Washington State’s new QB Cameron Ward will be thrilling to watch. Will he be enough to threaten Oregon’s supremacy in the Pac-12 North?
When you look at the traditional powers in the Pac-12, and specifically in the Pac-12 North division, the Washington State Cougars are not often a team that comes to mind. Though they have had some solid seasons over the past decade — an 11-2 season and pair of 9-4 finishes under Mike Leach since 2015 — there aren’t many people who are routinely picking them to make it to the Pac-12 title game.
Is this the year that it changes, though?
I ask that question because of the shift at the quarterback position for the Cougars. While former Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Jayden de Laura was a nice piece up in Pulloose, Washington State has brought in a transfer at the position this year that has a chance to make waves in the Pac-12. His name is Cameron Ward, and he promises to be among the most exciting players to watch in 2022.
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Ward comes from Incarnate Word, an FCS school in San Antonio, Texas. They don’t have a long history of winning championships, but Ward certainly created a nice profile for himself in his two years with the team, throwing for just under 7,000 yards and 71 touchdowns. His 2021 season really put him on the map and made him a coveted transfer prospect after putting up 4,648 yards and 47 touchdowns with 10 interceptions.
After de Laura transferred to the Arizona Wildcats, the Cougars brought in Ward, and he now stands to “shock the college football world” according to Bleacher Report.
Maybe the most exciting, intriguing player to watch for the 2022 season is Washington State transfer quarterback Cameron Ward.
The Texas native starred for two seasons at FCS Incarnate Word, where he showed a strong arm and massive talent. At 6’3″, 220 pounds, Ward is a big-time athlete who looks like he has the potential to become a great quarterback, even if he’s raw.
He followed Eric Morris to Pullman after the former Incarnate Word head coach left to become a Power Five offensive coordinator. Ward chose the Cougars over an odd group of schools including Ole Miss, Prairie View A&M and Houston.
As a freshman in 2020, Ward threw for 2,260 yards, 24 touchdowns and four interceptions, and he followed it up with a massive ’21 season in which he completed 61 percent of his passes for 4,648 yards, 47 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
With Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Jayden de Laura off to Arizona, the Cougs are Ward’s team, and he and Morris will combine to lead the “Coug Raid” attack. Look for big numbers to follow.
You can look at Washington State’s range of finishes in the Pac-12 North over the past 5 years and understandably not be threatened, but remember that they managed to place second last season in 2021, and threatened to make it to the Pac-12 championship game had Oregon dropped their final game of the season. The truth of the matter is that the Cougars have their program going in the right direction, and should they be able to find a gem at the quarterback position, it could push them over the top into conference contention.
Will Cameron Ward be that gem? It’s certainly not out of the question and will be pretty entertaining to watch.
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