In dramatic and quick fashion, quarterback Kelvin Durham of the football team earned the first 2023-24 Wildcat Nation Men’s Athlete of the Week for Sept. 11-17. Durham used only three plays to cover the 64 yards needed for the game-winning touchdown pass to Fralon Warren with 1:07 left in the game to give FVSU a 34-31 win over Edward Waters. The redshirt sophomore completed 17 of 30 passes for 252 yards and three TD passes in the game.
The Fort Valley State University football team has started the season 3-0 for the first time since 2004, due in part to the leadership and performance of Wildcats quarterback Kelvin Durham. Durham threw for over 300 yards and three touchdown last week in a win over Allen. The redshirt freshman spoke with our Symone Stanley after the game.“It feels good just being able to win back to back games and doing something that hasn’t been done before,” Durham explained.
The Fort Valley State University Wildcats are being lead by head coach Shawn Gibbs in his first season as a collegiate head coach.
“Coach Gibbs makes it very easy for us to go out there and have fun to play football. He shows a lot of confidence,” Kelvin Durham said.
“He also showed that you’ve got to be disciplined and ready to go down for the team. Seeing him happy makes us want to go hard and get the job done for him.”
Durham explained what it would take for Fort Valley to sustain their success throughout the season.
“Really offensively, we haven’t played our best offensively,” He explained. “So once we get on the right track, on offense, I think we’ll be much better team and the season goes on.
Kelvin Durham, the quarterback for the Fort Valley State Wildcats football team, has made the difficult decision to leave the team due to irreconcilable differences with Head Coach Shawn Gibbs.
According to Durham, the final straw was a physical altercation that occurred between him and Coach Gibbs, which made it clear that his presence on the team was no longer necessary or beneficial.
In an exclusive interview, Durham opened up about the events leading up to his departure, citing a breakdown in communication and trust between himself and Coach Gibbs.
“The relationship had become toxic,” Durham stated. “We had creative differences on the field, and it started to affect my mental health and overall well-being.”
Durham, a talented quarterback who had led the Wildcats to several victories, expressed his disappointment and frustration with the situation.
“I loved playing for Fort Valley State, but I couldn’t continue in an environment where I didn’t feel valued or respected,” he said.
Coach Gibbs has not publicly commented on the altercation or Durham’s departure, but sources close to the team indicate that tensions had been building between the two for some time.
The loss of Durham will undoubtedly impact the Wildcats’ performance on the field, but the university has stated its commitment to supporting athletes’ mental health and well-being.
As Durham moves forward, he is focused on finding a new opportunity where he can grow as a player and individual without the burden of a strained relationship with his coach.
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