Cam Ward drummed up criticism after not playing the second half of the Pop-Tarts Bowl, but his head coach, Mario Cristobal, came to his defense.

Miami head coach Mario Cristobal didn’t mince words Monday when issuing a sharp defense of Cam Ward, with the star quarterback fielding criticism after he opted out of the final two quarters of

Miami football coach Mario Cristobal is tired of hearing that Cam Ward quit on his team in the Pop-Tarts Bowl amid NFL Draft hype.

Why did Cam Ward sit out the second half of the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Saturday? Here's what to know of the star quarterback's absence in Miami's game:

Mario Cristobal wants to make one thing clear: Cam Ward did not quit on the Miami Hurricanes by sitting out the second half of the Pop-Tarts Bowl and anything said otherwise is “a false narrative.”

Mario Cristobal coming to the defense of his former Miami Hurricanes star quarterback Cam Ward for sitting out the second half of the Pop-Tarts Bowl was a decision made too little, too late for the head coach.

The Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal as had a lot to deal with over the past two months. Failing to make it to the ACC Championship game which made the Hurricanes miss the playoffs, losing to Iowa State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl,