The Miami Hurricanes are gearing up to visit the Syracuse Orange with their season on the line. The Hurricanes’ unbeaten run came to an end with the loss to Georgia Tech, in which the quarterback Cam Ward had a costly fumble that sealed the game. As Ward’s Heisman campaign was put on halt, NFL Hall of Famer Jimmy Johnson drew a comparison between the Canes signal caller and the Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.
At first glance, being compared to the 2024 NFL Draft’s first overall selection is not a bad look on Ward, quite the opposite. However, the legendary Dallas Cowboys head coach explained the downside on both players’ style.
The comparison hasn’t aged any better after Caleb Williams and the Bears lost to the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day after a disastrous final play. Ward, however, can prove the critics wrong on Saturday when the Hurricanes take on the Orange in hopes of making the ACC Championship and possibly earning a berth in the College Football Playoffs.
“It’s like Caleb Williams. You’ve got to reel him in,” Johnson said, via The Herd with Colin Cowherd. “You got to say take your check downs. He makes some great plays by being off-platform and running around, he makes some great plays, but he also turns the ball over doing that. He’s got a great arm and may have the best arm in all of football, as far as collegiate football.
Cam Ward #1 of the Miami Hurricanes rushes the ball in the third quarter of a game against the South Florida Bulls at Raymond James Stadium on September 21, 2024 in Tampa, Florida.
“He can make the plays, he can make the right decisions, but as far as an offensive coach, you’ve got to keep him from making all those scrambles and trying to make the great play. Just take what’s there.”
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Ward’s numbers
The Hurricanes finally got over the hump and put on a full season, though they are still one win away from their goal: making the ACC Title game. Mario Cristobal’s program has Ward to thank for it. The transfer from Washington State had an immediate impact in Coral Gables and the statistics support this claim.
Through eleven games, Ward has completed 67.2% of his passes, amassing 3,774 passing yards, 34 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Miami’s QB was considered a Heisman Trophy candidate, but his momentum seems to have waned. The race now appears to be a two-horse sprint between Travis Hunter and Ashton Jeanty.
The biggest knock on Ward is his tendency to hold onto the ball. Similarly to Caleb Williams, Ward tends to scramble around looking for the big play downfield, which has come back to bite him throughout the NCAA season. Ward has been sacked 21 times this year. A good portion of that number could’ve been reduced if the QB got rid of the football faster.
As Williams is discovering with the Bears, the scrambling, gunslinger style might not be the smartest or most effective approach, especially for a rookie in the NFL.
Must-win for Miami
The Hurricanes will travel to New York to face their season’s litmus test. Miami must win in Syracuse to secure a spot in the ACC Championship. Given how this season has unfolded, any result other than a win would be a huge disappointment for the ‘U’.
