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Mario Cristobal emphatically rejects narrative Cam Ward quit in Pop-Tarts Bowl
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Mario Cristobal did not want to discuss Cam Ward’s 2nd-half absence in Miami’s Pop-Tarts Bowl loss to Iowa State. But the head coach is talking about it now, and Cristobal is rejecting the idea that Ward quit on his teammates by sitting the 2nd half.
In that game, Ward was an electric 12-for-19 in the first half with 190 yards and 3 touchdowns. He threw a touchdown on 1/4 of his completions — all before halftime — with the Hurricanes building a 31-28 lead.
However, Ward did not suit up in the 2nd half, even after Iowa State took the 42-41 lead with 56 seconds remaining. Even with the chance to win the game, Ward remained out with social media eviscerating the decision.
On Monday, Mario Cristobal addressed the narratives of that game and pushed back on them as “false.” He described Ward as “an exceptional and elite Miami Hurricane.”
According to Cristobal, the decision for Ward to play one half was a pre-determined decision based on Ward’s draft stock.
“(Ward) deserves great things to be said about him,” said Cristobal.
While that’s not a far-fetched reality, it begs the question why Cristobal didn’t simply say as much after the Pop-Tarts Bowl. All Cristobal would say immediately after the game is that such decisions were made privately and “we keep them in private.”
Either way, Ward is heading toward the NFL and will likely be among the top players selected.
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.