Fall workouts spring Ward to starting QB
With the Incarnate Word offense spaced into three groups across the field at Benson Stadium, freshman quarterback Cameron Ward had a unit to himself.
The Cardinals’ season had been pushed to the spring in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and one of UIW’S precautions through fall practices was splitting the offense and defense into separate sessions. Even as the No. 3 quarterback on the depth chart, Ward’s group had the time and space to take equal snaps to the starters through those two or three months of workouts.
Coach Eric Morris admits Ward’s play was “not pretty, at first.” But by the time UIW held scrimmages ahead of a matchup against Arkansas State on Dec. 12, Ward was outshining returning starter Jon Copeland, who needed just two years to challenge or surpass most of the program’s passing records.
Though the game with Arkansas State was canceled, Ward had claimed the starting job — a position he has held through the spring after Copeland announced his intent to transfer.
Entering UIW’S home opener against Southeastern Louisiana at 2 p.m. Saturday, with fans allowed at up to 25 percent capacity, Ward has thrown for 647 yards and eight touchdowns against two interceptions, leading the Cardinals to a 2-0 start.
“He’s gotten so many reps, and he’s had so many scrimmage reps to actually get in game-like situations against our defense,” Morris said. “That matured him in a hurry, and he really played a pretty flawless game the first week.”
Ward’s arm strength has opened new possibilities for UIW’S air raid offense, allowing Morris to dial up some of the plays he once called for Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes
during Morris’ tenure as Texas Tech’s offensive coordinator.
At 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, Ward can stand in the pocket and zip on-time passes to either sideline.
“We put some things in the game plan that we used to do with Patrick Mahomes that we never did with Copeland, because (Ward) actually has the strength to make some of those throws across the field,” Morris said.
Brent Mascheck, who coached Ward at Columbia High near Houston, said an offensive coordinator from the Southeastern Conference told him that Ward’s 15yard out pass was the best he saw on the recruiting circuit that year.
Still, Ward’s college offers were minimal, perhaps in part because he played in a wing-t offense at Columbia. Mascheck said the coaches implemented more passing elements to “use his talent,” but Ward threw for only about 1,000 yards during his junior and senior seasons.
“These bigger schools sometimes look at certain things and they have to fit a certain mold, and if it doesn’t fit that, they move on,” Mascheck said. “They miss out on some very good players, and he’s one right now who is showing it.”
Ward has displayed a willingness to improvise during his first action at UIW, not hesitating to change arm angles or fire passes across his body.
Mascheck said that comfort and creativity became a regular part of Ward’s game at Columbia — “that’s why I have some grey hairs,” Mascheck said — and Morris said UIW’S coaches have been careful not to “overcoach” those elements of Ward’s play.
“He has some natural God-given ability that certain kids can’t make that throw or that play, and you don’t try to take that away from him,” Morris said. “That’s what makes him special.”
Ward earned the responsibility of checking into different plays at the line of scrimmage with UIW, and Mascheck said Ward always displayed a comprehensive grasp of the offense. In both high school and college, Ward built a reputation for his willingness to devote time to film study with offensive coaches.
UIW receiver Robert Ferrel said Ward was “making amazing throws and reading the defense perfectly” after just a couple weeks of fall workouts, and those sessions helped Ward develop a rapport with his new targets.
“When he got here, we knew he was really talented and had a lot of potential,” tight end Roger Mcculler said. “The main thing is just his ability to pick things up, and honestly, he has a sponge for a brain. He’s learned a lot, really fast.”
Morris said Ward’s teammates are “enamored by his competitive spirit,” looking to him as a leader even as he often remains quiet.
Ward has carved out a reputation as a “comedian,” receiver Darion Chafin said, cracking up his teammates with a mock flex after throwing a touchdown pass during UIW’S opener.
Morris described Ward as “just a little goofy,” and Mcculler said the lighthearted attitude energizes the Cardinals. Ferrel said Ward’s personality helped build chemistry within UIW’S offense.
“He’s very flamboyant. He’s really funny, and he just gets everybody laughing,” Ferrel said. “He can relate to more people that way, and so more people are drawn to him.”