The summertime countdown to kickoff is underway.
But first, Florida A&M football must hit some key checkpoints before it’s time to debut under new head coach and alumnus Quinn Fordham Gray Sr. against the Albany State Golden Rams.
The offseason includes the Rattlers’ offseason workout programs, camps, and events that will hype up the 2026 season.
Here are some dates to know for FAMU fans and those who are anticipating football season on The Highest of Seven Hills this fall.
Season preparation begins at FAMU football’s OTAs
Gray announced at the May 13 Eddie Jackson 220 Quarterback Club luncheon that his team will report for organized team activities on Tuesday, May 26.
OTAs are offseason workouts and sessions that allow teams to gather to review playbooks and fundamentals and build chemistry across the board.
Quinn Gray to host first camps as FAMU football coach
The FAMU football program will hold a week of multiple on-campus football camps.
The Rattlers will host a prospects camp, a seven-on-seven camp, and a big-man camp for linemen. Camps are an important recruiting tool for aspiring college football players to visit the campus and showcase their skills in front of coaches.
Gray will also host a camp geared toward women to offer an in-depth look at football operations and educate interested minds about the game.
This link is how campers can register.
Talking season begins at SWAC Football Media Day
Football season is within reach when the Southwestern Athletic Conference Media Day rolls around.
Media day is scheduled for July 15 at the Sheraton-Birmingham in Alabama.
Gray and two FAMU players will attend to preview the 2026 season alongside their 11 SWAC counterparts.
Training camp is underway in late July/early August
A date hasn’t been publicly listed for the Rattlers’ start of fall preseason training camp.
The NCAA typically allows teams to practice 25 times over 29 days leading up to their first game. That potentially places FAMU’s start date at July 31, 29 days ahead of their season opener.
Training camp will settle any position battles and depth chart lineups before gametime.
Football season! FAMU opens up vs Albany State
‘Club Bragg’ will open its doors and be the site of FAMU starting up its season against Albany State on Aug. 29.
First-year FAMU head coach Gray coached the Albany State Golden Rams for three seasons, ending his tenure in 2025 with a Division II Black College Football National Championship.
The Rattlers have brought in many Albany State transfers, including quarterback Isaiah Knowles, the 2024 and 2025 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year.
The season opener will be the start to a 12-game regular season schedule that includes defending Division I Black College champions South Carolina State, College Football Playoff runner-up Miami Hurricanes, and Florida Classic rivals Bethune-Cookman.
Florida A&M football 2026 schedule
All times are Eastern
Gerald Thomas, III, is a multi-time national award-winning reporter 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 offseason: Key dates to know before 2026 kickoff
Reporting by Gerald Thomas III, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
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