Cam Ward received every weekly accolade possible after his dominant performance in the Swamp. He met with reporters to discuss what comes next:
On what stood out about the UF game: we had a lot of misplays, especially on offense. Even myself, I had a couple of bad plays in that game. I had some bad pocket movements throughout the game. So I’ve just got to get consistent at that. And then all the plays that we left out on the field. There was a play I had bad eyes going through my progression. We had a couple of drops that should have led to big plays on the outside receiver. But overall, we left a lot of plays out there on the field, and that's just something that we got to get better at for this week.
On Cam McCormick’s touchdown: I feel like that was the best touchdown of the day, especially being the first touchdown of the season. Everything he had to go through physically and mentally throughout his journey to get here and then for him get the first touchdown for us this year. I plan on giving him a couple more throughout the season. It was a special moment for him.
His family came to the game and I got a chance to finally hear about the full story when it played on ESPN during pregame while we were at the hotel. It was good for him to get in the end zone, but we plan on getting him a couple more touchdown throughout the year.
On his touchdown celebration: I got it from my old OC. It started at Western Kentucky. I don't remember the player who started it. He told me the story last year. I started hitting it last year in practice. They finally got to pick off me in practice and the whole defense started hitting it. So that's how it started.
On his visible confidence: Every time I play, I play like I really want to [do it]. A lot of people don’t get the opportunity to play Power Five football. I was the first one in my high school since I think 2010. It was Sean Flannel, who went to Texas Tech. I was the first one in my high school to go straight D1 out of high school and not have to go JUCO first or another route first. So every time I get on the field, I just try to play to my best ability, put the team in the best situation to win.
On the running game with Martinez and Fletcher: That's gonna be real value, especially as we get into ACC play, where those games are truly the games that matter. Having a two-headed monster like that, even with Ajay and Chris Johnson, when he starts to get more carries, it's gonna be good. I think it's gonna be punishing for other defenses, because you have to game plan around four legit starting running backs.
Those guys do all the heavy lifting from running to pass protection. Both of them did a great job of pass protection throughout the game. But they're going to continue to be a blessing for us. They’ll continue to make plays for us and they're going to have a lot of big runs throughout the season. They’ve got one of the hardest jobs on the team at running back because the physical toll they have to put on their body through, week in and week out. I'm just grateful to have them blocking for me and I'm grateful that they're good teammates. They bring their A game every day in practice and when it's time to turn on the lights.
On the chess match with the defense: It’s really play to play. A lot of our stuff is going to change from week to week, just based on what defense we go against. We're going to adjust routes by what defensive coverage we're playing or how the DBs play. We’re doing a lot of stuff that our guys are good at, from JG to X, Elijah Arroyo, all those guys. We're going to run routes that they're good at. They can run every route in the three.
I just try to put the ball in space. That was the biggest thing that Coach Dawson emphasized to me, “Just put the ball in space.” Don’t look for the downfield shot. It'll come eventually. Just take what they give you early on.
On what stood out about the UF game: we had a lot of misplays, especially on offense. Even myself, I had a couple of bad plays in that game. I had some bad pocket movements throughout the game. So I’ve just got to get consistent at that. And then all the plays that we left out on the field. There was a play I had bad eyes going through my progression. We had a couple of drops that should have led to big plays on the outside receiver. But overall, we left a lot of plays out there on the field, and that's just something that we got to get better at for this week.
On Cam McCormick’s touchdown: I feel like that was the best touchdown of the day, especially being the first touchdown of the season. Everything he had to go through physically and mentally throughout his journey to get here and then for him get the first touchdown for us this year. I plan on giving him a couple more throughout the season. It was a special moment for him.
His family came to the game and I got a chance to finally hear about the full story when it played on ESPN during pregame while we were at the hotel. It was good for him to get in the end zone, but we plan on getting him a couple more touchdown throughout the year.
On his touchdown celebration: I got it from my old OC. It started at Western Kentucky. I don't remember the player who started it. He told me the story last year. I started hitting it last year in practice. They finally got to pick off me in practice and the whole defense started hitting it. So that's how it started.
On his visible confidence: Every time I play, I play like I really want to [do it]. A lot of people don’t get the opportunity to play Power Five football. I was the first one in my high school since I think 2010. It was Sean Flannel, who went to Texas Tech. I was the first one in my high school to go straight D1 out of high school and not have to go JUCO first or another route first. So every time I get on the field, I just try to play to my best ability, put the team in the best situation to win.
On the running game with Martinez and Fletcher: That's gonna be real value, especially as we get into ACC play, where those games are truly the games that matter. Having a two-headed monster like that, even with Ajay and Chris Johnson, when he starts to get more carries, it's gonna be good. I think it's gonna be punishing for other defenses, because you have to game plan around four legit starting running backs.
Those guys do all the heavy lifting from running to pass protection. Both of them did a great job of pass protection throughout the game. But they're going to continue to be a blessing for us. They’ll continue to make plays for us and they're going to have a lot of big runs throughout the season. They’ve got one of the hardest jobs on the team at running back because the physical toll they have to put on their body through, week in and week out. I'm just grateful to have them blocking for me and I'm grateful that they're good teammates. They bring their A game every day in practice and when it's time to turn on the lights.
On the chess match with the defense: It’s really play to play. A lot of our stuff is going to change from week to week, just based on what defense we go against. We're going to adjust routes by what defensive coverage we're playing or how the DBs play. We’re doing a lot of stuff that our guys are good at, from JG to X, Elijah Arroyo, all those guys. We're going to run routes that they're good at. They can run every route in the three.
I just try to put the ball in space. That was the biggest thing that Coach Dawson emphasized to me, “Just put the ball in space.” Don’t look for the downfield shot. It'll come eventually. Just take what they give you early on.
