Mario Cristobal discusses support for program, hints at recruiting boost
Mario Cristobal recognizes how important it is to have everyone on board for his reboot of the University of Miami.
Evidently, there’s been zero issues on that front. During a media scrum earlier last week, Cristobal spoke about the support for his Hurricanes team, hinting at a recruiting boost in the near future.
“Excited,” Cristobal responded, when asked how he feels about Miami being a desirable destination for coaches. “Our pool of energy is the passion for the University of Miami. That’s not a shallow pool, that’s a deep, strong and real pool. So, to see them here, it just further reaffirms, and confirms that the University of Miami is on the right track, because we are working. Our approach is very blue collar mentality, to make sure everyday we’re just making progress and getting better.
But the momentum is strong. We feel it in the form of our players, and their training sessions. We feel it in the form of the community, the fanbase, certainly recruiting. We feel a strong wave of momentum coming here soon. So all in all, just putting in the work.”
Mario Cristobal has a clear vision for Miami, and it’s already beginning to take shape. The Hurricanes could finally be on their way back to the elite of the college football world.
Miami AD Dan Radakovich provides initial impressions of new head coach Mario Cristobal
As Miami enters a new era of athletics, two of the key pieces are Dan Radakovich and Mario Cristobal. Things seem to be going well so far.
Radakovich is taking over for Blake James as athletic director and Cristobal returns to his alma mater to replace Manny Diaz as head football coach. As Cristobal got started as head coach, he took his time getting his staff together — and Radakovich said that spoke to his attention to detail as he tried to build the program.
“You used the word ‘relentless’ and I think that is a good word to describe Mario, whether it’s in recruiting student-athletes or recruiting his staff,” Radakovich said on the ESPN College Football Podcast. “I think that he took an incredibly intelligent approach as it related — he didn’t have to get everybody on board right away. He took his time [and] got some really good coaches at the end. I think that showed patience, that showed maturity on his part. Just keeping the important thing, which is getting the right people here, and not worrying about the timing of all of it. Recruiting … is 365 days a year. That’s just how football coaches work. He enjoys it and like anything you might enjoy, you’re going to try to do it well. I’ve been really surprised at his level of organization.
“Mario knows a lot of people in Miami. I shouldn’t have found that surprising have had him grow up here and play here, but my goodness he knows a lot of people here. Everybody has an affinity and a fondness to Mario. It’s been a pleasure and we still have a lot of things to get over and things to work though, but certainly excited about the prospect of continuing to assist him and all the other coaches here at the University of Miami as we continue to move the athletic program forward.”