Courtesy of ASAP Sports
Q. With the apparent goal of perpetual success lingering in your mind, in the same breath some key components differing from last season, how big of a role does consistency within the presence of this team matter?
MARIO CRISTOBAL: Well, ironically that's something we were just talking about, the importance of consistency with everything that we do.
I think we've had steady progress over the last four years. It's been due to the commitment and the level of just care of these players and their coaches. The fact that everything has been based on having a 1-0 attitude towards everything we do, every meeting, practice session, training session, just making sure we never deviate from that, never stray from that process.
That has also led to thankfully for us some consistency in our coaching staff. We retain both coordinators. Consistency in that case is good because they have had success. They're also very adaptable, knowing with whatever schemes we do run, they have to fit the skill set of our players.
We're really excited about that.
Q. Could you talk about your philosophy of looking in the portal for quarterbacks to add to the team. What you saw out of Darian when it was time to look for a quarterback?
MARIO CRISTOBAL: We were in the market for a quarterback. We felt the team was really set in so many areas. When Darian hit the portal, we felt this is a guy we would love to pursue. Watching crossover tape with so many opponents we faced, we saw his level of talent and play. What really took us by surprise in a great way is what an incredible young man he is. His levels of leadership, care factor, time invested in his craft, football IQ, just natural human IQ, just an elite person along with the guys beside him.
We found ourselves also in a situation like in previous years where it was time to take a portal quarterback. We feel going forward we are set in that room from a high school standpoint with what we have on the roster, what we have coming in.
I'll also say this: Every single year is different. Even though our foundation is the high school player, we're never going to deny ourselves the opportunity to get better as a program if there is a player that we can pick up in the portal that can help our program elevate.
Q. You guys have FAMU, which is one of the biggest HBCUs in the nation. What is the importance of playing HBCUs? Especially with you having similar colors, how do you pick what color uniforms are going to wear? Most people want to know, are the FAMU marching 100 coming?
MARIO CRISTOBAL: Those are questions for others in this room. I'll get you that information to you best I can what I can.
I think historically they're an excellent program with a great coaching staff. It's challenging. We play across the country on a Friday night and they play on Sunday right down in south Florida as well. We'll both have short weeks. We will both be tested on that night.
So we're looking forward to the opportunity to compete against such a great program.
Q. In addition to replacing the quarterback, you're also having to replace a lot of production along the offensive and defensive lines. What have you seen of the growth in those rooms?
MARIO CRISTOBAL: First and foremost, I'd like to commend the entire conference on the fact that as a conference we had more players from the trenches drafted in the first round than any other conference in football.
Miami alone had three, which is as many or more than just about every conference.
I think it's important to note that this is college football. If you have really good players, they're going to be gone to the next level in three to four years, right?
So the process to replace those players began the day that they were signed with the next class. And those players haven't been waiting their turn, they've been preparing the entire time. These guys will be glad to attest to the way we practice is pretty intense and pretty challenging, so therefore, the rep count, we're rep intensive I would say.
From a competitive standpoint we work good-on-good every single day. We work block destruction all the way from week one till the end of the entire season. We feel that these guys are not only prepared to step in but prepared to excel.
I also think it's important to say this: In 2022, when we first recruited those guys, we didn't say much because we weren't winning many games. I think it's important to note that. You don't say much. Now that we are getting better and progressing, it's probably time to say less. Not time to predict, prognostications, and all that stuff.
We would just like to keep our mouths shut and go outside and work, get better, represent our program to the best of our abilities.
Q. Alongside the portal you also have a lot of returning talent. What is an area that you really want your guys to improve on, especially following such a successful season?
MARIO CRISTOBAL: I think in football we do truly feel at the University of Miami that you never stay the same; you get better or you get worse. So elevating every aspect of the program starts with every individual. I'm talking about the importance of challenging your coaches. We're blessed to have an excellent coaching staff. But there's no value in coming back thinking that we're going to be good.
It's important that we self assess and that we find every possible advantage and edge to give to our players so they can go out and be the best players they can possibly be.
Mentality is everything for us. We like to get on edge and we like to stay on edge. The only way to do that is by conducting certain levels of intensity and urgency as it relates to practice and preparation.
If you speak with our players, I think they'll echo that. That's been what has really worked for us. We're nowhere near where we want to be yet, but we're certainly gaining ground there.
We're excited to get this process rolling once again in training camp here in a couple of weeks.
Q. Those pillars of the program that you wanted to bring in when you first came into Miami as the head coach, some of those things you wanted to implement, where they are right now, the evolution of the pillars of your program. And then secondly, involving the alumni the way you do, Ed Reed, Michael Irvin, everybody on the sideline, why that's important to you?
