Local and national media who cover college football, Miami and specifically Cam Ward closely, came to his defense on Saturday playing in the Pop-Tarts Bowl at all Saturday. Canes Insight reported on Saturday night "It was always the plan for Cam to only play a half. Everybody was good with it and it wasn't a unilateral deal."
If Ward had opted completely out of the game there likely would have been little to no criticism. Local media and several draft analysts defended Ward's decision to only play in the first half. The draft analysts said the decision by Ward will have zero impact on his status either way for NFL teams.
Ward completed 12 passes in 19 attempts for 190 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, leading Miami to a 31-28 halftime lead over Iowa State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Saturday. With Ward at quarterback on Saturday, Miami had 358 total yards in the first half and 166 without him in the second half.
Emory Williams relieved Ward in the second half and completed five passes in 14 attempts for 26 yards, no TDs and one interception. Williams did lead Miami on two scoring drives. Miami had a 10-play, 71-yard drive that culminated in a Mark Fletcher one-yard run in the third quarter to extend the Miami lead to 38-28.
It was always the plan for Cam to play only a half. Everybody was good with it and it wasn’t a unilateral deal.
— CanesInSight (@CanesInSight) December 29, 2024
The real issue is that he can spot us 31 points in two quarters and it’s still not enough.
Williams completed only one pass to RayRay Joseph for eight yards on his first scoring drive. After Iowa State scored a TD to cut the deficit to three, Williams led a 14-play, 72-yard drive in 7:40 that ended in a 21-yard Andre Borregales field goal to extend the Miami lead to 41-35. The inability to score a TD led to the loss.
He didn’t “opt out.” The plan was to play Emory Williams in the second half. How about we elevate Cam Ward for actually playing in this type of game when he didn’t have to instead of assuming he just clocked out. https://t.co/rS9gIYamk0
— Gaby Urrutia (@GabyUrrutia247) December 29, 2024
Pollack stating Ward opted out could be analogous to calling his layoff from ESPN Gameday a firing. Urrutia who covers Miami every day for Inside the U is much closer to what is going on with Miami than Pollack does not currently cover college football for any major media outlet.
By the way, the discourse over Ward playing half a bowl game is absurd given the number of players who sit out in this era, including several other Hurricanes starters.
— Chris Hummer (@chris_hummer) December 29, 2024
Ward made bowl season more fun. People should appreciate him suiting up at all.
Hummer is a national reporter for 247Sports, the parent company of Inside the U, with a focus on the transfer portal. Hummer wrote about Ward in 2021 "'Dude is an absolute freak': Incarnate Word QB transfer Cameron Ward is about to blow up" ahead of his transfer to Washington State.
Cam Ward did not opt out at halftime. Miami had to evaluate Emory Williams today as well. That was important. And I'd bet most fans would have rather taken two quarters of Cam Ward over no quarters of Cam Ward.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) December 29, 2024
Reynolds is as close to the Miami athletic program as anyone as a national writer for the Associated Press and panelist on the Hurricanes' pregame shows. Ward provided college football and Miami fans one last exhilarating half without three of his top four wide receivers playing in the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
Respectfully my friend, zero NFL teams will bring this up. For what would he be answering?Masking every flaw on a team that wouldnt have been in CFP conversation at all if it weren’t for him? For going out and having a great half after many teammates had already bailed and then…
— Chris Fallica (@chrisfallica) December 29, 2024
Fallica is a Miami alum who previously was producer and odds expert on ESPN College Gameday and now appears on The Big Noon Kickoff on Fox. Fallica rightfully points how how Ward elevated Miami every week throughout the 2024 eason.
I promise you ZERO teams care that Cam Ward only played a half tonight. Move on. Nothing to see here.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) December 29, 2024
Miller is a self-described "ESPN NFL Draft Analyst & Insider" on his X account. The concise comment from Miller essentially reiterates what Fallica said. ESPN football analyst Booger McFarland praised Ward during the halftime coverage on ABC for his decision to play on Saturday.
I think WARD showed loyalty by just playing. Has my respect. I was also impressed he even ran for a first down. I don’t have an issue with WARD- but generally, society has become soft and just expect a lot before they put in very hard work. Nothing comes easy. At least that… https://t.co/nHhWJ9DnXq
— John H. Ruiz, CEO and Attorney at Law (@JohnHRuiz) December 29, 2024
Ruiz is a major Miami benefactor. Many of the people like Pollack, likely praised Ward for his decision to play then criticized him for only playing one half. Ward gave Miami a memorable season and put the Hurricanes in a position to earn a College Football Playoff berth and win the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Those were not accomplished for other reasons.