Whoa, hold up sports fans – let’s tackle a juicy college football debate! First things first: our friend Travis Hunter? Absolute UNIT on the field! We’re talking about a guy who pulled off something that would make your average NCAA ’24 player blush – crushing it for 700+ snaps on BOTH sides of the ball! That’s like working a double shift at your job, except you’re out there making highlight-reel plays instead of asking “Would you like fries with that?”

But pump those brakes for a hot second – is there another player we might’ve stuffed in our blind spot like a forgotten mouthguard? According to some spicy intel from Cam Ward’s inner circle dropping exclusively on EssentiallySports, we might’ve missed crowning our true gridiron king! Through the crystal ball of Firebrand Media‘s Andrew Whitelaw, Ward’s squad is making a case that’s hotter than stadium nachos about why their guy should’ve been striking that Heisman pose. Talk about a plot twist that would make your favorite Netflix drama jealous!

There’s a lot behind Cam Ward’s story that our EssentiallySports exclusive interview with Firebrand Media director Alec Griffen Roth and co-founder Josh Clayton unearthed. The Miami QB easily won the favor of our guests when Andrew Whitelaw asked if he deserved the Heisman over Travis Hunter. “Of course, he got all the votes from our side,” Clayton said. And it’s not hard to see why the 22-year-old QB is the perfect pick. 

There has always been an edge for Cam Ward’s Heisman competitors. As Griffen Roth pointed out, “Travis was the No. 1 recruit in the country and Dillon’s story is incredible as well.” Travis Hunter was the No. 1 recruit in the 2022 class while Dillon Gabriel was a 3-star QB of the 2019 class who found immediate success at UCF. But what about Cam Ward?

Cam Ward isn’t a typical elite QB with stars. Griffen Roth, who directed Zero Star, a 10-episode documentary revolving around Cam Ward and those players who are considered 0-star recruits, knows this well. He stated, “But I think Cam, for him to take a program, the University of Miami that has struggled, to say the least, over the past couple of years and to elevate it to the level that he did, bringing that blue blood type of program. It was just incredible.”

Cam Ward was a 0-star recruit out of Columbia High School in West Columbia and didn’t receive any scholarship offers. His lone offer came from an FCS program Incarnate Word where he first played college football in 2020. But the talent had always been there. He led the FCS in passing touchdowns (24) and won the Jerry Rice Award in his freshman season. Success followed when he transferred to Washington State for the 2022 and 2023 season for another standout stint. But his transfer to Miami for the 2024 season changed his fortune. Griffen Roth was clearly impressed when he added, “His statistics were incredible and the way he played, I mean we’re obviously a little bit biased but I think he definitely deserves to win it.” This aligns with Josh Clayton’s perspective. 

Cam Ward’s one-year achievements in Miami

Cam Ward’s journey had been different from most elite college football players and Josh Clayton is aware. While he doesn’t want to snub anyone, this resilient young man won his favor as the best college football player. He chimed in, “Nothing to say against Gabriel or Hunter or Ashton, but if you look at where the teams would be without that individual player, I think that Miami had the biggest impact from having him on the field.” Indeed, no one would have imagined the change that was coming with Ward’s arrival in Miami. For three consecutive years, the Hurricanes struggled offensively with more than five losses each season. But this past season, they were able to put together a winning 10-2 regular season record, thanks to their play caller’s perseverance and achievements. 

Cam Ward leads the FBS in both passing yards and scores with 3,494 yards and 32 TDs in the first 10 games. He even made a record in Miami as the first player to have seven back-to-back 300-yard games in a single season. And what makes all this more spectacular is because of the 0 stars. For a 0-star prospect to compete with the nation’s top players and finish at No. 4 in the Heisman race is really something. Do you agree with Griffen Roth’s statement when he said, “I think he’s the best player in college football and one of the players you’ll see a long time.” 

Who needs stars when you have that innate talent that people initially failed to recognize? He’s also one of the top QB prospects in the NFL along with Shedeur Sanders. And one thing is for certain, wherever he lands, he’s going to make an impact and that’s something any NFL team would wish for in their starter. Stay tuned for more EssentiallySports exclusive interview updates.