MARIO CRISTOBAL: It's important that Michael Irvin never kisses me again on national TV. I think that's really important to point out. Also important to point out, and actually Mark Fletcher mentioned it, one of the best things we do is our alumni reunion, which had 400-plus members show up this year.
You can imagine, we should have rolled the ball out there and scrimmaged. Such great teammates, players, guys that maybe weren't great players but were excellent friends and brothers.
That's always been a big -- I mean, I can't emphasize enough what a major role that played. Once I got the opportunity, privilege to return to Miami, why it had to be done. I owe Miami. I do, I feel that way strongly.
As it relates to the pillars for us. We don't have any signs on the wall. For us, it's as simple as this. For us, our culture, this will sum it up, it everybody for everything every single day. There shouldn't be any misconception or misunderstanding as it relates to that.
All that means is nothing but your best will be good enough. So we feel strongly about it. It is led by them. They told theirselves and their teammates to really, really high standards.
We're pretty simple. This press conference might be a little bit boring (smiling).
Q. You started your head coaching career at FIU, you were kind of the CFO of that program. Talk about all the work that goes into building that program and how it's helped mold you into the coach you are today focusing on Miami?
MARIO CRISTOBAL: How is that experience? When you walk into a place and you sign a contract, they tell you guys are about to go on a five-year probation. You're going to have 33 ineligible players, 17 plus on top of that. You're going to lose a scholarship for every player ineligible going forward to a contemporaneous penalty for the APR.
The good news is you play seven of the top teams in the country that's about to go Division I. By the way, you just lost 15 straight games before you got started.
Do you want that job (smiling)?
But you know what, we bet on our people, we bet on the south Florida community. They often ask me the questions. The credit goes to all the people that chose such a difficult and tough road because you're not just a coach there, you are the academic advisor, you're the chef, you are the travel coordinator, you're the fundraiser. That's been documented. We were supposed to go to play Alabama, and we got to the airport and they said, Where you guys going?
We're going to hop on our plane, we have a game tomorrow against Alabama.
They said, Well, you guys didn't play for a plane, so you're not going anywhere. So give my credit card to the wife, go get 200 meatball and cheese subs at Subway, bring them back for the players, let me figure this out.
You are faced with obstacles you wouldn't normally face. Honestly, I'm grateful for that. I got to cut my teeth on some very difficult situations and circumstances. I thank God for that because it really helps me appreciate being at a place like Miami nowadays.
But yeah, we pay for our planes now (smiling).
Q. With the apparent goal of perpetual success lingering in your mind, in the same breath some key components differing from last season, how big of a role does consistency within the presence of this team matter?
MARIO CRISTOBAL: Well, ironically that's something we were just talking about, the importance of consistency with everything that we do.
I think we've had steady progress over the last four years. It's been due to the commitment and the level of just care of these players and their coaches. The fact that everything has been based on having a 1-0 attitude towards everything we do, every meeting, practice session, training session, just making sure we never deviate from that, never stray from that process.
That has also led to thankfully for us some consistency in our coaching staff. We retain both coordinators. Consistency in that case is good because they have had success. They're also very adaptable, knowing with whatever schemes we do run, they have to fit the skill set of our players.
We're really excited about that.
Q. Could you talk about your philosophy of looking in the portal for quarterbacks to add to the team. What you saw out of Darian when it was time to look for a quarterback?
MARIO CRISTOBAL: We were in the market for a quarterback. We felt the team was really set in so many areas. When Darian hit the portal, we felt this is a guy we would love to pursue. Watching crossover tape with so many opponents we faced, we saw his level of talent and play. What really took us by surprise in a great way is what an incredible young man he is. His levels of leadership, care factor, time invested in his craft, football IQ, just natural human IQ, just an elite person along with the guys beside him.
We found ourselves also in a situation like in previous years where it was time to take a portal quarterback. We feel going forward we are set in that room from a high school standpoint with what we have on the roster, what we have coming in.
I'll also say this: Every single year is different. Even though our foundation is the high school player, we're never going to deny ourselves the opportunity to get better as a program if there is a player that we can pick up in the portal that can help our program elevate.
Q. You guys have FAMU, which is one of the biggest HBCUs in the nation. What is the importance of playing HBCUs? Especially with you having similar colors, how do you pick what color uniforms are going to wear? Most people want to know, are the FAMU marching 100 coming?
MARIO CRISTOBAL: Those are questions for others in this room. I'll get you that information to you best I can what I can.
I think historically they're an excellent program with a great coaching staff. It's challenging. We play across the country on a Friday night and they play on Sunday right down in south Florida as well. We'll both have short weeks. We will both be tested on that night.
So we're looking forward to the opportunity to compete against such a great program.
Q. In addition to replacing the quarterback, you're also having to replace a lot of production along the offensive and defensive lines. What have you seen of the growth in those rooms?
