The Hurricanes have had one double-digit win season since 2004, back in 2017, when Mark Richt led the ‘Canes to a 10-3 campaign. Since then, Miami has flirted with finishing right around .500 for the better part of a decade.
It seems that year in and year out, Miami fans have a reason to believe that the run of mediocrity could be over and that a return to national prominence is on the horizon.
This year’s hope comes from landing one of the top transfer quarterbacks in the nation: Cam Ward.
Another Dynamic Miami Hurricane Quarterback?
The Miami Hurricanes were once known for producing some of the top college football passers in history. Year after year, it seemed like they churned out a big-time quarterback.
The legacy of prominent Miami quarterbacks began with Jim Kelly (1978-1982) and has continued with many notable names. Bernie Kosar (1982-1984), Vinnie Testaverde (1982-1986), Craig Erickson (1987-1990), Gino Torretta (1989-1992), Ken Dorsey (1999-2002), Jacory Harris (2008-2011), and Stephen Morris (2010-2013) are among the top signal-callers who have defined the position for the Hurricanes.
But it has been nearly a decade since Miami has had one of the best players in the nation leading their offense.
This year, head coach Mario Cristobal seems to believe Hurricane fans may see something they haven’t in quite some time—a dangerous Miami offense led by an elite quarterback.
Cristobal took to the podium at ACC Media Days to explain why he thought that was about to change.
“We believe Cam Ward will allow Miami to do things that we haven’t done in a long time,” said the Miami head coach.
When Cam Ward opted out of entering the 2024 NFL Draft and entered the transfer portal, he instantly became one of the most sought-after quarterbacks in the nation.
At the time, CFN’s Executive Director Cam Mellor ranked Ward as the fourth highest-rated quarterback in the transfer portal in 2024.
Ward spent the past two seasons at Washington State, starting all 25 games. During that time, he threw for nearly 7,000 yards and accounted for 61 touchdowns.
He’s coming off a standout 2023 season, completing 66.6% of his passes for 3,735 yards, 25 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He also added 144 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground.
Ward Brings More Than Just Physical Talent
Cam Ward’s physical ability and production are apparent when you watch the tape and examine his stats. But Cristobal gushed about his leadership qualities at ACC Media Days in Charlotte.
“What stands out about Cam is his leadership,” Cristobal said. “He’s an alpha leader. Cam was highly sought after by the entire country for his playmaking, but the ability to bounce back after a possession stood out during spring practice.”
And it’s not just his coaches that he has turned into believers; some of his new teammates have had some pretty impressive things to say regarding Ward and his ability to lead the Hurricanes.
Former Washington Husky defensive back Mishael Powell, who has since transferred to Miami, has squared off against Ward in the Pac-12 and Hurricane Spring practices.
Powell raved about how talented he believes Ward is and where he ranks among some of the best quarterbacks in college football over the past few years.
“Cam is the best quarterback in the country,” Powell told ESPN back in May. “I think he’s the most complete. I’ve gone against top quarterbacks and practiced against who I think is the best quarterback in the draft this year, Michael Penix. Went against Caleb Williams. I played Jayden Daniels when he was at Arizona State. J.J. McCarthy, and DJ Uiagalelei at Florida State now.”
“I played against some pretty top-tier elite quarterbacks, and he’s right there with them, if not better. He has a really high ceiling.”
It’s evident that Ward’s teammates and coaches believe something special is happening in South Florida.
And if Cristobal is correct, we may be on the verge of seeing something we haven’t seen on the field in quite some time: a dynamic quarterback leading a dangerous Miami Hurricane football team.
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