Cam Ward
Way Too Early Heisman
By: Joe Delaney
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Heisman hopefuls for 2024. As we move forward with the 2024 season let’s look at the early hopefuls for the coveted Heisman Trophy as College Football’s Most Outstanding Player.
A month into the season; let’s look at who’s hot and who’s not.
We lead off with Quinn Ewers of the now #1 ranked Texas Longhorns. The 6’ 2” 210 QB has thrown for around 700 yards. Great numbers but where we go from here remains to be seen.
Ewers sustained an oblique strain in the second quarter of the UTSA game and is now week to week. He better get ready pretty quick for two reasons.
First the meat of the schedule is coming up with Oklahoma and Georgia back-to-back.
Secondly, Ewers has the highest rated backup in football in Arch Manning. If Manning takes off Ewers may have a hard time getting back on the field much less win the Heisman.
I’m thinking Ewers is a lukewarm candidate as of now. And those games with Oklahoma and Georgia will tell us where Ewers and the Longhorns are going.
Next up is Carson Beck of the now #2 Georgia Bulldogs. Both Beck and the Dawgs looked very beatable and average against the Kentucky Wildcats. The good thing is that they still won the game.
The 6’4” 220lb Beck has thrown for 680 yards and 7 TDS and 0 INTs. Beck may be hampered in that he won’t lead the nation in passing yards and TDs. But he might lead the Dawgs to the National Championship.
We will see how the next few weeks play out as the Dawgs have to travel to both Alabama and Texas. Get HOT in those two games and Beck has a good shot.
Jalen Milroe of the Alabama Crimson Tide is HOT. That’s capital letter HOT. The 6’2” 225 LB QB has thrown for 590 yards in 3 games with 8 TDs and 0 INTs. But wait, Mr. Dual Threat has also rushed for 156 Yds and 6 more TDs.
The guy has a great deep ball and can pull it and make defenses pay when he runs out of the pocket. He is a true Dual Threat QB and is leading an Alabama offense that has scored 63, 42, and 42 points in the first 3 games of the season.
If he leads the Elephants to a win over Georgia on September 28th, he will be your front runner.
Well did you notice the top three? Sure, you did. All high profile SEC guys. Let them take away votes from here and there and you might just have Cam Ward of the Miami Hurricanes hoisting the trophy in New York.
Ward has led the Hurricanes to a top 10 ranking, all the while putting up Heisman type numbers. Try throwing for over 1035 yards and almost 15 TD’. This guy is a real threat. Ward is HOT and if he stays that way he has both the schedule and the team to move his Heisman hopes forward. He’s my dark horse of the top 4.
And yes, it’s so early in the season that other players may step up. Don’t count out Dillon Gabriel of Oregon or Jaxson Dart of Ole Miss. Great players with very good teams behind them.
Add in Shedeur Sanders of Colorado and Nico Iamaleava of Tennessee for a couple of longshots and there you go.
And notice that I haven’t had a position player other than QB. Stranger things have happened but I just don’t see a running back or receiver stepping up. But it’s early.
My way too early pick is Jalen Milroe. This guy is coming into his own and he has a new coach that is going to turn him loose.
Remember, Kalen DeBoer is considered a QB guru. Last year he had Michel Penix Jr. with the Washington Huskies. This year It’s Jalen Milroe.
I think Milroe will put up unbelievable numbers that will vault him into the Heisman discussion. And if the Tide play up to their capabilities. He’s who I think will be on the podium come December.
Sugary Canes
By: Charlie Moon
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Gimme two chains and a big ole pimp hat – a big green one with a thick black stripe around the brim. Sounds like a garb-laden recipe for great football. I get it. We’re in a new era of youth sports. Bat-flipping and TD chains are a way of pigskin normalcy. But the Canes are king when it comes to all swag, no substance.
I really try not to be Mr. Hyperbole, but I think the Canes might be the most disappointing college football team of the last twenty years.
Consider this. From 1983 to 2003, the Hurricanes won more than 10 games, 14 times. All 5 of the Canes’ national titles were won during that same time span.
And since then?…..just one 10-plus win season.
Seeing that, I nearly spit out my iced coffee.
Their schedule slots several slippery slopes.
The Canes get ACC favorite FSU at home and don’t even have to play the #2 squad Clemson Tigers. Those playoff chances hinge heavily on the Canes opening week trip to Gainesville. They also have roadies at Cal and GA Tech.
Word around Coral Gables is the U will get back to its natural born identity, the run game. Last year, Miami ranked 10th in average yards/carry of Power 5 teams. Sweet, but the Canes want to add more sugar.
The Georgia Bulldogs have been known as “Running Back U” for a couple decades, but before that Miami was right there. Coral Gables was hot-n-heavy with studs like Alonzo Highsmith, Willis McGahee and Edgerrin James.
For all the flamboyant flamingo flying of guys like Michael Irvin and Bennie Blades, it was the rushing game that sweetened the Canes.
There’s probably more upside to the Miami RB room than any other ACC squad. 2023 leading rusher Henry Parrish left for Lane Kiffin’s Rebels, but the Canes got what I think will be one of the top ACC transfers in Oregon State’s Junior Damian Martinez.
In his first two years, he tallied 2,167 yds and 6.4 yards/carry. AJ Allen and Mark Fletcher add depth and both would probably start for many Top 20 teams.
