TAMPA, Fla. – Miami quarterback and Washington State transfer Cam Ward is living up to preseason hype that, among other things, saw him tabbed as the ACC’s preseason player of the year.
Ward has done nothing to disappoint. Through three games he is leading an offense that is churning out 609 yards per game to rank third nationally. He had a career-best five touchdown passes in last week’s 62-0 disgrace of Ball State, and leads the nation with 11.
True, Florida, who Miami defeated in the season opener in Gainesville, 41-17, looks like a mess while the ‘Canes predictably blew through Florida A&M (56-9) and BSU. Still, the numbers impress.
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So does Miami’s ground attack, which is averaging 204 yards per game and 6.0 yards per tote. Another Pac-12 transfer, Damien Martinez, arrived in Coral Gables to much less fanfare than Ward following an outstanding two years at Oregon State. The native Texan was the conference’s freshman offensive player of the year in 2022 and was a Doak Walker Award (nation’s top running back) semifinalist last season. In his two years with the Beavers, Martinez ran for 2,167 yards at an average 6.1 per rush and 16 TDs.
Martinez’s numbers (159-5.5-1) do not stand out with the ‘Canes yet this season thanks in part to several running backs receiving playing time in the routs. Nonetheless, he leads a group of four players with at least 100 yards through three games. The others are redshirt sophomore Ajay Allen (134-9.6-1), true freshman Jordan Lyle (129-5.6-2) and Mark Fletcher Jr. (118-6.6-3), who ran for 514 yards as a true freshman last season.
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“Coach (Mario) Cristobal’s identity is to run the football, there is no doubt about it,” said USF defensive coordinator Todd Orlando, of the Miami coach who was an offensive lineman and two-time national champ with the ‘Canes. “They have a special quarterback, so handing the football off is not a piece of his game. But knowing coach Cristobal, they will want to pound the football and they will come out and establish their identity.”
The Bulls (2-1) host the No. 8/11 Hurricanes (3-0) on Saturday night (7:00/ESPN). Miami leads the all-time series 5-1 and won (49-21) the most recent meeting in 2013, which was at Raymond James Stadium.
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