FAMU football’s QBs, defensive end James Gardner Jr. highlighted in depth chart movement

Competition is warming up at Florida A&M football’s 2025 training camp.

Last weekend, on Saturday, Aug. 9, the Rattlers held their first preseason scrimmage on Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium, which was closed to the media and public.

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It was an opportunity for Rattlers players to make their mark in a game-like setting and vie for some spots in the starting lineup before FAMU head football coach James Colzie III and his staff.

“Guys are making plays, doing what we ask them, and flying around,” Colzie said. “But when you do have depth chart changes, the mindset does have to adjust a little bit for some of the guys.”

FAMU football began its second full week of practices on Tuesday, Aug. 12, with 18 days to spare before its season opener versus the Howard Bison on Aug. 30’s Orange Blossom Classic at Miami Gardens’ Hard Rock Stadium.

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Here are two position battles, one on offense and one on defense, that are catching steam at FAMU football’s training camp ahead of the 2025 season.

FAMU football QBs RJ Johnson, Jett Peddy set themselves apart ― starting job still ‘wide open’

The Rattlers’ quarterback battle is far from settled.

FAMU entered training camp with five quarterbacks: Traven Green, Tyler Jefferson, RJ Johnson III, Jett Peddy, and Bryson Martin.

Colzie said Johnson and Peddy impressed at last Saturday’s scrimmage.

Both are transfers, with Johnson being a redshirt sophomore out of Toledo and Peddy, a junior from Long Beach City College.

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“RJ and Peddy kind of moved themselves a little up,” FAMU’s second-year head coach said.

Whoever wins the Rattlers’ starting quarterback job will follow behind two former FAMU signal callers who were HBCU All-Americans and Southwestern Athletic Conference individual award honorees, Jeremy Moussa and Daniel Richardson.

Those are big shoes to fill.

So, Colzie isn’t rushing to decide as he plans to get Johnson and Peddy more snaps with the season two and a half weeks away.

“It’s still wide open,” Colzie added about FAMU’s ongoing quarterback competition.

“But based on what happened Saturday, RJ and Jett moved up a little bit. And so that means when you move up, you do get some reps.”

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FAMU football’s James Gardner Jr. holding on starting spot in rotation of edge rushers

Everyone wants to join FAMU’s ‘Dark Cloud Defense’ resurgence.

The Rattlers’ plan to dominate opponents at the line of scrimmage was something they struggled with last season. It was a factor in the defense to plummet in the Football Championship Subdivision’s nationwide statistics after impressive finishes in previous seasons.

Entering 2025, FAMU has a Preseason HBCU All-American and All-SWAC First Team defensive end, Davion Westmoreland.

But who will man the other edge?

James Gardner Jr., a returning starter and Preseason All-SWAC Second Team selection, has moved ahead of Antonio Camon on the depth chart at the defensive end spot.

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“Defensively, we play so many people. But James Gardner has done a really good job at moving himself as a defensive end,” Colzie said.

In 2024, Gardner, now a graduate student, finished the season with 36 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks.

Camon, a redshirt sophomore, didn’t see much playing time last season, recording one tackle in two appearances. However, he’s played well at training camp, Colzie said, and is expected to be one of FAMU’s top defensive players in 2025.

So, Gardner moving up isn’t an indictment against Camon’s performance.

“When that happens, you have a guy like Antonio Camon, who’s also been having a great summer, has to move down,” Colzie explained the decision. “So, it’s more of what James Gardner was doing and not what Antonio Camon wasn’t doing.”

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Florida A&M Football 2025 Schedule

• Week 1: Saturday, Aug. 30 ― vs. Howard (Orange Blossom Classic at Miami Gardens’ Hard Rock Stadium), 4 p.m., ESPNU

• Week 2: Saturday, Sept. 6 ― at Florida Atlantic, 6 p.m., ESPN Plus

• Week 3: Saturday, Sept. 13 ― vs. Albany State, 7 p.m., SWAC TV

• Week 5: Saturday, Sept. 27 ― vs. Alabama State (SWAC), 3 p.m., HBCU GO

• Week 6: Saturday, Oct. 4 ― vs. Mississippi Valley State (SWAC/at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium), 4 p.m., SWAC TV

• Week 7: Saturday, Oct. 11 ― vs. North Carolina Central, 3 p.m., HBCU GO

• Week 8: Saturday, Oct. 18 ― vs. Alcorn State (SWAC/Homecoming), 4 p.m., ESPN Plus

• Week 9: Saturday, Oct. 25 ― at Southern (SWAC), 5 p.m., SWAC TV

• Week 10: Saturday, Nov. 1 ― vs. Jackson State (SWAC), 7 p.m., ESPN Network

• Week 11: Saturday, Nov. 8 ― at Arkansas-Pine Bluff (SWAC), 3 p.m., HBCU GO

• Week 12: Saturday, Nov. 15 ― at Alabama A&M (SWAC), 3 p.m., SWAC TV

• Week 13: Saturday, Nov. 22 ― vs. Bethune-Cookman (SWAC/Florida Classic at Orlando’s Camping World Stadium), TIME TBA, ESPN Plus

• Saturday, Nov. 29 ― NCAA FCS Playoffs Begin (If Necessary)

• Saturday, Dec. 6 ― SWAC Championship Game (If Necessary)

• Saturday, Dec. 13 ― Celebration Bowl at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium (If Necessary)

• Monday, Jan. 5, 2026 ― NCAA FCS National Championship Game at Nashville’s FirstBank Stadium (If Necessary)

All times listed are in Eastern Standard Time.

Gerald Thomas, III is a multi-time award-winning journalist for his coverage of the Florida A&M Rattlers at the Tallahassee Democrat.

Follow his award-winning coverage on RattlerNews.com and contact him via email at GDThomas@Tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU football depth chart: QB and DE battle heating up at training camp