September 28, 2004

Fla. A&M Prez fired over I-A delay

The Board of Trustees of Florida A&M University fired President Fred Gainous. His decision to delay the school's move to Division I-A in football appears to have been the primary cause for the decision.

Several players who transferred to FAMU prior to the 2003 season were left in limbo when the school announced the Rattlers would begin I-A play in 2004 (NCAA rules require a transition year in which a team remains I-AA while following I-A rules.)

Former Clemson quarterback Willie Simmons was one of the players affected after he lost the starting job to Charlie Whitehurst. Simmons transferred to Florida A&M for his final year of eligibility and then found he couldn't play for the Rattlers in 2003 after their decision to move up to I-A because of rules regarding transfers within I-A. Simmons eventually got a waiver from the NCAA and transferred again to play his final year at the Citadel in 2003.

Gainous pushed through a delay of two years for I-A entry earlier this year and that, along with some bookkeeping problems, motivated a majority of board members to oust him. Florida Gov. Jeb Bush supported the decision to fire him.

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