Mario Cristobal on the addition of Cam Ward: 'He's helped us evolve'

Miami Hurricanes are prepared to reach new heights this season and head coach Mario Cristobal believes quarterback Cam Ward will be the one to lead them there. In a conversation with ESPN's Greg McElroy, Cristobal raved about his transfer QB.

"He's helped us evolve," Cristobal said. "You're not limited with him. He can do a lot of things. He's got a tremendous capacity, a super high football IQ and his ability to improvise is sometimes better than the designed play.

"He's also such a high IQ guy and so systematic that he does play within the system. If it's not exactly the right call, he can make you right when you're wrong with your call. Whether it be with his feet, whether it be with his arm angles, whether it be with his accuracy or his ability to just improvise — he's really added a lot."

It's no surprise to hear Cristobal sing Ward's praises. While at Washington State in 2023, Ward tallied 25 passing touchdowns and eight rushing scores while throwing just seven interceptions. The Texas native finished the season with 3,735 passing yards, the fifth-most in the country.

In comparison, Miami's starting quarterback last season, Tyler Van Dyke , recorded 2,703 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Miami finished the year with a 7-6 overall record, a four-game improvement from Cristobal's debut campaign at the helm.

Cam Ward is hungry for success

With Ward starting behind center, Miami has an excellent chance of taking another step forward. Cristobal believes Ward has the leadership traits to fuel such improvement.

"It's his demeanor," Cristobal said. "He plays quarterback like a linebacker, like a complete general, and a guy that's no-nonsense. He has fun but plays with an edge. It's the best way to describe it. He is intentional. He has purpose with everything he does, and he plays with an edge."

After this past season concluded, Ward declared for the 2024 NFL Draft on Jan. 1. However, less than two weeks later, Ward decided to withdraw from the draft and transfer to Miami. Now, Ward will look to put together a masterpiece in his final year at the collegiate level.