Mario Cristobal shares feedback, excitement he has received from Miami fanbase

When Mario Cristobal was hired as Miami’s head football coach back on Dec. 6, he made it clear that he was going to revitalize the Hurricanes’ fanbase and overall support for the football program.

In just two months since becoming the head coach at his alma mater, Cristobal has been able to do that. While many Miami fans had been wanting changes to be made for quite some time, Cristobal is already living up to their expectations – and he hasn’t even coached a game yet.

Cristobal joined The Paul Finebaum Show on Friday and discussed the feedback and excitement he has received so far from the Miami fanbase.

“They’re fired up,” Cristobal said. “They’ve been really hoping for a change like this, so a groundswell of support, a direction where they can see clearly what is going to be in-store type of offseason regiment, the type of system we’ll be running.

“I think when they see that this blueprint is producing championships and getting guys drafted, not only drafted but as top-10 picks, and they’re having fun and graduating with a high clip – when they see this blueprint, the blueprint works. It’s going to be implemented here at the highest level because there’s a full commitment from a resource and facility standpoint to do it as good – or better – than anyone else in the country, and that was a missing component for Miami.”

Cristobal – who spent four seasons as Oregon’s head coach prior to taking the Miami job – takes over a Hurricanes’ program that is coming off a 7-5 season in 2021.

Cristobal opens up about what Miami really means to him

During his introductory press conference in Coral Gables, Mario Cristobal shared what it means to him to be back at Miami.

“Born and raised. Home is home,” Cristobal said. “And this home is special. It’s the most culturally diverse, vibrant, energized destination city in the entire world. The people – the location is awesome, right? It’s always what they tell you in in class and business management, ‘location, location, location,’ but there should be another line underneath it that says ‘the people, the people, the people.’

“I’m beyond fired up to be able to be where I played, born and raised and everything else. But again, these gentlemen, the people are the ultimate difference in everything. It’s a huge reason why I’m back home, it’s a ginormous reason why these young men that are here – our student-athletes – are going to continue to thrive and flourish and elevate standards because we’re going to surround them by the best. Some of them might be from South Florida and some of them might not, but I think once you’re part of the community down here, you’re part of it forever.”