FORT WORTH, Texas — Whereas Cam Ward hasn’t determined if he’ll throw on the NFL mix subsequent week, the quarterback is aware of how he’ll reply any scouts or staff personnel who ask him if he give up on the Miami Hurricanes by not ending his closing recreation with the staff.
“OK, you are both going to draft me otherwise you’re not,” Ward mentioned Monday evening earlier than receiving the Davey O’Brien Award because the nation’s prime school quarterback. “In the event you do not draft me, that is your fault. You have to keep in mind you are the identical staff that is obtained to play me for the remainder of my profession, and I am going to keep in mind that.”
Ward was showered with on-line criticism suggesting that he give up on the Hurricanes after he did not play the second half of the Pop-Tarts Bowl — a 42-41 loss to Iowa State — in December. He broke the NCAA Division I file for profession landing passes earlier than halftime.
The quarterback, who may very well be the primary participant chosen within the NFL draft in April, mentioned the choice to not play within the second half of that bowl recreation was predetermined by him and the teaching workers.
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“I simply assume all of us obtained what we wanted out of it. They seen issues that they assume they should work on … for this season arising. And so they additionally knew, you already know, what I had on the road,” Ward mentioned. “We really feel like we’re doing what’s finest for this system and myself. I imply, it was a tough resolution, particularly when, you already know, some guys on our staff did not play who I believed ought to have performed. It was additionally, you already know, these guys thought of their future the identical method I thought of mine.”
Miami coach Mario Cristobal has defended Ward. Final month, he known as the accusations of Ward quitting on the staff “a false narrative.”
“If I may do it once more, I would do it the identical method,” Ward mentioned Monday, although he later added, “I want we may have ended up successful the sport. If we had received the sport, they would not have mentioned nothing. And so, that is normally the way it goes. And you already know, you simply obtained to take it on the chin and simply preserve pushing.”
With the primary of his three landing passes within the Pop-Tarts Bowl, throughout which he threw for 190 yards to push Miami to a 31-28 halftime lead, Ward set the Division I — FBS and FCS — file at 156 touchdowns, yet one more than Houston’s Case Keenum (2007 to 2011). Miami used Emory Williams at quarterback within the second half. The Hurricanes have since added former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck as a switch.
Ward completed his school profession with 158 TD passes, and his 18,189 passing yards — 6,908 at Incarnate Phrase, 6,968 at Washington State and 4,313 at Miami — is third most in NCAA historical past, behind solely Keenum and Dillon Gabriel. In his lone season with Miami, Ward set single-season faculty file for yards, completions (305), landing passes (39) and completion price — each for a season and a profession, at 67.2%.
As for the upcoming mix, Ward mentioned he hadn’t provide you with a plan of what he would do subsequent week in Indianapolis. He does plan to throw at Miami’s professional day.
The Davey O’Brien Award ceremony took place three weeks after Ward accepted the Manning Award. He adopted Jayden Daniels, the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner who additionally received each of these quarterback awards earlier than being the No. 2 draft decide final 12 months then main the Washington Commanders to the NFC Championship Sport.
“To see him succeed,” Ward mentioned of Daniels, “is motivating for not solely myself however all the different quarterbacks.”
