Word on Ward: It’s a Landslide : Heisman Trophy: Florida State quarterback wins with record percentage of first-place votes.

Florida State quarterback Charlie Ward was announced Saturday as the landslide winner of the Heisman Trophy as the outstanding college football player in America. Big surprise. The only question was how large his winning margin would be.

Answer: Ward set a record by earning 91% of the first-place votes to surpass the 85% received by Desmond Howard two years ago, although Ward failed to surpass O.J. Simpson’s 1,750-point margin over Leroy Keyes in 1968.

Ward received 740 first-place votes out of a total of 790 ballots that were returned and amassed a total of 2,310 points to finish far ahead of Tennessee quarterback Heath Shuler (688), Alabama wide receiver David Palmer (292) and San Diego State running back Marshall Faulk (250).

Despite the overwhelming nature of Ward’s victory, the dark lining to his beautiful day is that NFL personnel directors don’t necessarily view Ward in the same shining light as Heisman voters. Some say he’s a second-round talent because of his lack of size (6 feet 1 and 190 pounds) and arm strength.

“I’ve read a lot of articles lately, and I must say I’m a little apprehensive,” Ward’s mother, Willard, said Saturday at the Downtown Athletic Club, which awards the Heisman. “It’s been questioned that he’s not tall enough or big enough. It’s baffling to me how people could stereotype someone that way and not look at him based on what he’s done.”

Ward’s father, Charlie Sr., who played in the same backfield at Florida A&M; with former Dallas Cowboy receiver Bob Hayes, said: “We understand how (the pro scouts) think. They say he’s not tall, and he’s not heavy. But he’s a winner.”

There’s no doubt about that. Ward completed 264 of 380 passes for 3,032 yards and 27 touchdowns with only four interceptions to lead the Seminoles to an 11-1 record, No. 1 national ranking and a shot at the national championship against Nebraska in the Orange Bowl.

Florida State’s basketball team has a 40-9 record with Ward at point guard, although he averaged a modest 7.8 points and 5.5 assists last season.

Who could ask for more? The pros, that’s who.

Much can change before the April 19 NFL draft, but the consensus opinion is that Fresno State’s Trent Dilfer and Shuler, both of whom are juniors, will be the top quarterbacks taken if they pass up their senior seasons. A sampling by Newsday of NFL general managers and personnel experts indicated a strong possibility Ward could go in the second round and no higher than the second half of the first.

After dedicating his trophy to his two deceased grandfathers and thanking everyone from his girlfriend, parents, teammates, coaches, fans, fellow Florida State students, hometown and the Florida State sports information department, Ward said he would choose which sport he wants to play after the basketball season.

“I’ll make a decision in April and stick with it,” Ward said. “I’m going to stick with one sport.”

Some NFL people said they heard Ward would be a definite first-rounder in the NBA, but there is some doubt about that, too.

“I’m aghast at what the NFL is saying about them taking him in the second round and the NBA taking him in the first round,” said Marty Blake, director of scouting for the NBA. “The guy’s a winner as a football player.

“He’s one of the better point guards in the senior class, but don’t get too excited. He’s never played a full basketball season. He needs to play in the postseason tournament in Phoenix so we can see him against better players.”