Ed Orgeron assesses how Mario Cristobal has changed Miami

Ed Orgeron has had a front row seat to watch the Miami rebuild over the past four years under Mario Cristobal. Since being let go as coach of LSU in 2021, Orgeron has yet to get back into coaching, but his twin sons Cody and Parker are analysts on the Hurricanes staff.

Orgeron, who lives in South Beach, has made regular trips to Miami practices. He’s even been offering some advice up to the defensive line coaches, a position he held with the Hurricanes early in his career from 1988-1992.

Miami won two national championships while Ed Orgeron was on staff, so he knows the heights the program can reach. He believes Cristobal has them back in a position to reach them once again.

“I’ve been here four years with Mario,” Orgeron said in an appearance on Andy & Ari On3. “He’s done a great job of hiring my young son, Cody, and then he hired my other boy, Parker. So I’ve been involved with the program, talk to the defensive line coaches. But I’ve seen (Cristobal) increase the talent level immensely in the last four years.

“When he came here, it didn’t look like the Miami Hurricanes. Now it looks like the Miami Hurricanes. He’s a tireless worker, a great recruiter and he does have a great team.”

After going a combined 12-13 across his first two seasons, Cristobal led the Hurricanes to a 10-3 record in 2024. However, losses in two of their final three games of the regular season prevented them from making the ACC Championship and, in turn, the College Football Playoff.

Miami is hopeful to change that this year in Cristobal’s fourth year at the helm. The Hurricanes are off to a 5-1 start, having suffered their first loss of the season this past week against Louisville.

Even in spite of that blunder, the Hurricanes are still predicted by many pundits to reach the College Football Playoff. If they do, it would be their first appearance in program history.

Orgeron believes all that has to do with the way that Cristobal has built this program back up from the ashes. Miami had just one 10-win season from 2003-23 before reach that mark last season.

This year, bringing in players such as quarterback Carson Beck and cornerback Charles Brantley through the transfer portal as well as top 10 recruiting classes in the 2023 and 2024 cycles have brought the talent back to the U. Orgeron has been a witness to it all, and has to commend Cristobal on what he considers a job well done.