Mario Cristobal shares philosophy behind building Miami coaching staff

Miami coach Mario Cristobal is building an elite coaching staff at Miami. The first-year Hurricanes coach has already hired two former Power 5 head coaches, some high-level recruiters and a number of up-and-coming assistants to join his program in 2022.

At his media availability Monday, Cristobal explained his thought process in putting together what looks on paper like one of the best staffs in the country.

“I think it’s important especially for recruits out there and their parents,” he said. “Here, it’s a little bit different because I get the privilege and honor of being the head coach and I played here. This is not a tag or a label or a shirt you just put on. This is in the heart. Then you hire a staff that is widely regarded as the best professionals in the industry at their respective positions. You surround them with guys that are Hall of Famers, high level of experience that have also gone back to high school and coached at a high level and won state championships. It’s a tremendous combination of hard work, high football IQ, high character and high work ethic individuals that allow us to develop at an extremely high level.”

Former Texas, Louisville and South Florida head coach Charlie Strong is the latest to join Mario Cristobal’s coaching staff. He is set to serve as linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator with former Baylor head coach Kevin Steele, who has also been a defensive coordinator at Auburn, Alabama and Clemson.

Although those are the biggest names, they are far from the only ones. Miami also brought in former Michigan offensive coordinator Josh Gattis, who won the Broyles Award in 2021 after helping to lead the Wolverines to the College Football Playoff. UTSA defensive line coach Rod Wright and Georgia secondary coach Jahmile Addae are other big additions to the coaching staff.

Cristobal stressed that these coaches will help the Hurricanes not only on the field, but in recruiting as well.

“We want a player or parent when they show up here to feel their son is going to be challenged, pushed, educated, mentored and watched over like its their very own son,” Cristobal said. “That’s our formula. The intention of that is again to get the very best out of every individual and make sure we’re creating a think tank upstairs where we’re generating good, strong ideas that help us get better as a program.”

Miami is coming off of a disappointing 7-5 finish to the 2021 season, which resulted in the firing third-year coach Manny Diaz. Although times have been rough for the Hurricanes in recent seasons, the hiring of Cristobal and a star-studded coaching staff certainly brings hope of a brighter future. They will open up the 2022 season on Sept. 3 against Bethune-Cookman.