Miami HC Mario Cristobal draws bold comparisons between Carson Beck and Cam Ward

Despite their contrasting personalities, Miami coach Mario Cristobal sees striking similarities between Carson Beck and Cam Ward.

During an ESPN SportsCenter appearance on Wednesday with Christine Williamson, Cristobal was asked how Beck — who is expected to lead Miami’s offense — compares to Ward, a highly touted NFL prospect.

“I think he's made of the right stuff,” Cristobal said. “I think guys that are competitive by nature. They might lead in different ways, but their intent is pure. It's natural. They want to win. They're not concerned about accolades or awards or whatnot. They just want to win.”

Cristobal believes that Miami’s scheme fits Beck perfectly, emphasizing a powerful offensive line, strong protection and a diversified passing attack designed to maximize his strengths.

“Our scheme fits him,” Cristobal said. “Our scheme is designed to be really powerful and strong up front, to get the ball to the playmakers outside, to protect him really well. And a very diversified passing game that has a lot of autonomy to it. So, he fits us perfectly.”

With Beck’s internal drive and Miami’s system tailored for success, Cristobal is confident he has the tools to thrive as the Hurricanes' next leader.

Carson Beck transfers to Miami after NFL draft withdrawal

Carson Beck (15) takes the field to warm up - Source: Imagn

After a challenging 2024 season where Carson Beck threw a career-high 12 interceptions, he made the surprising decision to withdraw from the 2025 NFL draft and enter the transfer portal on Jan. 9. The next day, Beck announced his commitment to Miami, marking his fifth college season after redshirting in 2020.

According to The Athletic’s Manny Navarro and Bruce Feldman on Jan. 12, Beck was “the only quarterback Miami’s coaching staff really wanted” this offseason. He is set to be the replacement of Ward, who had one of the most successful seasons in program history before heading to the NFL.

The former Georgia Bulldogs QB was part of their back-to-back national championship teams and threw for 3,485 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2024. His season ended in a Sugar Bowl loss to Notre Dame, but Beck has a chance to revitalize his career with the Miami Hurricanes.