Dan Radakovich assesses state of Miami football program, what it can become under Mario Cristobal

In December 2021, Miami made sweeping changes by hiring Dan Radakovich as its new athletic director and Mario Cristobal as head football coach. It’s been quite the 16 months since, as Radakovich noted during the Orange and White spring game Friday night.

Radakovich spoke with ESPN’s Pete Thamel and discussed the first year-plus of his return to Miami, where he started his administrative career in 1983. He noted the Hurricanes’ recruiting success — including the No. 6-ranked recruiting class from the 2023 cycle, according the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Ranking — and better resources coming down the road.

But this is just the beginning of the journey.

“It’s been a lot of fun, but it’s been a process,” Radakovich said. “And when Mario got here a couple of days before I did — so we basically came together — we understood that it was going to be a process, and he worked last year from the standpoint of inside the football program. I worked outside to be able to help create some resources. Some changes were made and we had a great recruiting year.

“So I think what we’re seeing right now is not only on the field, some really quality young players mixed in with some of the veterans, but a really great enthusiasm with the with the staff and with the players.”

Dan Radakovich: Miami could be a national brand and ‘galvanize the South Florida community’ under Mario Cristobal

As the process gets started, Radakovich has a vision for Miami. He wants the Hurricanes to take off and become a national power. There’s still a ways to go after last year’s 5-7 campaign, but he hopes the program can be the best version of itself — and write its own story.

“It could be Miami, and that’s all it can be,” Radakovich said. “And that’s pretty special in college football. When things are going right here at University of Miami — we’re a national brand, we galvanize the South Florida community, especially from a football perspective — I think that’s where Mario is taking us.”

That next step started Friday night in the spring game. Plenty of new faces were on display, and Tyler Van Dyke unofficially started his fourth season with the Hurricanes. Cristobal noted the progress his team made, but admitted there was still room for improvement.

“Progress across the board, really,” Cristobal said of what he saw. “Who flashed? You saw actually Cyrus Moss, Jayden Wayne, Rueben Bain, all those guys. Ahmad Moten has got to be mentioned. A guy who did a really good job, especially seeing how many guys we had out in the interior of our defensive line. Francisco Mauigoa, he’s a special player now. He really is.

“Then, on the offensive side, I think you got a good look at some of those offensive linemen. A couple guys were down, they got nicked up a little bit in pregame and were OK. But the skill guys, they made plays. … We put our defense in tough situations, played a lot of straight man most of the night without bringing a ton of pressure. But across the board, there’s progress and still a ways to go.”