Jordan Culver

Democrat staff writer

7:30 Update

FAMU Athletic Director Kellen Winslow late Tuesday officially named Corey Fuller the Rattlers' interim football coach for the remainder of the season.

Fuller, a former player at Rickards High, Florida State and 10 seasons in the NFL, joined Holmes' staff last season as an assistant coach.

"This change was necessary at this time to provide new leadership and direction for our students and to ensure that we can have a new coach in place in time to build a staff and begin recruiting" Winslow said in a statement released by the school.

Fuller coached at East Gadsden High for three seasons before he moved to FAMU.

"I feel so honored to be a part of the Rattler Family," Fuller said in a released statement.

" I will work hard to validate the trust that AD Winslow and the University has placed in me by naming me interim head coach, I am truly honored that FAMU has entrusted me with the responsibility of providing leadership to the student athletes on our football team during this transition."

6 p.m. Update

Florida A&M Sports information director Vaughn Wilson said players have decided to practice at 7 p.m. under interim coach Corey Fuller, instead of outright canceling practice.

4:30 Update

The FAMU football team will not practice on Tuesday following the announcement that coach Earl Holmes has been fired.

3:55 p.m. Update

FAMU senior quarterback Damien Fleming told the Democrat on Tuesday that coach Earl Holmes has been fired.

Fleming said Holmes addressed the players in a 1 p.m. meeting and informed them he had been terminated.

Fleming also stressed that players will play in Saturday's homecoming game against Norfolk State.

There was speculation, according to Fleming, that players would boycott the game. Kickoff is 3 p.m.

The timing of Tuesday's announcement caught most off guard.

"I don't think anybody expected there to be any kind of disruption during homecoming," Solomon Badger, chairman of FAMU's Board of Trustees, said.

"I hope the students and alumni and fans still have a homecoming experience. Changing the coach the day before homecoming. I guess I can understand but I can also understand some disgruntlement by players and students."

Kellen Winslow, FAMU's director of athletics, is meeting with the team in the Field House,

The team was scheduled to start practice at 3:30 p.m.

Holmes, in his third season, went 6-16.

He was an assistant under coach Joe Taylor for four years

Holmes took over the reins in 2012 for the final two games with the retirement of Taylor and went 1-1.

The Rattlers were 3-9 last season and are currently 2-6. They opened the season 0-5.

3:30 p.m. Update

Florida A&M football players, led by senior quarterback Damien Fleming, are inside Athletic Director Kellen Winslow's office.

This impromptu Tuesday meeting concerns the speculation surrounding coach Earl Holmes' future.

FAMU president Elmira Mangum said she has not signed a letter terminating Holmes yet.

Holmes, in his third season with a 6-16 record, is not available for comment.

Holmes and Rattlers (2-6) meet Norfolk State in Saturday's homecoming game.

The players marched from the field house to Winslow's office and demanded to see the athletic director. Winslow met them outside and asked them to disperse.

"Don't y'all have a book to read?" Winslow asked when trying to get the players to leave.

He then agreed to meet with only senior players and asked media to leave his office.

Practice starts at 3:30.

Holmes, considered one of the program's top players of all-time, starred at linebacker for the Rattlers from 1992-95.

He finished his career with 509 total tackles, 309 solo tackles and 200 assisted tackles – all Rattler career records. Holmes also played 10 seasons in the NFL.

Original story

Florida A&M has canceled its weekly football press conference at the Al Lawson Center, though some players and members of the media didn't know of the cancellation until about 15 minutes before the conference's scheduled start time.

The weekly conferences are usually held at noon on the bottom floor of the Lawson Center, however today there was a note on the door saying the conference was canceled. Sports Information Director Vaughn Wilson said there was "confusion" about why the conference was canceled.

The Rattlers (2-6, 2-2 in the MEAC) are coming off a 40-21 loss in Greensboro, N.C., to North Carolina A&T where the Aggies scored 20 unanswered points. FAMU head coach Earl Holmes said the turning point in that game was a punt return touchdown that was called back due to a "questionable" penalty.

Holmes was involved in Tuesday's weekly MEAC teleconference.