Cameron Ward-From the Wing T to Top College Quarterback

"Picture of WSU Logo" Photo Credit: Robert Ashworth via Flickr

A young man dreamed of becoming a college quarterback. In high school, he played quarterback for the football team, a team that ran an antiquated offensive scheme. This scheme was so old that if you cut the playbook open with a knife, dust would fly out.

As a high school senior, this young man only averaged a dozen pass attempts per game. It's not exactly a fun offense for the players, or the fans for that matter. Nonetheless, the young quarterback was able to secure a single scholarship to a small university located in San Antonio, TX Incarnate Word, an FCS team.

That young man is Cameron Ward.

The year was 2020. The COVID pandemic was in full swing. The FCS limited teams to six games that season. Incarnate Word was coached by Eric Morris, a disciple of the Air Raid passing offense.

For a kid who ran the Wing T in high school, Ward really broke out of his shell as a quarterback with the Air Raid. In that half-season of 2020, Ward took the FCS by storm, throwing for 2260 yards, 24 touchdowns, and only four INTs…in just six games!

For his stellar performance, Ward won the Jerry Rice Award as the most outstanding freshman in the FCS.

The next season at Incarnate Word, Ward led the Cardinals to a 10-3 record after posting even better stats for a full season:

· 4648 yards

· 47 TDs

· 10 INTs

· 65% completion pct.

Ward was named the 2021 Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Year and 2nd Team FCS All-American.

When Morris was hired as Offensive Coordinator at Washington State, Ward followed him to Pullman. As soon as he arrived on campus in the Palouse, Ward was penciled in as the starter for the Cougars. He immediately established a reputation as leader, by helping the WSU coaching staff with the transition to the Air Raid.

Ward worked hard to get to know his teammates on a personal level and to establish camaraderie.

Also, Ward is low-key but is all business. He is continually working to improve ALL his skills, from fundamentals to leadership to consistency. Ward can drop dimes to his receivers with the greatest of ease, is accurate as a guided missile, and can throw a cupcake through a brick wall while on the move.

And, as he channels his inner Patrick Mahomes, he can throw passes with a side-arm motion to make something out of nothing when under intense pass rush.

In 2022, in his first season as an FBS quarterback, Ward passed for 3231 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 9 INTs. In addition, he added five rushing TDs as the Cougars posted a 7-6 record.

Before the start of this season, Ward had thrown 94 touchdown passes and 23 INTs in three years of college ball.

So far this season, Ward ranks #3 in the FBS in passing at 347 yards per game and has thrown for 1389 yards, 13 touchdown passes, and zero INTs (in 141 pass attempts) through four games. He has completed 74% of his passes. In addition, Ward has added three touchdowns on the ground and has thrown for over 400 yards twice this season. And, he has thrown four TD passes in each of the last two games.

His stat line vs. #15 Oregon State on Saturday: 28/34 passing (82%), 404 yards, 4 TDs and he added a rushing touchdown (according to ESPN.com). Coming into the game, the Beavers were a Top 15 defense, allowing 260 total yards and 11 points per game. The #21 Cougars racked up 528 total yards of offense in a 38-35 win.

He knows the tradition and standard that the quarterback position has produced over the years at WAZZU: Jack Thompson, Drew Bledsoe, Jason Gesser, Mark Rypien, Timm Rosenbach, Ryan Leaf, Luke Falk, and Gardner Minshew.

Cameron Ward relishes the quarterback position and understands what is required. So far, in 2023, mission accomplished.