Mario Cristobal on getting Miami back on top: 'It's my obligation'

The ‘U’ hasn’t been what it once was over the course of this century. That’s why their coach — an alumni himself — Mario Cristobal has one mission at Miami.

Cristobal spoke about expectations and how the Hurricane program has come along in his tenure to get back to them during an interview on ‘Always College Football’. Cristobal said that he is obligated to get them back to what they were before since he knows what that era was like as well as anyone.

“Well, again, I was spoiled. I was here during those years,” said Cristobal. “All the things you mentioned is the reason why I came back. Part of it is, of course, it has been a lifelong dream but it’s also my obligation. You know, having played here, having gone away and learned under the very best, been able to apply that and get some great results? It’s my obligation and one that I really have always wanted and looked forward to to make sure that Miami establishes those standards and that culture.”

However, Miami lost its way over time during the 2000s. That means it takes time to reverse the effects of that in order to get back to being a championship-contending program.

With that, Cristobal says recruiting the right players to be Hurricanes is the start of that. From there, it’s about getting them to work as hard as they did back in the day. That’s how to reset their standard and hopefully bring back the titles that came with them in the past.

“Miami didn’t slip up overnight. So getting Miami to be Miami again doesn’t happen overnight, right,” Cristobal explained. “Those things mirror each other.”

“Mind you, standards and culture are an action, okay? You don’t just roll the ball out there and become Michael Irvin, right? It’s making sure that you’re getting those types of players that can be that and then grinding on the field like those guys did,” Cristobal said. “Those players are doing a great job coming back and explaining to our guys what it is to be a Miami Hurricane. Because – call it what it is. Before you beat somebody else, you’ve got to really know who you are. I think our team is, through recruiting, through culture, through academics, through us just pounding and doing the right things all the time, learning more and more about what it is to be a Miami Hurricane.”

Miami won five national titles, as well as a collection of conference ones over nearly two decades. Since then, they’ve won zero of either, especially when we’re talking about the final prize.

Still, Cristobal is the one who wants to change that recent trajectory. That includes two seasons of work where he is 12-13 overall but showed a two-win improvement between them. It will now feature a team that could very well contend this year out of the ACC.

Cristobal knows what it is to be a ‘Cane and to win titles at Miami. It’s now about getting the teams of his tenure to understand both of those things as well and not quit working at it until they do.

“The secret was right out there. It’s in the dirt. Put your hand in it and get to work,” Cristobal said.

“For us, honestly, right now? It’s not about going back in time. It’s about shutting our mouths, going to work, and going to get better,” said Cristobal. “There’s really, for us, nothing to talk about. There’s no hype, there’s no nothing. We’ve been working our butts off to improve and progress to this point and we’re excited. The momentum within the walls here is awesome. So let’s go get to work and let’s go find out.”