Overview

• Charlie Ward, a 1993 Heisman Trophy winner and former NBA player, is set to become Florida A&M's new men's basketball coach.
• Ward's five-year contract includes a starting salary of $175,000 with annual raises and performance-based incentives, pending approval by the university's Board of Trustees.
• A nationwide Zoom outage on April 16 delayed the board meeting to finalize Ward's hiring, though the contract terms are already in place.
• Ward will replace Patrick Crarey, who left after one season to coach at Grambling State, as FAMU seeks its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2007.
• Ward joins a growing trend of former professional athletes taking coaching roles at HBCUs, bringing a high-profile presence and extensive coaching experience to the program.