Ward and George Opt Out at Halftime, Quit on Their Team
ORLANDO, FL - In a stunning move, one which will be discussed and debated for a long time, Miami's record-setting quarterback Cam Ward opted out of the Pop-Tarts Bowl at halftime. As a result, he stood by and witnessed his team go down in defeat.
Ward exited the game 12-of-19 for 190 yards and three touchdowns.
Miami held a slim lead, but once again the defense could not stop a nose bleed.
Ward knew the game was going to be a shootout in the second half and he quit. He quit on his team and he quit on his fans.
Miami needed Ward to finish that game. Ward should have finished the game. He came to Orlando to lead his team to victory. He failed to do that.
Cam Ward sitting the second half is embarrassing pic.twitter.com/YxcVc0Rl09
— Charlie Waffles (@RealChazWaffles) December 28, 2024
He is the quarterback, the most important player on the field. He did not do his job. He did his job for 30 minutes and then he quit.
Hurricanes faithful spent good money to buy tickets and pay for travel expenses to see him play a full game. It was not right for Ward to quit on the fans like he did. They deserve better.
Ward sat on the sidelines in the second half and watched backup quarterback Emory Williams struggle. When Williams had to, he was not able to put the ball in the end zone. Who knows what the result would have been if Ward played?
At least Miami would have had a chance.
This loss is just as much Ward's fault as it is on the defense who surrendered all of the points. Miami's defense has given up 84 points in its last two games.
Miami welcomed Ward when he arrived last spring. Miami bought into the Cam Ward hype and Miami gave him a place to showcase his wares. He will probably be the top pick of the draft due to the opportunity the University of Miami gave him.
56 seconds left. Canes down by one. 1 time out. #PopTartsBowl on the line.
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) December 29, 2024
CAM WARD REFUSES TO PLAY. pic.twitter.com/fEWnBaxCD4
Remember, he only came to Miami because the NFL told him he wasn't good enough.
He was a third-day pick the scouts said. He used the University of Miami to sharpen his tools and become a top-of-the-board pick.
Jacolby George is another player who bailed on the Hurricanes at the half. He should have been dismissed from the team at the end of last season due to his personal foul and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties that cost Miami at the end of games.
The same thing happened on the final drive at Syracuse. He cost the Hurricanes a trip to the ACC Championship. He had a personal foul call on the final drive that wiped out Miami's ability to score a touchdown on the final offensive series. As a result, Miami was forced to settle for a field goal.
In his post-game press conference, Miami coach Mario Cristobal would not discuss what transpired between the players and him. He would not get into detail as to when he found out Ward and George were opting out midway through the game.
READ MORE FROM MIAMI HURRICANES ON SI:
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Everything Mario Cristobal Said Ahead of Pop Tarts Bowl Game
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Scott Salomon joined On SI in April 2024 covering breaking news and analysis for the Miami Dolphins site, and has since contributed to the Miami Heat, Back in the Day NBA, Miami Hurricanes and San Antonio Spurs sites. Scott is based in South Florida and has been covering the local and national sports scene for 35 years. He's covered and has been credentialed for the Super Bowl, the NFL Combine, various Orange Bowls and college football championship games. Scott was also credentialed for the NBA All-Star game and covered the Miami Heat during their first six seasons for USA TODAY. Scott is a graduate of the University of Miami School of Communication and the St. Thomas University School of Law. Scott has two sons and his hobbies include watching sports on television and binge watching shows on various streaming services.