The O-line returns most of its bulk but will be led by Indiana transfer center and 2023 All Big 10er, Zach Rivers.
Leading wideout Xavier Restepo brings back his 85 catches. The rest of the wideout room is good, but not great.
But the biggest reason Canes Nation sees sunshine is QB transfer Cam Ward from Washington State.
Most of the country may have rarely, if ever, seen Ward play. Let’s face it. If it wasn’t for Phil Knight’s checkbook, the only thing college football fans would respect out of the northwest would be the occasional bark of the Huskies, certainly not the Cougars.
But I believe Cam Ward will be THE #1 most valuable ACC transfer and a sleeper for the country’s top role. He’s got it all with his legs and his arm. Once he improved his progression reading, he became lethal. The 3-year Apple State man has thrown for over 11,500 yards with 92 TDs and 25 INTs.
Honestly, I don’t even know where to start with the Canes defense. We’re in the age of the transfer portal. But, the Canes have a possible 12 transfer starters, it would be like predicting how many flamingos will be in the next Miami Vice flick.
The biggest wildcard for Miami is HC Mario “Can’t Get Right” Christobal. I’m sure he’s a smart guy. You don’t reach that level without being smart.
But that doesn’t mean your brain won’t freeze when the lights come on. With a 3-point lead against GA Tech last year, who had no time outs, what do you do?
Obviously, you run the ball, right? Wrong! They ran it…and fumbled. GA Tech scored a few plays later. It could be forgotten, but Christobal did something similar when he was at Oregon.
In the end, I really think this is finally the year that the Canes get back to national prominence. Not saying they’re a sneaky top 4 or 5 team, but I do think they’re a sneaky shot to reach the expanded playoff.
Much weighs on Cam Ward. I think he’s a Heisman dark horse Top 5. Damian Martinez is a dark horse Doak Walker winner. It’ll come down to the defensive transfers and a coach who has a history of going brain dead.
Storm Brewing
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Miami Hurricanes’ QB room leveled up in overall talent and went from three scholarship QBs last year to a much favorable situation this time around.
Heck, you could argue that Emory Williams and Jacurri Brown (transferred out this spring) were the best two QBs on the roster at the end of last year amid Tyler Van Dyke’s issues, and they spent this spring as the third- and fourth-teamers.
The turnover woes of Van Dyke are now Wisconsin’s problem, right? A pair of hot-handed transfers radically altered the dynamic of Miami.
Washington State star Cam Ward, who some projected as a third round NFL pick had he gone pro, showcased his ability this spring and very much looks like the real deal. Albany’s Reese Poffenbarger also came on and looks like he can do some good things, although he will be behind Ward and will compete to start next year.
Ward showcased his talent in the Spring Game with 324 passing yards, three TDs with no turnovers, making good decisions and completing balls from different arm angles.
As a refresher, the 6-2, 221-pounder was No. 4 in passing yards in college football last year, finishing hitting on 66.7 percent of his throws for 3,732 yards (311.0 yards per game) with 25 TDs and seven INTs (adding eight rushing scores). His arm talent is unquestioned, and he’s also mobile.
Per Pro Football Focus, Ward graded out at a stellar 80.7 percent this past season (59.9 percent in 2022 and then 66.9 percent and 67.0 percent his prior two years at Incarnate Word). He was particularly deadly on deep throws last season with an elite 92.7 grade on throws of 20+ yards (he was 23-57 for 725 yards with 10 TDs and two INTs on those passes).
As for Poffenbarger? The 6-0 dual threat hit on 58.7 percent of his passes in 2023 for an FCS-best 3,603 passing yards along with 36 TDs and 13 INTs.
He also ran for five more scores with 187 rush yards. Two years ago, he completed 61.5 percent of his throws for 2,999 yards with 24 TDs and four INTs, adding 128 rush yards and two more scores. He graded out at a stellar 84.9 percent last year per PFF, including an elite 91.3 percent on throw of 20+ yards (35-103, 1,321 yards, 21 TDs, six INTs).
Williams, on the other hand, was No. 3 on the depth chart much of the spring and he got experience with two starts as a true freshman. The first was against Clemson when Tyler Van Dyke was injured and the second against Florida State after Van Dyke was benched.
In the win vs. the Tigers you saw a poised Williams who wasn’t asked to do too much – he threw mainly short passes and was 24-33 for 151 yards with a TD and interception.
The sky’s the limit for this Miami offense that, in the last two years, averaged 23.6 and 31.5 points and 367.1 and 431.2 yards, respectively.
Whispers around Greentree are that this can be an offense that averages 40 points a game under Ward’s leadership.
For reference, Miami hasn’t averaged 39 or more points since 2002, and only seven teams in the nation averaged that many points last season. A lot will rest on QB#1’s shoulder.
With Xavier Restrepo and Jacolby George the top two returning receivers (and UM chasing more talent in the second portal window), TE Elijah Arroyo back, freshman H-back Elija Lofton looking like the real deal and the team looking to add a difference-making RB (likely Oregon State’s Damien Martinez) in the second portal window, there’s all kinds of room for optimism.
The O line has already addressed its needs with Indiana veteran center Zach Carpenter joined by three returning starters and very good young depth.
Perhaps the only caveat here is Ward’s fumbling issues (46 in the last four years). But with this setup, it’s hard to see a world in which Cam Ward and this offense aren’t very, very successful.
