Florida A&M Board of Trustees Tables Contract Approval for New Men’s Basketball Coach Patrick Crarey II

The Florida A&M board of trustees made a controversial decision regarding the contract approval for new men’s basketball coach Patrick Crarey II earlier this summer. Despite the original three-year, $150,000 per-year contract negotiated for Crarey, the board voted to table the approval until an August retreat and recommended a shorter contract instead.

Board member Kelvin Lawson expressed his concerns about mitigating risks and stated, “If I go with one year because I’m not 100 percent confident and the year is successful, then great ― I’ll go with multiyear.” This decision left Crarey working as a volunteer employee, despite his impressive coaching background that includes successful stints at St. Thomas and Washington Adventist.

However, some board members were not convinced of Crarey’s qualifications for a longer contract. Lawson mentioned that out of 50 candidates, Crarey probably wouldn’t have finished in the top five in most races. Vice chair Deveron Gibbons also questioned the selection process, stating, “It bothers me when I see some names on there, many of which I don’t even know, but I look at their background and experience and wonder how we got to this individual [Crarey] that’s two [divisions] beneath where we are playing in the SWAC.”

The Florida A&M men’s basketball program has struggled in recent years, with their last winning season dating back to 2007. The decision to table Crarey’s contract approval has sparked debate and uncertainty within the university community as they look towards rebuilding the program under new leadership.