Charlie Ward Set to Become Florida A&M’s New Head Basketball Coach

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Charlie Ward, the former Heisman Trophy winner and NBA player, is nearing a deal to become the head basketball coach at Florida A&M University. Sources indicate that the university’s Board of Trustees will meet at 3 p.m. ET on April 16, 2025, to approve the contract, reportedly a five-year agreement starting at $175,000 with annual raises.

Ward, 54, is well-known to the Tallahassee community, having played both football and basketball at Florida State University from 1990 to 1994. He captured the Heisman Trophy in 1993 and led FSU to a national championship that year, completing nearly 70% of his passes for 3,032 yards and 27 touchdowns, along with rushing for four scores. He was selected in the first round of the 1994 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks and later played for the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets, finishing his 11-year basketball career averaging 6.3 points and 4.0 assists per game.

Ward has extensive coaching experience, including his most recent position as head coach of boys’ basketball at Florida State University Schools, where he has been since 2018. In addition, he served as an assistant coach with USA Basketball during the 2025 Nike Hoops Summit.

He takes over the Rattlers’ program after Patrick Crarey II left following a 14-17 season, which marked FAMU’s best record since 2006-07. Crarey had coached the team to its first SWAC Tournament win and subsequently accepted the head coaching position at Grambling State.

Florida A&M has not qualified for the NCAA Tournament since 2007 and has faced challenges with five coaches failing to secure a winning season during that period. Ward’s experience and local ties could provide a revitalizing spark for the program.

“Charlie is a local legend and a tremendous basketball mind,” said FAMU Athletic Director. “We believe he can successfully lead our program towards a new era of competitiveness.”

As the highest-profile coach at a historically black college and university (HBCU) men’s program, Ward joins Mo Williams, the head coach at Jackson State. His hiring signals a potentially transformative phase for Florida A&M basketball.

Fans and alumni are reacting positively to Ward’s imminent appointment, expressing hope that his vast experience and community connections will help the Rattlers reclaim prominence in the Southwestern Athletic Conference and beyond. The upcoming Board of Trustees meeting is a critical step in finalizing this hiring, and interest in how Ward’s presence will impact the team is high.

This news comes during a pivotal time for HBCU basketball, as more former NBA players take coaching roles, potentially reshaping the landscape of college athletics. With Ward’s extensive background in both sports and the local community, many see his return to college basketball as an opportunity to inspire a new generation of players at Florida A&M.