Ward’s Start Was in LC

By Jim Gazzolo

When Cam Ward arrived in Lake Charles in February 2020, nobody knew anything about him.

He was an unknown freshman quarterback at Incarnate Word whose only scholarship offer came from the struggling Football Championship Subdivision school in San Antonio, Texas.

At the time, UIW was considered nothing more than cannon fodder in the Southland Conference, a program that was not a winner and hopelessly lost in the league’s lower level.

McNeese State, on the other hand, was still considered one of the best SLC clubs and a power on the FCS level.

The actual date was Feb. 27, 2020, and college football’s second division was playing in the spring after COVID had wiped out the fall season.

For McNeese, it was a special day. Just six months after Hurricane Laura, the Cowboys were hosting their first big on-campus sporting event, and like the rest of the town, they were still picking up debris from the storm.

Favored by two touchdowns, the day was expected to be a celebration of sorts for Cowboys fans. Ward turned it into a nightmare.

On that day, in his first college start, Ward threw for 306 yards and four touchdowns, coming out of nowhere to make a name for himself. His Cardinals won easily, 48-30.

It was a shock to McNeese players and fans alike, flipping the league upside down. Since then, the Cowboys haven’t had a winning season, and UIW has become a national FCS brand.

As for Ward, he has done well for himself. He went on to play at Washington State and then Miami, increasing his national attention with each stop, and making more money along the way as well.

Thursday night, Ward hit the mother lode.

The one-time forgotten high schooler who had nowhere else to go for college became the most famous football player for a moment. Ward was picked first in the NFL draft by the Tennessee Titans, securing his economic future and giving hope to all kids with a dream who have been overlooked.

Ward also introduced himself to the nation in a simple way. There was no outlandish suit worn, nor was there any big-time jewelry. 

A big entourage did not surround him. He was at the draft with his parents and spoke softly during his first professional interview.

Subtle was his tone on a night of overstatements.

By the time the Titans made their choice, Ward being picked first was no surprise. He had been considered the top guy since the college season ended.

However, his journey is a shocker.

When you consider the second pick, Travis Hunter, also began his college career at an FCS college (Jackson State), you see just how much times are changing.

Kids are learning that it's not where you begin, but rather where you end up, that matters, and how hard you work to get there. It is a valuable lesson for all players at various levels. 

Players who start at McNeese can now see a clear path laid out by others to achieve their goals and the rewards that come with it.

That is what Ward did on Thursday night: he opened the door for others to follow.

And it all began on a late winter afternoon inside Cowboy Stadium.

Nobody who was there that day could have ever figured what they witnessed would end with a No. 1 draft pick five years later.

Jim Gazzolo is a freelance writer who covers sports in Southwest Louisiana. He is also the host of Poke Nation, which can be seen on CBS-Lake Charles weekly.