Heisman legend Charlie Ward returns to Tallahassee as a rival coach, leading the Rattlers against his alma mater in a high-stakes basketball doubleheader across the Sunshine State.
The Florida State basketball team will play the Florida A&M Rattlers in a double-header on November 2, part of a matchup of teams from the Sunshine State that also includes Florida vs. Miami. The Rattlers are coached by former Seminoles two-sport star and Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward.
Ward quarterbacked the Seminoles to a college football national championship in 1993, and won the Heisman by the fourth-largest margin of victory in the history of the prestigious award, over 1,600 points difference from the runner-up that season, Tennessee quarterback Heath Shuler. Ward also took home the Davey O’Brien Award that season.
While Ward is remembered for his athletic prowess on the gridiron, he was also a four-year star on the hardwood for the Florida State basketball team. As a guard, Ward quarterbacked the Seminoles to a Sweet 16 appearance in 1992, and an Elite Eight berth in 1993 under head coach Pat Kennedy. He was teammates with Bob Sura, Doug Edwards and Sam Cassell, who also went on to NBA careers.
After hoisting the Heisman in New York City that December, Ward changed uniforms and started 16 games for the basketball squad. He averaged 10.5 points and 4.9 assists.
Ward holds the school career record for steals with 238. He also ranks No. 9 all-time at Florida State in assists with 396, just five more than current Seminoles head basketball coach Luke Loucks.
Upon leaving Florida State, Ward stated that he would not play in the NFL if he was not a first-round pick. Because of his size, Ward was projected to be drafted in the later rounds. So, when the 1994 NBA Draft came around a couple of months later, the New York Knicks selected Ward in the first round.
Ward played in the Big Apple for nine seasons and was a starter for the 1999 team that went to the NBA Finals. He developed a reputation for being a deadly three-point shooter, getting the basketball to his teammates in a position to score, and for being a leader on the court.
Ward was often referred to as the best quarterback in New York, a moniker that referenced the quarterback woes of both the Giants and Jets during those years in New York. Ward also played for the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets during his 12-year career, and retired from basketball in 2005.
As a two-sport star, Ward is one of only three Heisman winners to play in another professional sports league (NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL). That elite company also includes Bo Jackson.
Ward gained valuable coaching experience with the Rockets as an assistant coach, and later in the high school ranks in Texas and Florida. He was named the head coach at Florida A&M in 2025. In their first season under Ward as coach, the Rattlers posted a 15-16 overall record, and an 11-7 mark in the SWAC.
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