Miami Hurricanes QB Cam Ward earns latest honor with Manning Award

Cam Ward added the 2024 Manning Award after previously earning ACC Player of the Year, the Davey O’Brien Award, first-team All-ACC and consensus All-American honors this season. The Manning Award was first given out in 2004 and honors, Archie, Eli and Peyton Manning.

Ward is the first Miami player and only third from the ACC to win the Manning Award. Matt Ryan from Boston College won the 2007 Manning Award. Deshawn Watson of Clemson is the only two-time Manning Award winner after the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Clemson won the National Championship following the 2016 season.

Archie Manning stated that Ward leading the nation in touchdowns in 2024 while setting the NCAA Division I career record for TD passes and Miami winning 10 games for the first time since 2017 led to the awarding of the Manning Award to the Miami QB.

As the projected number-one pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Ward would become the eighth Manning Award winner to be selected first overall. Ward set the Miami single-season records for TD passes and was responsible for and passing yards and total yards during the 2024 season.

After beginning his career at Football Bowl Subdivision Incarnate Word in San Antonio for two years, Ward transferred to Washington State in 2022 and then to Miami. Ward finished with 158 passing TDs between Incarnate Word, Washington State and Miami to break the previous Divison I record of 155 set by Case Keenum of Houston from 2007-11.

Ward was a Heisman Finalist in 2024. Georgia QB Stetson Bennett and Ward are the only Manning Award winners since 2017 who did not win the Heisman Trophy. Ward was the first Heisman Trophy finalist from Miami since QB Ken Dorsey and running back Willis McGahee after the 2002 season.