Shannon Sharpe hails Mario Cristobal's post-game press conference despite criticizing Cam Ward's decision

After losing the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Saturday, several Miami fans thought benching Cam Ward at halftime cost them the game. Mario Cristobal's Hurricanes fell in the last minute of the game, losing 42-41 to the Iowa State Cyclones.

The final desperate drive ended up with backup Emory Williams being intercepted by the Cyclones' defense in the last play of the game.

This has led many to criticise Cristobal for sitting, or rather for allowing, Cam Ward to sit out the second half of the game. Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe has taken a different view, praising Mario Cristobal for taking the high road and shielding Cam Ward from criticism.

"If that was his decision (Mario Cristobal's) he would've said 'That was my decision and we are going to go with that'. Clearly, it was not his decision because he doesn't want the kid to look bad," Sharpe said (8:22).

"I give him credit ... But I think the average person knows that the kid made a decision, and look that's his decision to make, but for me if I start I'm going to finish"

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What did Mario Cristobal say about Cam Ward forgoing the second half of the Pop-Tarts Bowl?

While speaking with the press in the aftermath of the game against Iowa State on Saturday, Mario Cristobal took the high road and decided to fend off questions about Cam Ward sitting at halftime.

"I think all meetings with players and decisions like that, we make them in private and we keep them in private," Cristobal said, via the South Florida Sun Sentinel's Adam Lichtenstein. "So I'll prefer not to answer questions as it relates to that. I know he played his best while he was in there."

The Hurricanes offense relied heavily on the running game but also took a blow when running back Damien Martinez had to leave early in the fourth quarter due to an injury.

This paired with the fact that Emory Williams was given only six pass plays before the last desperate final drive, meant Miami's offense stalled in the fourth quarter.

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