Greg McElroy believes Miami has a chance to bounce back in second year under Mario Cristobal

It’s needless to say that, after going 5-7 in 2022, Mario Cristobal’s tenure at Miami isn’t off on the right foot. Even so, Greg McElroy sees more than one reason to believe that the Hurricanes could bounce back from that point this fall.

McElroy examined the outlook of The U’s season and their win total on Monday on ‘Always College Football.’ To start, he reminded everyone of just how bad Miami’s season was a year ago.

“For Mario Cristobal? Things have to get turned around this year,” McElroy said. “The win total is 7.5 but I look at last year, man, and it was really disappointing.

“It was really ugly,” said McElroy. “We’re talking about a historically bad season for Mario Cristobal.”

Now, to look ahead, McElroy said the first sign of life in Coral Gables is what the program has been able to accomplish on the recruiting trail from the high school ranks as well as the transfer portal.

“Here’s the good news: Look at the recruiting,” McElroy said. “They did a great job going out and signing a quality high school class. And then they go out and back it up by signing an even better transfer class.”

Then, from there, McElroy applauded both coordinator hires from Cristobal this offseason. On offense, he believes Shannon Dawson will get their quarterback out of his slump while, on defense, Lance Guidry will bring a style to the unit that should benefit the players that they have.

“They also go out and hire two difference making coordinators in Shannon Dawson and Lance Guidry. Shannon Dawson comes from Houston but has an air raid background where they’re going to stretch the field, really take shots a lot downfield,” McElroy explained. “Shannon Dawson, I think, is going to get the most out Tyler Van Dyke. The talent? He didn’t just forget how to throw, right? He was just in a really bad system fit for what he needed to do to feel comfortable. I think he bounces back in a big way this year. And they brought weapons in that should help that transition.

“Then Lance Guidry on the defensive side? Very optimistic with what he was able to do last year,” continued McElroy. “If you watch what Guidry did at Marshall? Man, this guy is attacking. He understands how to get his guys to play at a ridiculously high level as far as intensity is concerned. So I’m excited to see what he’s going to do with his opportunity because I think this mix could really be advantageous for an athletic front seven and a pretty decent secondary. I think this team has a chance to be pretty disruptive.”

Miami tied for seventh and finished 11th overall in the ACC in ’22. In ’23, On3’s Jesse Simonton has them finishing in a similar spot while the media picked them to finish fifth in a now-divisionless league. As for McElroy, though, he expects a form of revival for the ‘Canes as he has them closer to the over on their win total rather than the under.

“Miami, I think, has a chance to bounce back. If I had to take it? I’d take the over,” said McElroy. “I think this team is talented, I think they’ll be improved on both sides of the ball, and there’ll be better collective buy-in from everybody just seeing how last season went.”