In the ever-shifting world of college football, the transfer portal is as wild as the game itself. One quarterback is moving from the SEC to an HBCU football blueblood, trading Florida Gator orange and blue for FAMU Rattler green and orange—and bringing a story full of legacy, grit, and second chances with him. Lawrence Wright IV, son of 1996 Jim Thorpe Award winner and Florida Gators legend Lawrence Wright III, is officially headed to Florida A&M University (FAMU).
After a redshirt season at his father’s alma mater, the younger Wright is making the move many Power 4 quarterbacks are now considering, betting on themselves at an HBCU to showcase the talent that landed them at a Power 4 school.
From Father-Son to Coach-Player
Before his Florida days, Wright IV starred at Gainesville’s PK Yonge High School, where he played quarterback under the watchful eye—and tough love—of his father. Who served as an assistant coach alongside another Gator great, Willie Jackson Jr. Together, the two former Florida standouts tried to resurrect a once-proud Blue Wave program that had been hit hard by transfers and graduation.
“A plethora of graduates, combined with outgoing transfers, left PK Yonge HS with only 24 players in the 2023 season,” Wright III told All Gators. “We don’t have many kids, but we’re working with them on teaching them warrior mentality, develop as men, character.”
That kind of culture-building was on full display during a thrilling win over Santa Fe in 2023. PK Yonge pulled out a last-second 28-27 victory. Wright IV rushed for two touchdowns and led the team with clutch plays down the stretch.
“My dad always told me that when the game’s coming down, I’ve got to make a play,” he said after the game. “He preaches intensity, intensity, intensity. You’ve got to fight back pressure with more pressure. Pressure breaks pipes, pressure builds diamonds.”
Those weren’t just words. They were a mantra he lived by, earning a preferred walk-on spot at the University of Florida. But after not seeing the field in 2024. Wright IV decided it was time for a new chapter.
“Thank you Gator Nation for every opportunity you have brought to me,” Wright IV wrote on social media. “It has truly been a blessing from God to play in the orange and blue. With that said, after a long consideration with my family, I have decided to enter the transfer portal and am open to every opportunity given.”
Following a New Blueprint: HBCUs as QB Launchpads
Wright IV joins a growing list of quarterbacks who’ve looked to HBCUs for a second chance to shine. Former Power 4 QBs are increasingly choosing HBCUs for meaningful snaps and real development.
Now, Lawrence Wright IV aims to do the same at Florida A&M University (FAMU) —an HBCU that knows a thing or two about winning.
QB Room Reset in Tallahassee
FAMU’s quarterback room has been anything but stable in 2025. The Rattlers saw significant turnover in the spring, both incoming and outgoing. JUCO star Jett Peddy transferred into the HBCU from Long Beach City College after earning All-League honors. Tyler Jefferson, a dual-threat from Central Michigan, brings two years of FBS experience to the table. CJ Montes, a Walter Payton Award finalist at Fordham, initially committed to FAMU but reversed course and rejoined Kent State.
And then there’s the departure of redshirt junior Junior Muratovic, who entered the portal after three seasons in Tallahassee.
In short, the room is talented—but unsettled. That’s where Wright IV could come in.
He’s walked into pressure before. He’s played under the spotlight of a family legacy. And now, with FAMU eyeing a return to the Celebration Bowl in 2025. The quarterback job could be up for grabs.
Diamonds in the Rattler Rough?
FAMU has built its name on dominant defenses and explosive skill talent, but finding stability at quarterback will be the key to a championship run this fall. Head coach James Colzie III has inherited high expectations and a roster full of playmakers, but he needs someone under center who won’t flinch when the pressure is on.
Lawrence Wright IV may not have taken a college snap yet. But his background and pedigree make him a player to watch. The road from walk-on to starter is never easy. But diamonds are forged under pressure, and in Tallahassee, Wright IV might be ready to shine.