Is it Cam Ward or bust for Miami football team in transfer portal?
The Miami football program could be Cam Ward or bust in the transfer portal. Will Howard, who Miami hosted last week, has committed to USC. Howard and Ward are the only two transfer quarterbacks Miami has hosted. Miami has only three scholarship quarterbacks projected on its 2024 roster and even that is tenuous.
After Tyler Van Dyke entered the transfer portal and subsequently announced he will spend his final season at Wisconsin, Miami has Jacurri Brown, Emory Williams and 2024 signee Judd Anderson as the projected QBs on the 2024 Miami roster. Brown is the lone healthy scholarship QB for the Pinstripe Bowl versus Rutgers on December 28.
Brown has not committed to returning next season. There has been a lot of speculation that Brown could enter the transfer portal following the season. Brown did not play as a snap during the 2023 season. That allowed him to redshirt after playing in eight games as a true freshman and starting two in 2022.
With Van Dyke transferring and Williams suffering a season-ending compound arm fracture versus Florida State, Brown is the last scholarship QB for Miami available. Brown will make his season debut versus Rutgers. How Brown performs in the Pinstripe Bowl could influence if he returns to Miami or transfers for 2024.
Three of the top four transfers have not announced their next programs. Former UCLA QB Dante Moore is second, Ward is third and Maalik Murphy from Texas is fourth. After Moore, Ward and Murphy, the next seven QBs in the transfer rankings have committed to other programs. Miami could be shut out if Ward transfers elsewhere.
Ward is still debating if he will take a third visit after spending time with Miami and Florida State last week. Ohio State has been mentioned as a possible third program. No other programs are reportedly being considered by Ward. Miami appears to be waiting on a decision by Ward before pivoting in another direction.
Other potential transfer QBs to watch for Miami could be DJ Uiagalelei who has visited Florida State, K.J. Jefferson who recently entered the portal from Arkansas, or Jordan McCloud from James Madison. Most of the QBs left in the portal would be a big step down in the rankings if Miami doesn't get Ward, Moore, or Murphy.
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Miami reportedly wants an experienced transfer QB. The longer Miami has to wait for Ward to make a decision, the less likely they are to sign a top transfer QB. Entering the 2024 season with Anderson, potentially Brown and Williams leaves Miami without an experienced QB. Miami could also wait until the spring transfer portal for a QB.