Miami tight end Cam McCormick will return for a history-making ninth season of college football in 2024, he announced Thursday. McCormick finished this season tied with Northern Illinois' Kyle Pugh for the longest college football tenure in FBS history. A member of the 2016 recruiting class, he'll sit alone atop that list next year.
McCormick initially enrolled at Oregon back when the program was still under the direction of coach Mark Helfrich. He spent seven years with the Ducks, but was hampered by injuries in four consecutive seasons (2018-21). He didn't see the field at all in 2019 or 2020.
In total, McCormick appeared in 23 games at Oregon, which roughly equates to two seasons' worth of games. He redshirted in 2016 and the 2020 pandemic season didn't count toward NCAA athletes' eligibility clocks.
Though his traditional eligibility was exhausted after the 2022 season, the NCAA granted McCormick two medical hardship seasons. He transferred to Miami and reunited with ex-Oregon coach Mario Cristobal shortly after receiving the news. In his first year with the Hurricanes, McCormick appeared in all 13 games, catching eight passes for a total of 62 yards. He earned the 2022 Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award for his perseverance through injuries. Through it all, the possibility of a ninth season was in the back of his mind.
"I think about [the ninth year] and I know I have it, but I want to go out this year and showcase my abilities and hopefully I can make it to the next level this year," McCormick told reporters ahead of the 2023 campaign. "If not, I know I have [the ninth year] if I need to use it."
McCormick's career timeline:
- 2016 - Redshirt
- 2017 - Redshirt freshman
- 2018 - Season ending injury
- 2019 - Missed entire season due to injury
- 2020 - COVID year of extra eligibility
- 2021 - Season ending injury
- 2022 - Senior, played in 13 games
- 2023 - Granted year of eligibility, transfers to Miami
- 2024 - Granted year of eligibility
A one-of-a-kind journey
Several of McCormick's counterparts from the 2016 recruiting cycle are multiple seasons into successful NFL careers, including Green Bay Packers linebacker Rashan Gary, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa.
McCormick's career has also spanned the duration of multiple coaching tenures for both the Hurricanes and Ducks. At Oregon alone, McCormick played for four coaches: Helfrich (2016), Willie Taggart (2017), Cristobal (2018-21) and current coach Dan Lanning (2022). Miami is now on its third coach since McCormick's college career began. When McCormick enrolled as a freshman at Oregon the Hurricanes were in their first season under Mark Richt. Richt was followed by Manny Diaz, who took over in 2019 and lasted through 2021 before he was fired and replaced by Cristobal.
Don't overlook McCormick's off-field resume, either. He's currently enrolled in Miami's post-baccalaureate program. While at Oregon he earned a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Communication and a Master's degree in Advertising and Brand Responsibility. He also completed a number of internships, including those with Fidelity, the University of Oregon Police Department and Courts for Kids, the last of which saw him spent time overseas in Africa as a cultural ambassador.
Needless to say, McCormick's journey is unlikely to replicated anytime soon, if ever. Through it all, a passion for being part of a team -- and his sheer love for the game -- has sustained it.
"I love football and I love being a part of a team," McCormick told 247Sports in 2023. "... The injuries make it tough, but there is going to be light on the other side."