Sixteen days after Willie Simmons announced he was leaving FAMU, the defending SWAC and HBCU national champion isn’t any closer to having a new head coach.
FAMU VP of Intercollegiate Athletics Tiffani-Dawn Sykes told members of the FAMU Board of Trustees on Tuesday that she recommended that the university hire a search firm to find its next head coach. This comes hours after her recommended candidate, Shawn Gibbs, re-upped with Fort Valley State University.
Sykes apologized for the communication break down on her end previously in regards to the coaching search. She also stated that, moving forward, she would like for the BOT to work with her and President Dr. Larry Robinson in finding FAMU’s next head coach. She stated she hoped to have a new head coach before signing day.
The nearly two-hour long meeting resulted in the following motion from the board of trustees.
“To ask the President to establish the search committee working with AD Sykes and the search firm with representation from the the Presidents of the National Alumni Association, Rattler F Club, 220 Club, Boosters, Foundation, and a delegate of the SGA.”
FAMU is looking to replace Willie Simmons after he took the job as Duke University running backs coach job on January 1. He led FAMU to a 12-1 record last season, his fifth and final at the helm as head coach.