Miami's Cam Ward wins the Manning Award as top college QB, says it can help him prepare for NFL

 

[January 30, 2025]  By TIM REYNOLDS

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Cam Ward's college career got one more accolade Wednesday, when he was announced as the winner of the Manning Award as the nation's top quarterback.

And the now-former Miami star, who quite possibly will be the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft later this spring after leading the top-ranked offense in college football this past season, knows the award can be a springboard to good things at the next level.

“Once again, we’ve got just an outstanding young man who had an unbelievable year in Miami,” football legend Archie Manning said. “Their offense just lit up throughout the year. And now he’s preparing for the NFL draft where he’s going to be in a great position.”

Of the 11 quarterbacks with at least 25 touchdown passes in the NFL this season, three of them — Washington's Jayden Daniels (2023), Cincinnati's Joe Burrow (2019) and Tampa Bay's Baker Mayfield (2017) — are recent Manning Award winners.

“I think it’s going to help me in a tremendous way," Ward said. “If you look at the past winners, specifically last year and Jayden Daniels and the rookie season that he’s had, it’s helped him a lot. And just being able to connect with the Mannings at all times — they’re only a phone call away from me — I just think this award is going to just help me just in the long run.”

Ward is the 20th winner of the award and the first Miami quarterback to have the honor, which was created by the Sugar Bowl to honor the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. The three Mannings vote for the award, as do a panel of reporters.

Ward ended his college career with a Division I (FBS and FCS level) record 158 touchdown passes. His total of 18,189 passing yards — 6,908 at Incarnate Word, 6,968 at Washington State and 4,313 at Miami — is third-most in NCAA history behind only Case Keenum and Dillon Gabriel.

He rewrote Miami’s record book in 2024, his lone season with the Hurricanes. He leaves as Miami’s single-season leader in yards, completions (305), touchdown passes (39) and completion percentage — both for a season and a career, at 67.2%.

Miami quarterback Cam Ward throws during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Syracuse on, Nov. 30, 2024 in Syracuse, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus, File)

“I’m sure looking back on it now, Cam will admit, another year of college football just prepares you for that big transition to the NFL," Archie Manning said. "Cam, he’s done it right and I think he's got a great future.”

Ward was a zero-star recruit when he entered college, then blossomed into an NFL draft hopeful, a Heisman Trophy finalist, an All-American and now the presumed frontrunner to be the No. 1 pick.

“Hard work can do it, no matter what your journey is," Ward said. "You've got to work. You've got to work hard, put one foot in front of the other, then just try to go make plays when you get on the field.”

He leaves as a Miami legend, despite spending basically 11 months with the program from start to finish. As an All-American, his name will hang on a banner attached to the ceiling of the Miami indoor practice facility.

The Hurricanes finished 10-3, missing out on the College Football Playoff and Atlantic Coast Conference title game by one win.

"I wish I had more time in Miami to be able to win a championship, whether it’s ACC or national," Ward said. "At the end of the day, I believe everything happens for a reason. And the teammates that I was surrounded by this year are the best group of teammates I’ve had, off the field more than on the field. The camaraderie we had, whether it was in the hotel or the locker room, that’s the thing I’m going to miss the most.”

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