Mike Rumph on Mario Cristobal: 'I've never been around a recruiter like him'

In 2001, Mike Rumph helped Miami to a national title as an all-conference safety. Now he’s tasked with helping his alma mater get back to that standard as he enters another season as the assistant director of recruiting and the second under Mario Cristobal.

Cristobal has made quite the impression early on, too.

Rumph spoke with ESPN’s Pete Thamel during Miami’s spring game Friday night and had some high praise for Cristobal — one of his fellow former Hurricanes. When Cristobal took over the program, his reputation on the recruiting trail preceded him. He’s known to be relentless when recruiting, and Rumph said he hasn’t let up at all at Miami. The Hurricanes had the No. 6-ranked recruiting class in the nation from the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Ranking.

“On vacation, we’re not vacationing,” Rumph said. “We’re always staying in contact and communicating with the parents, the kids. He remembers birthdays, he remembers everything about the kids, no matter how many come in the building.

“It’s nonstop. I’ve never been around a recruiter like him.”

That recruiting effort continued in a big way Friday night as more than 200 recruits took in the Orange and White spring game. That means Miami has plenty to show potential future Hurricanes, and Rumph knows there’s an opportunity to teach them about the program.

He also knows the perfect place to take recruits to dinner when they visit: Prime 112.

“I hope to show just the Cane mentality,” Rumph said. “We’re very physical, we play tough football and smart football. When we all come together, it’s a beautiful thing. We’ve got guys from the ’50s, the ’60s, ’70s, we all come back and support. This is not just four years and done. This is a lifetime when you’re a Cane.”

Rumph knows what it takes to get to the mountaintop as a national champion, which means he has an idea of what to look for on the recruiting trail. He knows players in 2023 aren’t the same as players in 2001, and he thinks Miami has done a good job rolling with the changes.

Early in Cristobal’s tenure, though, it’s about laying the groundwork.

“Times have changed, so this generation is totally different,” Rumph said. “But I think we’ve adapted well and we do a great job of getting the most competitive kids. We check everything about a kid before they come in, and … they all have one ingredient: They all love to fight and they love to compete. I think Coach Cristobal’s done a great job laying the foundation of what the future has to come.”