Miami Hurricanes head football coach Mario Cristobal is declining to explain why quarterback Cam Ward only played one half in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Ward only played the first half in Saturday’s match-up against Iowa State as the Hurricanes lost the game 42-41. The Heisman Trophy finalist threw for 190 yards and three touchdowns as his team led 31-28 at halftime, per CBS Sports.
It is unclear why Ward didn’t play during the second half. There has been speculation that Ward may not have played to avoid injury ahead of the NFL Draft. Cristobal avoided the speculation when addressing the press, and instead applauded Ward.
“I think all meetings with players and decisions like that, we make them in private and we keep them private,” Cristobal said, per the Miami Herald. “So I’ll defer not to answer any questions as regards as it relates to that. But I know he played his best while he was in there, and certainly Emory tried his best as well. … We just came up short.”
Ward, who didn’t appear for postgame interviews, broke several school records in his first year with the Hurricanes.
The star quarterback completed 305 of 454 passes for 4,313 yards and 39 touchdowns while throwing seven interceptions. Ward’s passing yards total and passing touchdowns are now the highest single-season mark in school history. He also set a school record with a 67.2% completion rate.
Ward, who just played his fifth year of college football, came to Miami after spending two years each at Incarnate Word and Washington State.
On Friday, Cristobal praised Ward for choosing to play in the Pop-Tarts Bowl while many other players around the country are choosing to skip bowl games.
“Nowadays in college football, we are compensated at all levels, right? Coaches, players, administrators — to do a job,” Cristobal said, per CBS Sports. “And you must finish the job. I think Cam’s DNA, his upbringing, everything he’s made of and stands for is the right kind of stuff. The stuff you want your team made of.”
