During his introductory press conference, new Florida A&M head coach Charlie Ward made it clear that he isn't a run-of-the-mill celebrity hire; he was born and raised in the tradition of the Tallahassee-based HBCU.

“This is the only job, collegiate job, I was willing to take,” Ward said. “Many of you may know me as a Seminole, but I was born a Rattler. The opportunity to join FAMU, in this capacity, was a welcome one.”

His father, Charlie Ward Sr., played running back for FAMU under legendary coach Jake Gaither. Ward Sr. was also a teammate of Olympian and NFL Hall-of-Famer Bob Hayes. Ward was born in Tallahassee and watched many Rattler home games as a child, traveling back to his birth city from Thomasville, Georgia.

He indicated that he doesn't view the position as a “stepping stone” to the Power Five or a higher-paying job.

“This next chapter as a collegiate coach is not a stepping stone. Rather, it solidifies our commitment to Tallahassee.”

Florida A&M athletic director Angela Suggs said that the process to bring Ward to the Rattlers wasn't a long one, saying, “We made sure that I had the right number, and then I reached out to him and we were on for there,” she told WCTV Monday. “Like he mentioned, it was eight days. When the door opened, I knew who we wanted to walk through it.”

Ward outlined a commitment to not only winning on the field, but developing strong young men off of it.

“Our goal as a program would be to focus on the whole athlete by providing them opportunities and professional development, community outreach, team bonding, and being leaders on campus. We will develop men of character and integrity so they can reach whatever goal they set. I'm committed to building a team that competes hard, plays with discipline, and represents FAMU with pride.”

Ward appears poised to be the coach to lead young men who look to make their impact on their communities as well as the sports world. Ward is one of the most dynamic athletes in sports history, excelling as a two-sport athlete in football and basketball. During his career with the Florida State Seminoles, Ward threw for a whopping 5,747 yards and 49 touchdowns, completing 473 out of 759 passes with an impressive 62.3% completion rate. He also rushed for 889 yards and scored 10 rushing touchdowns. He also led Florida State to its first national championship with an 18-16 victory over Nebraska in the 1993 Orange Bowl.

But, Ward also showed a talent for basketball. Alongside future NBA standouts like Bob Sura and Sam Cassell, he led to Seminoles to immense success. His teams reached the Sweet Sixteen in 1992 and the Southeast Regional Final in 1993. Ward holds FSU records for career steals (236), steals in a game (9), and ranks sixth in career assists (396). Despite a shortened senior season due to winning the Heisman Trophy, he averaged 10.5 points and 4.9 assists while starting 16 games as point guard.

Ward eventually decided to pursue basketball as a professional, ultimately being selected by the New York Knicks with the 26th pick in the first round of the 1994 NBA Draft. He brings head coaching experience, having served as an assistant coach with the Rockets during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons, as well as a high school head coach in the Tallahassee area and with USA Basketball.

One of Ward's first items on his wishlist, as indicated in comments secured by WCTV is for Florida A&M to play Florida State, which will certainly be a homecoming for the new Rattler coach as he faces off against the institution where he built his pedigree as a two-sport star.