Mario Cristobal: Cam Ward's impact in Miami is 'magical'

Miami Head coach Mario Cristobal has nothing but compliments for it Cam Ward. Before the Hurricanes' showdown against Virginia Tech On Friday, Cristobal raved about the Miami QB.

“In every way he is magical as a player and a leader,” Cristobal said. “He’s an alpha dog and his personality, his mentality matches what he does on the field.

“When you bring these things together, the strength of your leadership grows. He brought a lot to the table and is looking forward to having a great game tonight.”

Cam Ward moved to Miami before the 2024 season and has been nothing short of spectacular for the Hurricanes. Through four games, Ward has completed 72.4% of his pass attempts for 1,439 yards and 14 touchdowns while throwing just two interceptions.

Miami, meanwhile, is 4-0 and on track to make its first appearance of the season College Football Playoffs. While Ward's impact on Miami this season cannot be understated, he is not the only one responsible for the program's rapid success.

“I just like the fact that this team loves to work,” Cristobal said. “They love to strive for it. They are constantly talking about improvements and working on them. There is a huge appetite for improvement. And I feel like we’re just getting started.”

On Friday, Cristobal will find out if his team's hard work has paid off. The Hokies are 2-2 in the 2024 season, but were one of the favorites to win the ACC in the preseason. In short, they are not a team to be taken lightly. Cristobal certainly doesn't miss them.

“They are by far the best team we have played so far and their record does not reflect what they are,” Cristobal said. “We all know that in the preseason they were the favorites to win this conference and make the playoffs.

“They have a great defensive line that is really disruptive. The corners are elite football players – long, can run. The offensive line is huge. In the running game, they go downhill and stretch the perimeter. So they have a great football team.”