Meet Daniel Richardson: Florida A&M Football's New Game-Changer?

Exactly who is Florida A&M new QB1?

Daniel Richardson / Credit: FAMU Athletics

HOUSTON — On Monday, Florida A&M head football coach James Colzie III named Daniels Richardson the team's new starting quarterback. The FAU graduate transfer edged out Junior Maratovic, who returned to the program to become the next Rattlers signal-caller, filling the vacancy left by Jeremy Moussa. Richardson emerged victorious during a contentious offseason battle to lead the reigning HBCU Division I National Champions.

Who is the newly installed starting quarterback of the Florida A&M Rattlers? Also, what challenges will he face this season after arriving on the highest of the seven hills?

The Rattlers are Richardson's third collegiate team. He'll maneuver through the same transitionary elements as he did coming from Central Michigan to Florida Atlantic.

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In an analysis of Richardson's highlights, his talent as a passer will adequately complement the Rattler's pro-style offensive strategy. Three components of his passing game stood out on tape:

1. He's poised in the pocket.

2. Richardson possesses a great touch on screens and intermediate passes.

3. He has a mature awareness of ball placement to his receivers.

What has impacted Richardson's past tenures with Central Michigan and FAU, and how they could best serve him in Tallahassee?

Richardson reflected on the initial practice session after being installed as the starting quarterback: “We flew around today. We made some great plays, type of ball,” he confidently told the media.
From Richardson's account, the offensive line communicated effectively, and various defensive coverages were tested by the Rattlers' defense.

“To lead this team... and focus on this first game and, you know, come out there with a victory,” he mentioned as his goals since transferring to FAMU.

Transferring to a new program usually means starting from scratch to earn respect and prove capabilities. Richardson recounts, "When I entered the portal, a lot of different schools... offered me. And this is one of the schools I looked at, and I said, yeah." He was aware that past achievements held little weight in the FAMU locker room—what mattered was proving oneself daily.

Richardson's approach was to earn his spot. He mentioned a conversation with a teammate who echoed the sentiment, "You're coming from FBS, but I don't care, man. You gotta work your way and gotta earn a spot here." This environment fueled Richardson's determination, and through rigorous practice and consistent performance, he secured his role as the starting quarterback.

When asked about maintaining Moussa’s legacy, he nonchalantly acknowledges, “He was a great quarterback here... just wanna carry it on.”

Richardson finished saying, "I’m excited. Ready to get the show on the road."

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Quarterback Daniel Richardson prepares to throw the ball at FAMU team practice on Friday, August 9 2024. / Mishalynn Brown/Tallahassee Democrat / USA TODAY NETWORK

Adjustment to New Coaching and System

When Daniel Richardson joined Florida Atlantic in January 2023, he worked with a new offensive coordinator and quarterback coach. Again, he must adapt to a new coaching style under Coach Colzie and learn a different offensive system.

Evidently, he rose to the challenge, learned the Rattlers playbook, and adjusted to different coaching philosophies upon winning the starting role.

Change in Team Dynamics and Teammates

As a player moves to a new team, learning the culture and building chemistry with new teammates is essential for "player" and "team" success. For a quarterback, timing and coordination on the field are extremely important to be effective. This is where Richardson thrives as he develops trust in his receivers' ability to give him targets downfield.

Also, he throws a pretty good back-shoulder pass, which will come in handy in the SWAC. The question is if Coach Colzie's staff assembled the best offensive linemen to gel with Richardson to keep him upright this season.

Florida A&M quarterback Daniel Richardson throws a pass during the Rattlers' first day of spring football practice in pads on Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida, Friday, March 8, 2024. / Gerald Thomas / USA TODAY NETWORK

Pressure of Expectations at FAMU

He'll have immense pressure to perform at a high level after the championship-winning season Jeremy Moussa posted for the Rattlers. As an incoming graduate transfer quarterback, Richardson will have similar expectations as he did at Central Michigan and Florida Atlantic.

The Florida A&M faithful want to keep winning in hopes of hoisting a second straight Celebration Bowl Trophy and back-to-back HBCU National Championships. The outside pressure can sometimes impact a player's performance, but his maturity should help during any in-season turmoil.

