QB Ward commits to Miami after flirting with draft

Former Washington State quarterback Cameron Ward is transferring to Miami, he announced on social media Saturday night.

Ward entered the transfer portal as a graduate transfer on Dec. 1, then declared for the NFL draft but didn’t hire an agent, preserving his college eligibility.

The 6-foot-2, 223-pound Ward, who transferred from Incarnate Word to Washington State ahead of the 2022 season, threw for 3,732 yards, 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions while rushing for eight scores this past season. He earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention honors in each of his two years in Pullman.

Ward is the second quarterback Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal has secured through the transfer portal in the last week; Albany’s Reese Poffenbarger committed on Monday. Tyler Van Dyke, who started for the past three seasons for the Hurricanes and threw for 2,703 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2023, transferred to Wisconsin last month.

Either Ward or Poffenbarger is expected to get the reins to Miami’s offense, which needs a jump start in the passing game. The unit finished 31st in the country in total offense (431.2 yards per game), 42nd in passing offense (258.0 YPG) and tied for 38th with West Virginia in scoring offense (31.5 points per game).

Cristobal is 12-13 in his first two seasons at his alma mater after a 7-6 campaign in 2023. His Miami team opens next season at in-state rival Florida on Aug. 31.