Subscribe
Follow Us
Miami (FL) football entered the Pop-Tarts Bowl knowing full well this would become the final game for Cam Ward. Little did the Hurricanes know, Ward triggered some intense buzz during the Iowa State contest won by the Cyclones 42-41. And it wasn't because of the wild fumble involving Ward on the game's first play.
In an era of bowl opt-outs, Ward decided to play one last time for Miami before he goes pro. But, the Heisman Trophy finalist never completed the game. Not because of injury, but simply due to what Sports Illustrated reporter Mike McDaniel called “a business decision.” Ward opted to sit the entire second half.
Ward even pulled off the decision after throwing his 156th career touchdown pass. He ended the afternoon completed 12-of-19 passes for 190 yards and firing three touchdowns. Ward shattered history on one of his touchdown passes. His Hurricanes led 31-28 at the half. But, Ward's sudden exit sparked numerous intense online reactions. Including from former college players like ex-Minnesota defensive back Coney Durr.
“I don’t care what anybody says , Cam Ward sitting out the second half of this game is a disgrace to the game of Football. Either you riding with us one last game or opt out to begin with! It’s BS!” Durr posted on X.
NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay was another outspoken critic for Ward's decision.
“I appreciate that Cam Ward, in this day and age in CFB, played at all. But I just can’t imagine starting any game with teammates, especially as a quarterback, and electing to pull myself out while my teammates are still trying to finish the job in a back-and-forth battle,” McShay posted. “I’m a realist. I know the climate. I’m not even knocking Cam here. It’s just different.”
Mario Cristobal reacts to Cam Ward's decision
Ward's head coach Mario Cristobal did more than address the heart-wrenching loss to the Cyclones. Especially after Iowa State took the lead with 56 seconds left on Rocco Becht's one-yard touchdown sneak.
Article Continues Below
Cristobal addressed Ward's decision to pull himself out of the lineup. The head coach, however, explained this decision came as a “private” matter, per Adam Lichtenstein of the Sun Sentinel.
“I think all meetings with players and decisions like that, we make them in private and we keep them in private,” Cristobal explained.
The former Miami offensive lineman and third-year Hurricanes coach added: “I'll prefer not to answer questions as it relates to that. I know he played his best while he was still in there.”
Cristobal's words paints the picture that he's unbothered by Ward giving his starting job away to Emory Williams. Williams finished 5-of-14 for 26 yards.
Ward got his mix of critics and supporters after his decision to sit. Miami recruiting reporter for 247Sports Gaby Urrutia became another who defended Ward — revealing to college football analyst David Pollock that the plan was to play Williams eventually in the game.
“He didn’t ‘opt out.' The plan was to play Emory Williams in the second half. How about we elevate Cam Ward for actually playing in this type of game when he didn’t have to instead of assuming he just clocked out?” Urrutia asked Pollock on X.
