Miami, FL
Cam Ward hasn't played a real game yet at Miami. He's already the Hurricanes' unquestioned leader
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Miami quarterback Cam Ward tells stories with a smile. He laughs a lot. He’s a high-energy guy on the football field, engaging with teammates, cheering on his offense and chirping at his defense. He seems like the happiest person on the field.
It’s only a little bit of an act.
Deep down, Ward still plays with the anger that he’s had throughout his college career. A zero-star recruit coming out of high school, a product of a Wing-T offense, too short, too this, too that … Ward — who had his first spring game with the Hurricanes on Saturday after transferring in over the winter from Washington State — remembers every doubt that was cast his way.
“I carry all of that with me every day,” Ward said. “You’ve got to have something to keep you going. The time you get complacent, that’s the time you can let people pass you by.”
Ward has swagger, and that’s what the Hurricanes were looking for. There’s no FBS quarterback returning this season who averaged more yards in 2023 than Ward — his 311 yards per contest last year was behind only Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., Oregon’s Bo Nix and Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels of LSU in the national rankings.
And of all the quarterbacks expected back in college football this fall, no matter the level, only Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel has passed for more yards than Ward. Miami’s new leader has thrown for 13,876 yards and 119 touchdowns in his four college seasons — the first two at FCS member Incarnate Word, the last two at Washington State.
“I think quickly, he earned trust,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “And he earned trust in the fact that he’s up there in the office every waking free moment that he has, and he gets there early, and he leaves late. He pulls aside the receivers and the tight ends and he watched film with them, and he takes the lineman out to eat, and he spends time with the running backs …
Miami quarterback Cam Ward (1) prepares to throw during NCAA college football practice in Coral Gables, Fla., Monday, March 4, 2024. Ward played his first spring game with the Hurricanes on Saturday, April 13, 2024. The Washington State transfer hasn’t wasted any time becoming the full-fledged leader of a Miami team hoping to contend for a college football playoff spot in 2024. Credit: AP/Matias J. Ocner
“Trust and confidence is earned. It’s not just given away. What he has done, he has earned — earned — the trust of the people around him because of his time invested and the fact that he’s an alpha. And your quarterback needs to be an alpha.”
It was not easy for Miami to land Ward when he entered the transfer portal last winter. Ward also was considering jumping to the NFL, thinking that would have made it easier for him to satisfy his primary goal of taking care of his parents, both diabetics who have made tons of sacrifices for him and never miss his games. And for a time, it looked like he was going the pro route.
Then one Saturday night, after a workout, Ward just made up his mind. He called Miami recruiting coordinator Stephen Field and said he’d be on campus the next day. Field thought he meant to visit. Ward told him it would be for a bit longer than that.
“I feel like this was the perfect spot where God is going to prosper me,” Ward said. “I did a lot in my journey to get here. But I feel like I still have more on the table. A lot hasn’t gone my way. I feel like that’s a good thing. All that’s going to help me now.”
Miami’s concepts on offense are consistent with what Ward likes. He studied the offensive line and saw how well it protected quarterbacks last season. And if all that wasn’t enough, one thing might have truly set Miami apart from other schools — he loves the fishing in South Florida.
Without even playing in a real game yet, Ward is already the unquestioned leader of the team. He’s taken his offensive line out to all-you-can-eat steak dinners and is looking for more places where he can bring the group. He has full command of the huddle. He throws passes to little kids after practices (and tried to sneak them some footballs, something Miami’s equipment staff didn’t think was a great idea). He’s even spoken directly with some Miami fans, making sure they know that he wants the Hurricanes to have a breakthrough season in 2024 just as badly as they do.
“We have unbelievable support here,” Ward said. “It’s family. We’re all family and they want us to be successful. They put a lot into us. We’ve got to show them it’s paying off. And winning takes care of a lot of things. If we win some football games, everyone’s going to be happy.”
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The Dolphins wrapped up Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft with two first-round selections, selecting Alabama tackle Kadyn Proctor with the No. 12 pick and cornerback Chris Johnson 27th overall out of San Diego State.
The Dolphins were active early, sending their original No. 11 pick to Dallas in exchange for the Cowboys’ 12th, 177th and 180th overall selections. Miami then moved up to select Johnson, trading its 30th and 90th selections to San Francisco for picks Nos. 27 and No. 138.
A consensus All-American and a first-team All-SEC selection in 2025, Proctor spent three seasons with the Crimson Tide (2023-25), where he started 40 games at left tackle. He helped Alabama to an SEC title in 2023 and to College Football Playoff appearances in 2023 and 2025. He was named to the 2023 SEC All-Freshman team and earned second-team All-SEC honors in 2024.
“He’s unique. He’s rare,” said General Manager Jon-Eric Sullivan. “He’s a 350-pound man with unique athletic traits that can play four spots across the line of scrimmage – left tackle, right tackle, both guards…We brought him in on a 30 visit. I could feel his conviction and his desire to be a good football player and do the things that he needs to do to be the best pro that he can be. All I can tell you is that there wasn’t another one in the draft like him, period.”
Proctor is the fifth Alabama player and the first Crimson Tide offensive lineman to be drafted by Miami in the first round. At No. 12, Proctor is the third-highest drafted offensive tackle by the Dolphins behind Jake Long in 2008 (1st overall) and Richmond Webb in 1990 (9th overall).
Five men are facing charges after an undercover teen sex trafficking investigation in Miami, authorities said.
The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office Human Trafficking Task Force and Miami Police Department’s Special Investigations Section had posed as a mother to offered her daughters, ages 13 and 15, for sexual services in exchange for money, arrest reports said.
The five suspects agreed to pay for sex and when they showed up at a hotel for the encounter they were taken into custody by tactical officers, the reports said.
“I knew it, I knew, I knew that it was this,” one suspect kept repeating in Spanish as he was taken into custody, the reports said.
When the suspect’s duffel bag was searched officers found 18 condoms, 7 different lubricants and lotions, adult toys and bondage restraints, among other items, the reports said.
Another suspect said he’d never engaged in that type of activity before and “requested forgiveness,” the reports said.
The five face charges including human trafficking, records showed.
Miami, FL
Miami-Dade deputies detain elderly father who they say shot and killed his son after a domestic dispute
A 75-year-old man has been detained after Miami-Dade deputies say he shot and killed his son after a domestic dispute in Palmetto Bay.
This happened, according to investigators, at approximately 4:49 p.m. in the area of SW 168th Street and 92nd Avenue.
When deputies arrived, they found the elderly man, who had not yet been identified, and immediately detained him for questioning.
Afterwards, they conducted a security sweep and found an adult male, 47, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.
Deputies say this isn’t the first time they have responded to the home.
“We have responded to this particular residence in the past due to mental health-type incidents,” MDSO PIO Detective Argemis “AC” Colome said.
Deputies say the dispatcher heard a dispute happening over the phone during the 911 call, but it’s unclear what led to the shooting and who was having the mental health crisis.
“The individual who shot was the father, and the male deceased on the scene was the son,” Colome said.
Neighbors reacted to this family tragedy with shock.
“So sad, a little bit concerned cause maybe you’re, you know, you’re staying somewhere, and you don’t know what’s actually happening at the other houses,” Giorgos Kollilekas, who lives in the area, said.
Colome said that there is no danger to the community as this was the result of a domestic dispute.
“There’s always help, please, there’s a lot of hotlines, there’s a lot of numbers. You can call us. At the end of the day, getting help early can mitigate situations like this,” Colome said.
No other information has been released, including the identities of those involved or what caused the dispute.
The investigation is ongoing.
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