Patrick Crarey planned to bring a Southwestern Athletic Conference championship to Florida A&M men’s basketball team when he took over the program ahead of the 2024-25 season. Despite falling short of his goal in his lone season with the Rattlers, Crarey led the Rattlers to a 13-16 record, notching 10 SWAC victories this season — compared to seven in the 2023-24 campaign — on a one-year, $150,000 contract that he signed in August at the Florida-based HBCU.
As Crarey prepares to lead Grambling State men’s basketball program following a two-month contract disagreement with FAMU, he penned a passionate note to the Rattlers’ fanbase on Monday, detailing his gratitude and his disappointment for leaving the university.
“It’s been an honor to coach at Florida A&M University this past season,” Crarey wrote in a letter on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Under unprecedented circumstances we had one of the best seasons in recent school history. …This move will hurt me and will for years to come. Upon signing last season it was my sole focus to bring a championship to FAMU.
… We were bringing in one of the top recruiting classes in the SWAC and I felt next season we would be a premier low major in the country. We were building the right way. …NO MATTER the obstacles I was dedicated to overcoming the odds for you. …Rattler Nation, I truly gave you EVERYTHING I had to give. … It was NEVER my intention for this to be a one year stop.”
Before Crarey departed for Grambling, FAMU previously offered him a two-year contract extension worth $330,000, a deal that he eventually agreed to. Even more, the Tallahassee Democrat reported that FAMU sought to provide a “counteroffer” to retain Crarey. However, Crarey said the Rattlers’ proposed new deal came in the “midnight hour of decision making time”, per the Democrat.
By that time, after the contract dispute and Crarey leaning into GSU’s consistent pursuit of him, he made a difficult yet necessary decision to go west and start a new chapter.
“… I thought this would be home for years to come, but God had other plans,” the letter read. “This year was very trying on me and my family mentally, physically and emotionally all I ever wanted to do was make you proud. … Maya Angelou said, “People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.” It is my hope that you felt the love and pride I have for you, thank you for the memories.”
Prior to Crarey’s one-year stint at FAMU, he spent 10 seasons at Washington Adventist University before starting his coaching journey at St. Thomas University in the 2021-22 season. In three seasons at STU, Crarey won a national championship in 2014, earned two Coach of the Year honors, generated four All-Sun Conference players while also leading the program to a regular season title and a second round appearance in the NAIA Tournament.