sports andeven at the level of Olympicadministration. While at the University ofBuffalo, Townsend served aschairman of the NCAA OlympicLiaison Committee. In that role,he was named as an active mem-ber of the United States OlympicCommittee. From 1991-93, Townsendtraveled extensively to such placesas Germany, Canada, Bulgaria,France, England, and Spain inpreparation to host the WorldUniversity Games in Buffalo in1993, The Games, using the Univer-sity as the major site, marked theonly time that this event has beenhosted in the United States. TheWorld University Games areconsidered the largest interna-tional sports event other than theSummer Olympics. For his effortand leadership in those games,Townsend was the recipient of“The Buffalo Achievement Award”in 1993. Townsend is a native ofHorntown, Virginia, where hisparents, Mr. and Mrs. Elijah B.Townsend still reside. He and his wife Diane have fouradult children, Tracy Lynn, Marc,Eugene and Eboni, and twograndsons.


T H E C O A C H I N G S T A F FT H E U N I V E R S I T Y

Athletic Support Staff • Head Coaches

Regina BattleTicket SalesManager

Coretta EllisonSr. AdministrativeAssistant to AD

Marlynn JonesAssociate AD/SWA

Akima DinaHead AthleticTrainer

Jeanese FrisonAcademicAdvisor

Kyle GainesAssistantAthletic Trainer

Travis GreenAcademicAdvisor

D’Wayne RobinsonAssociate AD/Academics

Dwanna JamesAcademicAdvisor

Clyde AldermanAssistant AD/Athletic Operations

Joseph DurantAssistant AD/Game Operations

Lisa LunaBasketballOffice Mgr.

Pat McCleesAdmin. Assist.Academic Office

Mickey ClaytonExec. DirectorRattler Boosters

Willie PettigrewTransportationSpecialist

William RavenellFaculty AthleticRepresentative

Faydre Hawkins-BrownCompliance Assistant

Robin WallaceAthletic OfficeManager

Erica WilcoxAthletic BusinessManager

Shelia MartinAthletic OfficeStaff

Joyce ThomasAcademicAdvisor

Angela BlackBusiness OfficeStaff/Purchasing

Nikki GoldthreateWomen’s TennisCoach

Robert LucasBaseballCoach

Mike GillespieMen’s BasketballCoach

Debra ClarkWomen’sBasketball

Rey RobinsonMen’s Trackand Field Coach

Tony TrifonovVolleyballCoach

Veronica WigginsSoftball Coach

Rubin CarterFootballCoach

Novella FranklinWomen’s BowlingCoach

Maicel MaloneWomen’s TrackCoach

Clayton SmithAssistant AD/Development

Travis BlueAthleticEquipment Mgr.

Robert RainesSenior AssociateAthletic Director


T H E C O A C H I N G S T A F FN O T E S F O R S U P P O R T E R S

The Florida A&M UniversityAthletic Department is commit-ted to operating its athletics programaccording to the rules and spirit ofboth the NCAA and the Mid-EasternAthletic Conference.

As a member institution FloridaA&M is subject to rules and regula-tions designated by these bodies and itis responsible for ensuring all repre-sentatives of the University includingfaculty, staff, alumni, students-athletesand friends, abide by these rules.

A Florida A&M “representa-tive of athletic interest” [abooster] is anyone who:

•Is or has been a member of a RattlerAthletic booster organization, such asThe FAMU Boosters, Inc., The RattlerClub, The Rattler Diamond Club orRattler Boosters;

•Has made a financial contribution tothe Florida A&M athletics departmentor a booster club;

•Is or has been a season ticket holderin any sports;

•Has provided or arranged employ-ment for enrolled or prospectivestudent-athletes;

•Has contacted a prospective student-athletes to encourage his or herparticipation in any of Florida A&M’sathletic program.

•PLEASE NOTE: The NCAAprohibits such contact. Boostersmay not solicit the enrollmentof prospective student-athletesin any manner.Only NCAA-certified coachesmay recruit prospective student-athletes.

•Has provided benefits to an enrolledor prospective student-athletes or thestudent-athletes relatives or friends

•PLEASE NOTE: It is imper-missible to provide extra benefitsto student-athletes or recruitinginducements to prospectivestudent-athletes.

Doing so mayrender a student-athlete ineli-gible.

Once a Booster....Once a person is identified as a booster,that person retains that identityindefinitely.

A Prospective Student-Athleteis...•Any Student who has started ninthgrade classes.

•Additionally, a student who has notstarted ninth grade classes becomes aprospective student-athlete, if FloridaA&M provides thestudent, or the student’s relatives orfriends, any financial assistance orbenefits that it does not provide toprospective students generally.

•Boosters may not have contact withprospective student-athletes. A contactis:

•Any face-to-face encounters between aprospect or a the prospect’s parents,relatives or legal guardian(s), and abooster duringwhich any dialogue beyond a simplegreeting occurs.

•There are several permissible contacts,including:

•A luncheon or dinner sponsored by analumni group where prospectivestudents ( athletes and non-athletes) ofthat immediatelocal are invited;

•Phone conversations, initiated by theprospect, providing norecruiting conversations occur; and

•Viewing a prospect’s athletic contestson one’s own initiative, provided therein no contact with prospect.

As a booster, you may not provide extrabenefits to current student-athletesor recruiting inducements to prospectivestudent-athletes.

Example of impermissible benefits andinducements include:

•Cash or loans of money;

•Signing or cosigning a loan;

•Any tangible gifts, including holidayor birthday gifts;

•Free or discounted meals, good (e.g.clothing) or service (e.g. dry cleaning,haircuts, cell phones, long distancecalls);

•Free or discounted entertainment(e.g., movie tickets, professionalsports tickets);

•Assistance in paying bills (e.g., utilitybills, rentpayment, telephone or cell phonebills);

•Transportation or the use of anautomobile;

•Hospitality in your home, other thanfor an occasional home (e.g., birth-day, holiday).

The Compliance Office must approveall occasional home meals in ad-vance.

•Arranging employment for aprospective or current student-athlete’s relative or friends;

•Any other special arrangement by abooster to provide a benefit notexpressly authorized by the NCAA.

The above information provided abrief overview of booster and theirinteraction with current and prospec-tive student-athletes. It is not anexhaustive discussion. If you haveany questions about this overview orany NCAA rules, please feel free tocontact:

Robert RainesSr. Associate Athletic DirectorNCAA Compliance1835 Wahnish WayFlorida A&M UniversityTallahassee, FL 32307(850) 599-3868

NCAA Compliance Guidelines

Documents

SECTION 3 COACHES AND ADMINISTRATION - … · SECTION 3 COACHES AND ADMINISTRATION. ... Carter’s Coaching Resume.... Carter, 54, ... (18) and Joshua (17). Andre attended the University