A little bit after midnight on Sunday, hours after he dazzled a nationwide viewers in his Miami debut, Cameron Ward was already breaking down movie of Florida A&M — the Hurricanes’ subsequent opponent — when he referred to as his mother and father to ensure they bought dwelling secure.
There was no large celebration after throwing 385 yards and three touchdowns in a dominant 41-17 win on the street at Florida. No relishing within the truth he instantly jumped up the Heisman Trophy playing odds as a brand new favourite.
As a substitute it was again to work for Ward, who is way extra used to being counted out than championed throughout a protracted, winding profession that took him from Incarnate Phrase to Washington State and at last Miami.
“Individuals can pat him on the again and inform him how nice he’s,” Calvin Ward, Cameron’s father, instructed CBS Sports activities. “He does not hear it. He does not need any pats on the again. All he desires to listen to is for folks to inform him he isn’t adequate to play at this degree.”
Ward has heard that loads in his profession. It powered him to the top of a Miami workforce that appears like a legit School Soccer Playoff contender in a wide-open Atlantic Coast Convention. There was little curiosity within the 6-foot-2 quarterback popping out of West Columbia, Texas, regardless of his mother and father taking him to soccer camps everywhere in the nation in an try and showcase his abilities. He did not have a lot highschool recreation movie to indicate off his passing expertise — that is what occurs once you solely throw a handful of instances in a Wing-T offense — and needed to accept FCS program Incarnate Phrase.
Quick ahead to December 2023 when Ward was the most popular prospect obtainable within the switch portal following a stellar season at Washington State. Quarterback-needy groups noticed a participant who may instantly change their trajectory for the higher, establishing a high-stakes battle that in the end got here right down to Florida State and Miami. That back-and-forth recruiting warfare in the end bought too wealthy for Florida State’s liking, in response to sources aware of the state of affairs. In the meantime Miami was all in on what it believed to be an ideal match for each events. Ward’s NIL compensation is believed to be within the seven determine vary, in response to business sources. Florida State pivoted and as a substitute signed Oregon State switch quarterback DJ Uiagalelei.
As he thought of Miami and Florida State, he additionally weighed eschewing faculty soccer altogether to go to the NFL. After going backwards and forwards on what he wished to do, Ward introduced on New 12 months’s Day that he’d be getting into the NFL Draft and begin coaching down in Florida, though he would not signal an agent.
In what Ward described as many “sleepless” nights, he wrestled with whether or not to begin the following stage of his profession or give faculty yet another go. Miami stayed in contact all through what turned out to be a 12-day course of, promoting Ward on its imaginative and prescient for his improvement and progress in Coral Gables, but additionally hedged in opposition to Ward’s potential transfer to the NFL by signing Albany switch quarterback Reese Poffenbarger.
Ward by no means bought an official draft grade however his father mentioned predictions ranged from late first spherical to Day 3. Most suggestions had him as a Day 2 (Rounds 2-3) choose. In the end, Ward felt like there was nonetheless extra to be achieved in faculty and that Miami may assist him grow to be a surefire first spherical choose.
Regardless of the numerous compensation supplied through the expedited switch portal recruiting course of, Ward’s father claimed the ultimate resolution actually wasn’t about cash. As a substitute, Miami gained Ward over by interesting to his underdog standing and the way each side may collectively assist elevate one another to the extent they belonged. After a 12-13 begin to his Miami tenure, coach Mario Cristobal knew he wanted a serious influence participant at quarterback.
“He felt very snug with Miami and what Miami was attempting to do, not solely offensively however defensively,” the elder Ward mentioned. “Miami is a storied program however they hadn’t had a lot success in the previous few years and (Cam’s) seen like a sleeper. He thought it was an ideal match of I can go assist Miami and Miami can assist me. He cherished what they did offensively.”
Saturday was only a preview of what Ward can do that 12 months. Just one recreation into his Hurricanes profession, the Miami quarterback already believes eschewing the NFL was “the perfect resolution I made.” His father, Calvin, who has traveled to all of his son’s video games referred to as it a “magical” expertise and his favourite recreation of his son’s faculty profession.
“I can gratefully say that God put me on this place in opposition to an SEC workforce,” Cam Ward mentioned after the sport. “It did not work out how I wished early on, however he bought a plan for me. Simply the issues that I needed to undergo personally recruiting-wise led me to this second round nice teammates and an important teaching employees.”
Ward’s deicision to signal with to Miami and Uiagalelei’s to go together with Florida State have already made a big effect on the 2024 season. Miami is ranked No. 12 within the nation after its Ward-led win over Florida. Florida State is 0-2 and the primary ever Related Press ballot top-10 preseason workforce to not obtain votes in Week 1. With Ward, Miami appears able to beating anybody whereas Florida State’s critical offensive issues begin on the quarterback place. That is the facility, for higher and worse, the switch portal can have in your workforce’s potential now.
For Miami, Ward already has followers dreaming of a nationwide relevance this system hasn’t really seen in years. Simply do not trouble telling him that as a result of he is too busy preparing for what’s subsequent.
“He solely sees I made the fallacious learn on this or I ought to have gone right here with the ball,” Calvin Ward mentioned. “He’ll consistently get higher, he will consistently enhance as a result of he is consistently working at it.”
