Cam Ward admits returning to college was one of the hardest decisions he has made

It’s been a tumultuous offseason for Cam Ward. The former Washington State quarterback initially declared for the 2024 NFL Draft on Jan. 1. However, less than two weeks later, Ward decided to transfer to Miami. On Thursday, Ward pulled back the curtain on his massive decision.

“That was probably one of the hardest decisions I had to make, from thinking I was ready for the NFL Draft to knowing I’m still not done yet in college,” Ward said. “There’s still food left on the table for myself, for this team.

“The guys we return from last season — majority of O-line, receiving corps back, key pieces of the defense. … I feel like this is the right program not only for myself but for guys who are here right now or going to end up coming here. We’re trying to build because, at the end of the day, Miami, we’ve got to get back up there. It starts one game at a time. One practice at a time.”

Ward is used to change. Ward spent two seasons at Incarnate Word, an FCS program. While there Ward was selected to the FCS All-American Second Team, named Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Year and was a Walter Payton Award Finalist, an honor given to the most outstanding offensive player in FCS Football.

After transferring to Washington State in 2022, Ward didn’t slow down. Ward tallied 3,735 passing yards this past season, the fifth-most in the country. He also tacked on 25 passing touchdowns and eight rushing scores while throwing just seven interceptions.

Mario Cristobal weighs in on Cam Ward’s pivotal decision

Now, he hopes to use his talents to boost Miami to its former heights. Ward wasn’t the only one who felt the weight of his decision. Head coach Mario Cristobal revealed his perspective on the standout quarterback’s decision to commit to Miami.

“Like a lot of the recruiting battles we have,” Mario Cristobal said. “It’s always a marathon when you’re getting after it and if you truly believe in it you’ll stay with it and you’ll stick to the truth. You just recruit guys with genuine passion, with honesty, transparency, and I don’t know. There was a feeling all along that no matter how it initially played out that he wanted to be a Miami Hurricane.

“When that call came in, I didn’t know if I wanted to high-five or jump through the screen and put him in a headlock. You know? But the weight was worth it. Guys like that, we felt that, you know how it is, guys like that that can make change and make a big difference not just as a player but as a human being are–they come around not too often.”