Cameron Ward wins Jerry Rice Award
SAN ANTONIO (BVM) — Every so often, an athlete will have a standout season that turns heads. For Incarnate Word freshman quarterback Cameron Ward, that season came this spring.
The 6-foot-3, 225-pound signal caller only needs six games to break UIW’s touchdown pass record with 24. He was also named Southland Conference Freshman of the Year. To go along with this outstanding season, Ward set the Cardinals’ single-game record for touchdown passes and then followed up the performance with another six TD game. In back-to-back games he had 12 passing touchdowns. They all came against Southeastern Louisiana and Nicholls, who were ranked opponents at the time.
Ward also set a Cardinal single-season record with a passer rating of 146.5.
𝙉𝙖𝙝, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣'𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙖 𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙤 𝙜𝙖𝙢𝙚.
Just some real-life highlights from Jerry Rice Award winner Cameron Ward! #SouthlandStrong #TheWord pic.twitter.com/KpT9uJpApt
— Southland Conference (@SouthlandSports) May 3, 2021
“I couldn’t be happier for Cam winning the Jerry Rice Award. There is no freshman more deserving,” UIW football head coach Eric Morris said. “To come from running the option in high school to learning our offense, winning the starting job, and doing what he did this season, I don’t think there’s any question [he deserves it].
“He’s grown a lot this season as both a quarterback and a man. Cam wants to be great, and he wants our team to be great. I’m excited to get back to work and see what we can do come fall.”
Leading the FCS with 24 touchdown passes wasn’t the only impressive mark Ward left on the spring season. He also was second in the nation with 2,260 passing yards, 183 total completions and 26 total touchdowns (two rushing TDs).
Ward helped UIW become nationally ranked for six straight weeks. Ward and the Cardinals reached No. 13, which was the program’s best ranking ever.
His first season as a Cardinal was a special one. He is the first Southland Conference player to win the award and joins NFL star Coop Kupp of Eastern Washington and Trey Lance, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, as former recipients.
He and his teammates will now be focusing on capturing a conference championship. It sure to be an exciting time for Cardinal fans and the UIW’s football program.
