Rattlers Hope New Coach Taylor Brings Bite

Florida A&M is relying on new Rattlers to bring some old magic back to its program. Highly successful head coach Joe Taylor will try to put his winning stamp on a Rattlers team that hasn’t tasted much success lately. Taylor, who will get a chance for his 200th career victory in his first year with FAMU, will try to steer the Rattlers back into the postseason for the first time since 2001. Expectations of winning at FAMU are always high, and Taylor and his staff are embracing the challenge.

“If you take the reins of a stallion, you have an opportunity to ride a stallion, you want to ride it well,” said associate head coach George Small. “You want to showcase it well.” It won’t be an easy task. The Rattlers are coming off a 2007 campaign in which they went 3-8 and finished eighth in the MEAC standings under former head coach Rubin Carter.

Offensively, the Rattlers will be an experienced group. Eight starters are returning, including 2007 MEAC rookie of the year Philip Sylvester.

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Small, three other Rattlers to be honored at awards banquet

The 2003 football season had come to this: two friends and veteran football coaches clashing in a game that would decide the MEAC championship. On the home sideline stood George Small and his North Carolina A&T Aggies. Joe Taylor had his slightly favored Hampton Pirates ready on the opposing side.

The Aggies scored first, twice in the opening quarter for a one-touchdown lead. The lead swelled to 17 points, then Hampton punched back twice. Just a field goal separated them at halftime. Small went into his playbook and found just the right schemes to win and secure the sixth league title for the Aggies.

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