Differences in Competition Level

This season's level of competition and the style of play in the SWAC will be competitive. He has experience playing against FBS teams. In his 2022 start at Central Michigan versus Oklahoma State, Daniel Richardson led the Chippewas offense to hang 44 points on the Cowboys.

He completed 36 of 29 passes for 424 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception. The offense controlled the clock with a 36:08 minute to 23:52 minute performance. With a better defensive effort, C. Michigan could have pulled off an upset on the road.

Several factors contributed to a drop in Richardson's metrics, going from the Chippewas to the Owls. His completion percentage, yards per attempt, and touchdown-to-interception ratio all fell, but expect those to climb at Florida A&M. While the SWAC competition poses a significant challenge for any player transitioning between programs, Richardson should be ready.

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Sep 24, 2022; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Central Michigan Chippewas quarterback Daniel Richardson (10) drops back in the pocket and looks to throw a pass during the first quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports / Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Daniel Richardson's performance as a quarterback showed some changes as he transitioned from Central Michigan to Florida Atlantic.

At Central Michigan (2019-2022)

• Passing Efficiency: Richardson had a higher passing efficiency at Central Michigan, with a rating of 136.2 over his career there.

• Completion Percentage: During his time at Central Michigan, his completion percentage was 59.0%.

• Yards per Attempt: He averaged 7.3 yards per attempt, indicating a tendency for deeper throws.

• Touchdowns and Interceptions: Richardson threw 43 touchdowns against 13 interceptions, showing a relatively good touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Florida Atlantic (2023)

• Passing Efficiency: His passing efficiency decreased slightly at Florida Atlantic, with a rating of 123.9.

• Completion Percentage: His completion percentage improved to 64.6%, suggesting better accuracy or shorter, more frequent passes.

• Yards per Attempt: The average yards per attempt dropped to 6.2, indicating a shift towards shorter passes.

• Touchdowns and Interceptions: At Florida Atlantic, he threw 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, reflecting a less favorable touchdown-to-interception ratio than his time at Central Michigan.

Although Richardson's completion percentage improved at Florida Atlantic, his efficiency and yards per attempt decreased, and his touchdown-to-interception ratio worsened. The comparison suggests a shift in play style or offensive strategy, focusing more on shorter, safer passes.

Daniel Richardson's collegiate career statistics as a quarterback are as follows:

Central Michigan Chippewas

• 2019 Season: Games Played: 3

• Passing: 1 completion on 3 attempts (33.3%) for 1 yard

• Rushing: 1 attempt for 3 yards

• 2020 Season: Games Played: 4

• Passing: 64 completions on 100 attempts (64.0%) for 769 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions.

• Rushing: 14 attempts for -14 yards, 1 touchdown

• 2021 Season: Games Played: 13

• Passing: 191 completions on 316 attempts (60.4%) for 2,633 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions.

• Rushing: 23 attempts for -38 yards

• 2022 Season: Games Played: 12

• Passing: 179 completions on 318 attempts (56.3%) for 1,988 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions.

• Rushing: 33 attempts for -55 yards

Sep 23, 2023; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Florida Atlantic Owls quarterback Daniel Richardson (10) passes during the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports / Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Florida Atlantic Owls

• 2023 Season: Games Played: 11

• Passing: 208 completions on 318 attempts (65.4%) for 2,001 yards, 13 touchdowns, 10 interceptions

• Rushing: 42 attempts for -62 yards

Career Totals

• Total Games Played: 43

• Passing: 643 completions on 1,055 attempts (60.9%) for 7,392 yards, 56 touchdowns, and 23 interceptions.

• Rushing: 113 attempts for -174 yards, 1 touchdown

The FAMU faithful should be encouraged as Coach James Colzie III and his staff may have found a hidden gem in Daniel Richardson. On Saturday afternoon at the 2024 MEAC/SWAC Challenge, the Rattlers hope to kick off the Colzie era with a win over the Norfolk State Spartans.

Will Richardson perform well enough for Florida A&M to extend its winning streak over HBCU teams? Is he the right quarterback to lead the Rattlers to repeat as the HBCU Division I National Champions?

We shall see.

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