After a convoluted and protracted process, Miami finally secured its top quarterback target in Cameron Ward on Saturday.
After losing longtime starter Tyler Van Dyke, Mario Cristobal and the Hurricanes had a strategy at quarterback entering the transfer portal season, and they achieved all of their goals. The goal was achieved, but it required some perseverance after failing to secure a commitment following a visit in mid-December, having to wait out a visit from Florida State, and engaging in a back-and-forth that eventually led to Ward declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft.
Ward, who turned down opportunities to play in the league and at Florida State and Auburn, among other schools, will start as quarterback for Miami.
Though Ward was once ranked third among quarterbacks behind younger players with more eligibility, such as Oregon-bound Dante Moore and future Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles, he was still widely regarded as the best quarterback in the transfer portal. Ward was removed from the 247Sports Transfer Portal Rankings after declaring for the draft.
Ward, who spent four years at FCS Immaculate Word and Washington State, has played at the position for over 3100 plays, making him the most seasoned and experienced of the eligible arms. Ward is credited with 13,822 throwing yards and 119 touchdowns throughout that time.
Over the previous two seasons at the Power 5 level, Ward accumulated 48 touchdown passes and 6951 passing yards. One of the best college football quarterbacks has joined Mario Cristobal, Shannon Dawson, and the Hurricanes staff in an Air Raid-style scheme that Ward is well accustomed to from his time in Pullman.
Ward, a product of West Columbia, Texas, has one more year of eligibility before joining an offence that, despite inconsistent quarterback performance last fall, made significant statistical improvements. The Hurricanes’ 32.1 points per game average as a team placed them in the top 40 nationally. That follows a season in which they averaged 23.6 points per game before to Dawson’s arrival.With Ward under center, Miami has a proven arm that’s played a ton of college football who will now be surrounded by the strongest supporting cast of his career. From a pass blocking perspective, Ward was protected by the No. 69 unit this past fall, according to Pro Football Focus. Conversely, Miami had the No. 9 pass blocking unit in the country, according to PFF, and could return three starters from that front in 2024.
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