Cam Ward labels Damien Martinez 'The real deal'

One former Pac-12 star in Cam Ward is getting a lot of attention for Miami ahead of the 2024 college football season. Another one in Damien Martinez is set to be a key part of the Hurricanes offense, too.

The Oregon State transfer committed to Miami back in April and should be one of the best running backs in the country this fall.

Last season Damien Martinez rushed for nearly 1,200 yards, while averaging 6.1 yards per carry. Cam Ward said at the ACC Football Kickoff event that he has been incredibly impressive thus far.

“Just the things that he can do, the way he moves laterally, the way he gets the ball and goes straight downhill, how he can make people miss,” Ward said of what makes Damien Martinez special. “The tape that you see on him, he’s the real deal. I got to see it in person, I’ve seen it in practice. I’m going to see it in fall camp.”

Martinez rushed for nine touchdowns last season and also made plays in the passing game, finishing with 11 receptions for 126 yards.

Miami has an excellent offensive line that should create plenty of holes for the rising junior.

“When you hand 6 that ball off, you never know what’s going to happen,” Ward said. “It’s going to be a big play. It might just be five yards. But five yards is all you need to keep the chains moving.”

Martinez and Ward are two of several transfers that joined the Miami roster this offseason. With plenty of talent returning and an impressive group of newcomers, the Hurricanes are a real threat to win the ACC.

Ward feels like everyone is working together well and expects Miami to make some serious noise this season.

“It’s going good, especially with the older transfers,” he said. “I got a chance to play against Meesh [Powell] when he was at Washington. I played against Damien when he was at Oregon State. We actually are locker mates. We’re all right beside each other. Then with CJ Clark coming from North Carolina State, Elijah Austin from Marshall, we all gelled good. We do a lot of stuff outside of the facility. So I feel like this team, we’re probably unbreakable. I feel like the biggest thing for us this year is trying to stay healthy.”

If the Hurricanes do gel well together and stay healthy, don’t be surprised if Miami wins the ACC and reaches the College Football Playoff.