Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal on Wed.: “Miami is looking more and more like what Miami should look like”

If you want a sense of the pulse of this Miami Hurricanes team with fall drills around the corner, look no further than the heart-racing excitement exuded by coach Mario Cristobal at ACC Media Day.

It’s all sunshine and optimism with UM seemingly getting the pieces put in place for a potential run at 10 wins or more.

Cirstobal stressed that regardless of outside expectations of around 10 wins, that there are no people with higher expectations than himself and this staff.

“Miami is looking more and more like what Miami should look like,” he said. “Nothing is going to stop it. We just have to keep putting time, hard work and great competitors (into the equation).”

On offense Miami added star portal additions QB Cam Ward, RB Damien Martinez, WR Sam Brown and center Zach Carpenter. They join three returning OL starters (Jalen Rivers, Anez Cooper, Francis Mauigoa), top WRs Xavier Restrepo and Jacolby George, and the team finally has a healthy TE Elijah Arroyo set to join freshman H-back standout Elija Lofton.

The defense picked up key portal pieces like DE Tyler Baron, DT CJ Clark, DT Simeon Barrow and DB Mishael Powell, who will join returning starters DE Rueben Bain, LBs Francisco Mauigoa and Wesley Bissainthe along with CB Daryl Porter, Jr.

So, yeah, you can see why Cristobal is excited about what he sees.

“It’s a great combination of guys that have been here, a couple four or five years, and then some really high caliber transfer portal guys and some uber talented freshmen,” Cristobal said. “That’s a good blend. what they share in common is they all love to work. It’s led to a great offseason. … So far, so good.”

Cristobal said due to the starting point of where the roster was when he first came into Miami that he was forced to utilize the transfer portal heavily, stressing how he rarely used it at Oregon.

“Our approach to it was really, really good – we were able to get some great players,” he said.

Cristobal’s top recruiting classes since taking over entering Year 3 are all still relatively young and – for the most part – inexperienced. Which is why he says “You had to fill in the spots with mature players that are seasoned and experienced.”

Cristobal also said the culture he’s working to instill is getting put into place.

“No one should ever complain about the work, we’re blessed to have this opportunity,” he said.

Cristobal also said it’s a “tremendous advantage” having both coordinators back for Year 2, and he also praised star QB transfer Cam Ward.

“The guy is an eraser,” he said. “The tough play, a guy stumbles, falls, he breaks contain, making a throw, making a run. those guys (athletic, talented QBs) can make a lot of wrong things right.

“He’s a real one, straight alpha. Everyone wanted him because of what they saw on tape. He’s super talented. The part we felt separated him from the rest, whenever he made a mistake he attacked the very next play like everything was dependent on that. A true competitor, was never fazed.”

Cristobal wants to make the team’s identity one that is physical and dominant on both sides of the line. The pieces are already being put in place on the OL, and on the D line he said with several older transfer portal guys coming in that the younger guys can learn from them.

“(The transfer defensive linemen) have the right mindset,” Cristobal said. “The young guys just go, are really smart. the future is really bright for the trenches.”

Cristobal also addressed NIL, saying “NIL has been around a long, long time (with programs cheating), it’s just legal now. Those out there complaining (about Miami’s NIL success), I don’t care. I don’t have any comments about them. Miami, we do it the right way, have a great NIL program. The people involved do such a good job it allows us to run free and clean and efficiently and focus on the things that are important – training, development, life after football and the team concept.”

A final takeaway from the Miami coach?

Asked how long it will take for the team to come together with a big opener at Florida, Cristobal said “I’ve seen it come together almost instantaneously, I’ve seen it take time. The transfers and really talented freshmen that always wanted to be Hurricanes, that’s a good combination. That accelerates a lot of it. And it’s on the coaches, man. College football is very mobile, things are in and out all the time. It’s just the way of the world. Because of it, you have to keep bringing in great players and get them ready to play early.”

*Quotes via ACC Football Kickoff, ACC Network, 560 AM

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