Mario Cristobal: Confidence is extremely high Miami can replace lost production at receiver

The Miami Hurricanes are entering the 2025 season with high expectations, hoping to build off their success last season. At the same time, head coach Mario Cristobal needs to be able to handle some turnover at key positions.

One of those positions dealing with turnover is wide receiver. Despite that, as Cristobal explained on Gramlich & Mac Lain, he’s extremely confident that Miami has been able to replace that production successfully.

“The wide receivers,” Mario Cristobal said. “We lost a lot of production there, and our guys they’ve got to go out and prove it. I could say that from what we’ve seen here from our guys, confidence is extremely high that we can have the same type of production that we’ve had in that last year and other years when Miami’s been really good.”

In 2024, Miami was ranked third nationally in passing offense, averaging 348.2 passing yards per game. However, from last year’s team, the top six pass catchers in terms of receiving yards have moved on either to the NFL or in the Transfer Portal. That includes four wide receivers, a tight end, and a running back. Elija Lofton, a tight end who had nine receptions for 150 yards and a touchdown, is Miami’s leading returner in terms of production.

With that, the Hurricanes were active in the Transfer Portal. Miami added 20 total transfers. Among them, five play either wide receiver or tight end. Then, Miami also had another five at either wide receiver or tight end who came in from the Class of 2025 as incoming freshmen. Along with the other returning players at Miami, there should be talent to compete at the skill positions.

“Because, like you mentioned, we’ve recruited at a high level. They’ve been developing. And now, systematically, we are really in a groove now. We understand what we’re trying to do. How we’re trying to do it. Why we’re doing it that way. We’re really just ingrained and entrenched in what our schematic purpose is. So, you name it. So many guys have had a really good spring and a great summer. The competition is thick. It’s going to be an extremely competitive room with guys that can flat out run, that have great hands, that contract the ball really, really well,” Cristobal said.

“All of them understand clearly they have to be able to block. You don’t block, you know. We were the number two, three passing team in the country last year and numbers like that are hard to replicate. On this side over here, confidence is high that we will have an elite offense both in the run and in the pass.”

Along with the changes at wide receiver, Miami is also undergoing a change at quarterback. Cam Ward was selected first overall in the NFL Draft. He’d be replaced in the Transfer Portal with Carson Beck, a veteran from Georgia. So, now he’s tasked with quickly building chemistry with this receiver unit.

Cristobal needs his team ready to be tested right out of the gate. The Hurricanes open against Notre Dame, a team that promises to boast one of the best defenses in the country once again this season.