MARIO CRISTOBAL: First and foremost, I'd like to commend the entire conference on the fact that as a conference we had more players from the trenches drafted in the first round than any other conference in football.
Miami alone had three, which is as many or more than just about every conference.
I think it's important to note that this is college football. If you have really good players, they're going to be gone to the next level in three to four years, right?
So the process to replace those players began the day that they were signed with the next class. And those players haven't been waiting their turn, they've been preparing the entire time. These guys will be glad to attest to the way we practice is pretty intense and pretty challenging, so therefore, the rep count, we're rep intensive I would say.
From a competitive standpoint we work good-on-good every single day. We work block destruction all the way from week one till the end of the entire season. We feel that these guys are not only prepared to step in but prepared to excel.
I also think it's important to say this: In 2022, when we first recruited those guys, we didn't say much because we weren't winning many games. I think it's important to note that. You don't say much. Now that we are getting better and progressing, it's probably time to say less. Not time to predict, prognostications, and all that stuff.
We would just like to keep our mouths shut and go outside and work, get better, represent our program to the best of our abilities.
Q. Alongside the portal you also have a lot of returning talent. What is an area that you really want your guys to improve on, especially following such a successful season?
MARIO CRISTOBAL: I think in football we do truly feel at the University of Miami that you never stay the same; you get better or you get worse. So elevating every aspect of the program starts with every individual. I'm talking about the importance of challenging your coaches. We're blessed to have an excellent coaching staff. But there's no value in coming back thinking that we're going to be good.
It's important that we self assess and that we find every possible advantage and edge to give to our players so they can go out and be the best players they can possibly be.
Mentality is everything for us. We like to get on edge and we like to stay on edge. The only way to do that is by conducting certain levels of intensity and urgency as it relates to practice and preparation.
If you speak with our players, I think they'll echo that. That's been what has really worked for us. We're nowhere near where we want to be yet, but we're certainly gaining ground there.
We're excited to get this process rolling once again in training camp here in a couple of weeks.
Q. Those pillars of the program that you wanted to bring in when you first came into Miami as the head coach, some of those things you wanted to implement, where they are right now, the evolution of the pillars of your program. And then secondly, involving the alumni the way you do, Ed Reed, Michael Irvin, everybody on the sideline, why that's important to you?
MARIO CRISTOBAL: It's important that Michael Irvin never kisses me again on national TV. I think that's really important to point out. Also important to point out, and actually Mark Fletcher mentioned it, one of the best things we do is our alumni reunion, which had 400-plus members show up this year.
You can imagine, we should have rolled the ball out there and scrimmaged. Such great teammates, players, guys that maybe weren't great players but were excellent friends and brothers.
That's always been a big -- I mean, I can't emphasize enough what a major role that played. Once I got the opportunity, privilege to return to Miami, why it had to be done. I owe Miami. I do, I feel that way strongly.
As it relates to the pillars for us. We don't have any signs on the wall. For us, it's as simple as this. For us, our culture, this will sum it up, it everybody for everything every single day. There shouldn't be any misconception or misunderstanding as it relates to that.
All that means is nothing but your best will be good enough. So we feel strongly about it. It is led by them. They told theirselves and their teammates to really, really high standards.
We're pretty simple. This press conference might be a little bit boring (smiling).
Q. You started your head coaching career at FIU, you were kind of the CFO of that program. Talk about all the work that goes into building that program and how it's helped mold you into the coach you are today focusing on Miami?
MARIO CRISTOBAL: How is that experience? When you walk into a place and you sign a contract, they tell you guys are about to go on a five-year probation. You're going to have 33 ineligible players, 17 plus on top of that. You're going to lose a scholarship for every player ineligible going forward to a contemporaneous penalty for the APR.
The good news is you play seven of the top teams in the country that's about to go Division I. By the way, you just lost 15 straight games before you got started.
Do you want that job (smiling)?
But you know what, we bet on our people, we bet on the south Florida community. They often ask me the questions. The credit goes to all the people that chose such a difficult and tough road because you're not just a coach there, you are the academic advisor, you're the chef, you are the travel coordinator, you're the fundraiser. That's been documented. We were supposed to go to play Alabama, and we got to the airport and they said, Where you guys going?
We're going to hop on our plane, we have a game tomorrow against Alabama.
They said, Well, you guys didn't play for a plane, so you're not going anywhere. So give my credit card to the wife, go get 200 meatball and cheese subs at Subway, bring them back for the players, let me figure this out.
You are faced with obstacles you wouldn't normally face. Honestly, I'm grateful for that. I got to cut my teeth on some very difficult situations and circumstances. I thank God for that because it really helps me appreciate being at a place like Miami nowadays.
But yeah, we pay for our planes now (smiling).
