It's been at least three months since coach Joe Taylor made his popular reference to "two of everything." That's two of everything as in the Biblical story of Noah's arc.
In Taylor's case, he wanted to have at least two playmakers at every position on his FAMU football team. However, he had only Eddie Battle as a solid quarterback through preseason camp.
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Then a week before the season started, Curtis Pulley decided that FAMU would be the best place to avoid his troubled past. Taylor got his two quarterbacks — Battle and Pulley.
Now it's Pulley who has the responsibility of rallying the Rattlers in their regular-season finale against Bethune-Cookman University. A victory could give FAMU a shot at an at-large bid in the NCAA playoffs.
If all that transpires, Pulley will be touted for a lot more than he expected when he transferred from Kentucky.
The last time Pulley got this much media attention, he'd dropped out of contention for the starting quarterback position with the Wildcats. He was dismissed from the team after being arrested in June on traffic charges.
He came to FAMU in late August, promising Taylor he'd make good on a second chance.
"For the coaches to put this much trust in me just shows how much faith they have in me and how much hard work I've put into the season," said Pulley, who alternated with Battle at quarterback starting in the second game of the season at Delaware State.
Pulley has thrown for 15 touchdowns in nine games, amassing 1,257 yards. He also leads the Rattlers in rushing with 714 yards on 105 carries.
His assignment this weekend is a huge one. Not only is the weight of FAMU's playoff chances on his shoulders, but he's taking the Rattlers into one of the biggest rivalry games in black college football.
A few days left before he steps on to the field at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Pulley was unfazed by the hoopla that surrounds the game.
"I don't get caught up in it because I don't know too much about it," he said. "Everybody is classic this and classic that, but it's just another game for me. From here on out it's win or go home."
Pulley made his first collegiate start two weeks ago against North Carolina A&T, after alternating all but one game with Battle at quarterback. Pulley had been getting rave reviews before his dominating performance against the Aggies, and more so since his second start last Saturday in a 45-24 win over Hampton.
"It's no question he is a difference-maker, but like I tell people, I'm still not ready to put him out there by himself," Taylor said. "It's still a team effort, but take nothing away form his talent level. There are some things he does well."
That's been the difference between him and Battle, Taylor said. Even so, Battle has been staying strong in practice. He had one of his most productive weeks before the Hampton game, Taylor said.
The decision to start Pulley was made after grading both players, said Taylor, who also had concerns about the team's slow starts.
"It's not an opinion," Taylor said. "We grade so that keeps all of the arguments out of the way. We've got integrity. If we're grading and a guy is grading out better than the other guy, then it's fair to get the guy with the better grades to play.
"Certainly Curtis can do a few more things because he is a little bit more athletic. That's not a shameful thing (for Battle) to admit that somebody probably brings a little bit more, but the things that we asked him to do he has stopped doing as well."
Pulley said he and Battle have discussed the situation and they both agreed on one thing — the change is about helping the team win.
"We are all competitors," Pulley said. "You never know what can happen in a football game and you always have to be ready. You could be one play away from being a starter. He keeps his head on straight and I keep my head on straight and we just go out there focused together.
"It's like nothing has changed."
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"For the coaches to put this much trust in me just shows how much faith they have in me and how much hard work I've put into the season," said Pulley, who alternated with Battle at quarterback starting in the second game of the season at Delaware State.
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