Custom Search TALLAHASSEE, Fla – Florida A&M University had announced the promotion of John Eason, Ph.D. to Director of Athletics, effective February 22, 2018. The FAMU alumnus has served as interim director of Athletics since December 2017.
Eason
“It’s an extreme honor to have the opportunity to continue to move FAMU Athletics forward within the scope of the excellence of this great university,” Eason said. “I do not take it lightly and will use all resources available to me to better equip our student-athletes, coaches, and staff to be successful in the classroom and on the fields of competition.”
During his brief tenure following the departure of Milton Overton, Eason has made several leadership changes in FAMU Athletics, including securing Willie Simmons as the Rattlers' new head football coach. Keith Miles, former general manager of the University’s radio station moved to Athletics in January to become deputy athletic director. His voice was a familiar one to fans for more than 30 years as the play-by-play announcer and executive producer of the Rattler Sports Radio Network.
Eason also recently hired Kendra Greene to serve as associate athletic director for compliance and senior woman administrator. Prior to arriving at FAMU, she worked at Alabama State University as senior athletic director for internal operations.
Eason brings an impressive resume to the position replete with experience from a long and successful career in coaching and administration in collegiate and professional athletics.
Rattler Boosters Board of Directors President Selvin Cobb was pleased to hear about Eason’s promotion.
"What we need at this point is stability,” said Cobb. “This appointment provides just that. We look forward to working with him in any manner that will benefit the Athletics Department."
Eason is a native of Ocala, Florida, who played football at FAMU from 1964 to 1967, under Hall of Fame coaching legend A.S. “Jake” Gaither. Eason blossomed into an All-America tight end and punter. He was inducted into the FAMU Sports Hall of Fame in 1984.
After graduating from Florida A&M, Eason played one year in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders (1968), one season with the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL) in 1969, and later returned to the CFL in 1972 with the Montreal Alouettes.
Eason holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Florida A&M University and earned a doctorate from Florida State University (FSU) in educational administration in 1987. His coaching stops included 12 years (1981-1992) as receivers coach at FSU and four years as offensive coordinator and receivers coach at South Carolina (1995-98).
Eason has also served as an assistant professor in the Department of Human Service and Wellness at the University of Central Florida in 1999-2000.
In addition, he has held positions as offensive coordinator and associate head coach of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League during the 2000 season while on leave from UCF.