The current era of college football is defined by NIL and its impact on the transfer portal, revolutionizing the sport as players, coaches and schools explore uncharted territory.
Over 2,000 players transferred ahead of the 2025 season. Few will have as successful a story as former Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward.
Ward transferred to Miami from Washington State after beginning his collegiate career at Incarnate Word. He ascended from an unheralded recruit to a high-profile passer before his final senior season, where he ironed out inconsistencies to become one of the sport’s most productive players and the first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Now, the Hurricanes are turning to transfer quarterback Carson Beck, hoping to remain competitive in the ACC while producing another Round 1 prospect.
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Miami sent Cam Ward to the Tennessee Titans
Beck will look to follow in his predecessor’s footsteps, but he has big shoes to fill.
Now with the Titans, Ward has the opportunity to change the fortunes of a franchise. By all accounts, Ward has looked the part in the months before his NFL debut, and it seems like he is continuing the momentum from his senior season with the Hurricanes.
“Ward has already emerged as a leader,” Turron Davenport wrote for ESPN. “He had a group of rookie pass catchers coming to the building at 5 a.m. for film study and never hesitated to tell a veteran receiver how he wants a route to be run. Ward also showed he’s able to remain unfazed by mistakes.”
With a guaranteed starting spot at the sport’s most important position, Ward trails only Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty in early Offensive Rookie of the Year odds.
Hurricanes fans get to know Carson Beck
Beck’s road to Miami was not as circuitous as Ward’s, but he finds himself in South Florida in need of a rebound. His Georgia tenure ended when an elbow injury knocked him out of the SEC Championship Game and required surgery.
A sixth-year redshirt senior, Beck entered 2024 as the presumptive top quarterback in the class after a strong junior season. When tight end Brock Bowers left for the NFL, he was tasked with piloting an offense with less talent and fewer layups, and he struggled.
Beck’s completion percentage fell nearly eight points. His yards per attempt fell from 9.5 to 7.8, and he nearly doubled his interception rate. Subsequently, his stock fell, pushing him out of the first round.
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Miami could create a quarterback pipeline
Fortunately for Beck, the Hurricanes offer plenty of talent to compete for a College Football Playoff spot and showcase his skills.
Miami’s offensive line is among the best in the country, headlined by top tackle prospect Francis Mauigoa. Running back Mark Fletcher Jr. played well as the team’s second back in 2024, and LSU transfer CJ Daniels offers upside on the perimeter. On defense, edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. has made his case as one of the premier defensive linemen in college football.
If the Hurricanes are going to send quarterbacks to Round 1 in back-to-back seasons, Beck will have to rid himself of the game-manager moniker and find success while stretching the field. Without the elite arm talent that made Ward special, Beck cannot afford to be as loose with the football as he was in 2024.
A season-opening contest against Notre Dame could set the tone for a pivotal campaign and potential playoff berth.
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