In the history of the Miami Hurricanes football program there have been two Heisman trophy winners: Vinny Testeverde and Gino Torretta. The ‘Canes are now projected to add another, quarterback Cam Ward.
Ward has elevated his game in his senior season and smashed the expectations set for him coming to UM as a transfer. To those who knew him before, however, his performance has hardly been a surprise.
“I think Cam deserves to be mentioned with the best quarterbacks in the country, period. I think he continues to show that, and I think nationally we undervalue him and what he’s doing,” said Ward’s former coach at Washington State, Jake Dickert, prior to the 2024-25 season.
Ward’s play at WSU makes it clear why his coaches spoke so highly of him. The elusiveness and ability to extend broken plays that UM fans have recently been exposed to was on full display in his years playing for the Cougars.
In WSU’s 2023 matchup versus the nationally ranked Oregon State Beavers, Ward led his team to an upset victory, racking up 404 passing yards at an 82% completion rate. The game included a highlight reel play that saw him navigating a collapsing pocket at the end of the first half, and threading a pass into the endzone to receiver Josh Kelly for six.
Now, sporting the green and orange for the Hurricanes, Ward continues to make plays of that same nature.
In the ‘Canes recent contest against Ball State, in just over a half of play, Ward totaled 346 passing yards with five touchdowns. Ward’s short passing game was uninterrupted, with four of his five TDs being from 21 yds or less, showcasing his accuracy when faced with pressure, connecting with tight end Elijah Arroyo for six while fading back with a rusher in his face.
In his time at WSU, Ward’s talents were clear, but he flew relatively under the radar. In part, WSU struggled to give Ward adequate protection in the pocket. In 2022 and 2023, Ward was sacked 46 and 38 times, respectively. For reference, on the National Championship winning Michigan team last year, QB J.J. McCarthy was sacked 19 times.
The effect on Ward’s play was clear, his hesitancy to remain in the pocket was clear in his time at WSU. His tendency to escape or drop back rather than climb the pocket was apparent in his film.
However, his improvement has been just as clear in his time in Miami so far. In his three games playing for the ‘Canes, Ward has made a statement as a changed player.
In such a short time, it is impossible not to see the drastic change in demeanor by the quarterback. Brimming with confidence on each drive, he remains composed in the pocket, dealing the ball behind a dominant offensive line.
So, it begs the question: What can fans expect from him going forward?
Ward’s strengths lie in the quick game. He looks to sneak the ball under the secondary to slot receiver Xavier Restrepo or tight ends Elijah Arroyo and Cam McCormick. He will also utilize the speed Miami possesses down the sidelines with receivers Isaiah Horton and Jacolby George, capable of getting large chunks of yards after the catch.
Throughout the season, as Ward begins to settle even more and develop chemistry with his teammates, expect him to rely more on his arm than his legs. Rather than drop back to give himself time to go through his progressions, Ward should gain comfort in his pre-snap reads and have a quicker release after the snap to then hit his receivers in stride.
With upcoming conference matchups, Ward’s play so far is a good sign for the Hurricanes. Based on what he’s displayed, it might not be too early to say expect the ‘Canes to keep climbing the rankings.