Questions still remain about Billy Joe's future
By Heath A. Smith
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
ORLANDO - Florida A&M head coach Billy Joe said nothing after the Rattlers' 39-35 loss to Bethune-Cookman Saturday to fan the flames over the rumors that he may have coached his last game for FAMU.
"My future with this team hasn't changed," said Joe, the second winningest coach in black college football history. "I'm the head football coach. I'm going to work Monday and begin planning for our recruiting trips around the state and around the country."
Rumors about Joe's future with FAMU began to surface about the same time the school put in its application to move its football to Division I-A.
The rumors began to grow when Joe made statements earlier this season that while the football team was classified as Division I-A on paper, it would not be on the field until additional coaches and scholarships as well as an increased recruiting budget and improved facilities were made available to him.
Joe insisted Saturday that he fully intends to see those things occur before next season, although FAMU interim athletic director J.R.E. Lee said in an exclusive interview with the Tallahassee Democrat on Saturday that he did not have a specific date as to when those things would be provided to the football program.
Lee also didn't give any guarantees that Joe would be back next season, although he did say Joe would be evaluated as Joe confirmed Saturday.
"We look at every season on its merit and that's what we'll do after this season," Lee said. "Nothing has changed there as it is with all our coaches. His situation is no different than anyone else."
Players admitted earlier this week that Joe's future with the team was a topic of discussion heading into Saturday's game.
"We know we're going Division I-A and we know there're going to be changes," said defensive tackle Steve St. Felix. "But as far as coach Billy Joe's status, we hope things remain the same. He's a great coach. Plus it would be great to see another black coach in Division I-A.
"We don't know for certain, but we want things to remain the same. It's been on our minds, whether this is going to be coach's last game. We hope and pray that he reminds our coach and we don't see why he wouldn't be."
Quarterback Ben Dougherty said replacing Joe would be "asinine."
"I'm 100 percent certain I'm going to be back next year at this particular time and moment," Joe said. "But of course my future is not in my control. Since I can't control it, I'm not going to concern myself with it."
(as if our program really needed that)
