A seasoned signal caller is anticipated to join the Miami Hurricanes. Will they discover the ideal match?
Cam Ward, the quarterback for Washington State, signed up for the transfer portal on Friday. The Miami Hurricanes are likely to be among the teams vying for his services as he will be the most sought-after quarterback available.
Ward fulfills every requirement I have. He has experience. He is an NFL caliber arm player. His legs can cause damage to defenses.
In 2023, Ward had a lot of success with the Cougars. With 25 touchdowns and 7 interceptions on 3,732 yards of completion rate, he completed 66.7 percent of his passes. He added eight touchdowns via rushing.
It’s important to note that although Ward accessed the portal, he is still thinking about becoming a professional.
Even if there are occasionally concerns about Ward’s decision-making process, I struggle to think of a superior choice overall than Ward. A number of large programs will be interested, as Bruce Feldman points out below.
I hope Miami locates another graduate transfer if Mario Cristobal is unable to get Ward to Coral Gables. A one-year bridge quarterback seems ideal to me.
With a talented roster, Miami might be just one reliable quarterback away from contending for an ACC Championship. They can get there with a steady, skilled veterinarian. Then, in 2025, a competition for QB1 can be seen between Emory Williams, Jacurri Brown (should he remain), and judd Anderson. The veteran can guide the younger men in 2024 before handing over the reins.
transfer of graduatesI also find Mississippi State’s Will Rogers to be a compelling choice because he is familiar with the air raid offense. He ought to have little trouble adjusting to Shannon Dawson’s system at Miami. Will Howard of Kansas State, another recent graduate transfer, interests me because of his ability to be a dual threat.
There are also options for younger people. In my Locked On Canes podcast this morning, I discussed UCLA quarterback Dante Moore’s potential. Moore was just out of high school when he stepped through the portal.
Moore is incredibly gifted, but it’s unlikely that he’s prepared to guide a team to a conference title. Unlike the others we talked about, he is not “plug and play”. He must grow. I believe Miami would still need a veteran to guide them through the upcoming season even if they were able to sign Moore. Is NIL money sufficient to capture two? According to reports, the quarterback market is in the seven-figure range for elite targets.
Although I think Ward is the greatest option, we have to put our belief in head coach Mario Cristobal, offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson, and general manager Alonzo Highsmith to select the quarterback who best suits the strategy and the locker culture. One may claim that Miami’s erratic quarterback play cost them several victories in 2023. In ’24, that cannot take place once more.
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