Florida A&M football players send letter to university after 26 players ruled ineligible against North Carolina
After playing in North Carolina without 26 players on the roster, the Florida A&M football team wrote a scathing letter to university president Dr. Larry Robinson. The letter, signed by 88 players and obtained by Alison Posey of WTXL ABC 27presents a list of problems the team wants to solve.
The letter is addressed directly to Dr. Robinson and outlines several main issues the team has with the university. They range from timely financial aid payments, academic support and compliance, summer school accommodation and meals, representation on the Athletic Director Search Committee, and awarding tickets to families. players.
Due to what the team says is poor academic advice and poor compliance, FAMU declared 26 players ineligible for its game against North Carolina. The Rattlers fought hard before the Tar Heels retired late to win, 56-24. The team said seeing ineligible players maligned during the encounter was “damaging” for the dressing room.
“It has been very damaging to the morale of our football team to read on various media, ’26 FAMU Football Players Ruled Ineligible’,” the players wrote. “This narrative implies that we are not playing in the classroom. In fact, that couldn’t be further from the truth. The problem to be solved is not academic performance, but procedural issues within the office. from the Registrar, the Compliance Department and the Academic Council.”
Despite the number of players lost, the team opted to play against North Carolina. However, the Rattlers said they did it for everyone who supported them, not the university. The players also knelt for the alma mater after the game, and they intend to do so until the issues described in the letter are resolved.
“On Friday, after many exchanges within our team, we decided to play at UNC,” the players wrote. “We decided that we would not play for this institution, but for our families, our teammates, our classmates, our rabid fan base and our coaches who had groomed and loved us. We played our guts, and in the process, two of our teammates suffered season-ending injuries. After the game, we decided to protest the Marching 100 play of the Florida Song and FAMU alma mater by kneeling during both songs. We will continue to do so until meaningful changes facilitate a positive experience for student-athletes. either of this university.”
Florida A&M will now turn its attention to its game against Jackson State, which begins at 3:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 4.
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