Cam Ward didn’t hide how he feels about Shannon Dawson when he spoke with Miami five-star quarterback commit Israel Abrams last week.
Ward, who spent one season running Dawson’s offense at Miami, had plenty of praise for the Hurricanes’ offensive coordinator after a year that worked out well for both sides. Ward won the Davey O’Brien Trophy, finished second in Heisman voting and was taken first overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. Miami, meanwhile, got a quarterback who fit Dawson’s system perfectly and helped deliver the program’s first 10-win season in seven years.
“Really, if I played all four years with Coach Dawson, I probably would've led everything in college," Ward said. "That's how cool he is just with the quarterback position.
We had some heated arguments on the field, but he wants to win. That's why I [mess] with Dawson."
Dawson’s reputation has only grown from there. He has become one of the top offensive coordinators in college football, and Mario Cristobal made keeping him a priority this offseason. Miami also worked to secure defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman on a long-term deal, a move aimed at giving the Hurricanes the kind of stability that can keep a championship-level program on track.
“They have been instrumental in the rise of our program,” Cristobal said on the ACC Network in May. “They were signed to multiple-year deals.
They deserve that, and they have earned that. They love being in Miami.
They've been awesome, and I think they also recognize the great situation they have in terms of players, in terms of the staff around them, opportunity. You can go in this coaching industry for a long, long time and not have a set of tools they have to work with.
The numbers back up the buzz around Dawson’s work with quarterbacks. Ward set a school record with 4,313 yards and led the FBS with 39 touchdowns in 2024. Last year, Carson Beck completed over 72 percent of his throws and finished with 3,813 yards and 30 touchdowns.
Dawson has been clear about what he wants from the position: smart decisions and fewer mistakes. He has also acknowledged that Ward’s instinct to extend plays and create something out of nothing could be stressful at times, even if he valued the competitiveness behind it.
"I'm a big fan of routine plays, you know? I really am.
So I stress that probably more than anything," Dawson said back in 2024. "You get players, not just at the quarterback position, but obviously that's the one that touches the ball every time, so you're going to try to do things that they are comfortable doing and that they do well."
That flexibility is part of Dawson’s appeal. He has shown he can shape his offense around the talent in front of him, and he’ll be doing it again this season with Darian Mensah. After Abrams worked out for him a couple of weeks ago, it’s clear Dawson is already looking ahead and building for what comes next.
In Other News...
Cam Ward Is Already Shaping Miamis Five-Star Quarterback Future
Israel Abrams has spent much of the offseason in the middle of the national quarterback conversation, and the Miami commit keeps adding to that rsum. The five-star from Montini Catholic High School has already gone through high-profile competitions this summer, including the Elite 11 finals, and he is now turning toward his senior season with plenty of attention on how far his game can go before he arrives in Coral Gables.
What makes the latest stop stand out for Hurricanes fans is the company Abrams kept at an Overtime and Under Armour passing camp, where former Miami quarterback Cam Ward was among the voices working with him. Social media clips from the event showed interviews with Abrams and Ward, another reminder that Miamis quarterback pipeline is already being shaped by the kind of players the program hopes to keep attracting, even before Abrams plays a down for the Hurricanes. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Still Has One Pressing Tight End Question Behind Elija Lofton
Elija Lofton gives Miami a proven veteran at tight end, but the room behind him is still sorting itself out as the Hurricanes head toward the new season. Four-star newcomers Gavin Mueller and Israel Briggs arrive with real pass-catching credentials from big high school careers, giving the position group a more talented look than it had a year ago and adding some intrigue to how the depth chart will settle.
The bigger question is how quickly either freshman can earn trust in the parts of the job that do not show up in highlight clips. Miami also brought in Mike Viti as the new tight ends coach, a hire that brings a strong reputation from his time at Army and should matter in a room where technique and physicality will decide snaps. Mueller and Briggs can both run routes, but their path to playing time will hinge on how well they handle the blocking side of the position. [Read more 🡒]
Miamis Loaded Backfield Is Forcing A Huge Decision Before Stanford
Miamis running back room is suddenly one of the most interesting position battles on the roster, and it could shape how the Hurricanes look when Stanford comes to town. Jordan Lyle, Mark Fletcher Jr., CharMar Brown and Girard Pringle Jr. all bring something different to the table, which is exactly why the staff has a real decision to sort through before the opener.
Lyle was supposed to be the lead option a year ago, while Fletcher gave Miami the sturdier, more physical presence it needed during the College Football Playoff run. Brown adds another layer to the mix, and Pringle has stayed in the conversation as a player the Canes want involved. The result is a backfield with no shortage of options, but also no clear answer yet on how the workload should be divided. [Read more 🡒]