FAMU’s departing AD Overton plans to work to very last day on the job

Milton Overton presented his plans for a $9 million sports facility to the 220 Quarterback Club two weeks before announcing he will be stepping down.
Photo by St. Clair Murraine

By St. Clair Murraine
Outlook staff writer

Milton Overton, who became FAMU’s athletic director two years ago, won’t be in lame duck mode over the remaining weeks before he takes a similar position at Kennesaw State.

 
He is still selling tickets for next week’s Florida Classic. While in Orlando, he said he’ll make a presentation on plans to build a $9 million sports facility at Bragg Stadium.

 
Overton also is still going hard on the Investing in Champions fund-raising campaign that brought in $750,000 in the last year.
He announced his plan to leave a week ago, two weeks after giving details on the proposed facility to the 220 Quarterback Club. During halftime at Saturday’s football game between Howard University and FAMU, he said he’ll work until his last day before leaving.
He will be introduced this week at Kennesaw State.

 
“I’m very intent on making sure I leave right,”  said Overton, who came to FAMU from Alabama.

 
FAMU president Larry Robinson also confirmed this past Saturday that former FAMU football player John Eason will take over the athletics department as interim director.

 
Eason is a former University of Georgia Director of Player Development, a position that he retired from in 2015.

 
In addition to Georgia, Eason also worked eight years at Florida State.

 
Overton called the decision to leave one of the toughest he’s had to make. However, he said working in Atlanta will put him closer to his sons who are in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

 
One of his biggest goals at FAMU was to meet a mandate from supporters of the program. He recalled hearing how the Rattlers were once the team to beat and supports desire to return the program to greatness.

 
“They told me that if you set out a plan we will follow the plan so the notion that it can’t be done is not true,” he said. “It’s going to  be even better and bigger if they stick with it.”

 
Robinson cited the additions brought by Overton, including the End Zone Club that serves as a version of club seating with amenities that come with the higher priced seating.

 
“They (the additions) have made a difference,” Robinson said. “If you look around the stadium and you think about the attendance here, in spite of our record, you know there has to be something special about FAMU.

 
“We think we will find the right kind of person to continue to build on this momentum to carry our athletic program forward.”
Robinson expects Eason to do just that.

 
“We don’t think we are going  to lose any ground there,” Robinson said. “I think that Eason brings a wealth of experience.”

 
Overton said he will make sure Eason knows every detail of the plans he has for FAMU. He also will be just a phone call away advise the athletic department if there is a need, Overton said.

 
“Anybody who calls me and needs help,” he said, “I would never ask for a dime.”