Miami, Mario Cristobal have a lot riding on the next two weeks of the spring transfer portal window

Miami has the same 2024 preseason win total as Florida State and Clemson. The Hurricanes have the third-best odds to win the ACC Championship and are a fixture in every Way-Too-Early-Top 25.

But as the Canes wrapped up spring practice over the weekend, no team set to be ranked come August has more obvious roster needs than Miami right now.  

Mario Cristobal is entering a make-or-break season in Year 3 at his alma mater, and while the former Oregon head coach has done a nice job overhauling a roster that was thin on blue-chip talent, the ‘Canes are still short on depth and experience at tailback, receiver, defensive back, linebacker and edge. 

That’s half a dozen positions of upgrades for a team with hopes of winning their first ACC Championship in school history this fall. 

The good news is this is the time of year when Cristobal thrives. The bad news? The pickings may be thinner than expected. 

The Hurricanes’ biggest needs in the spring transfer window

Miami’s head coach may make some maddening decisions on gameday, but few are better at accumulating talent during the offseason.

The Hurricanes inked a Top 5 recruiting class in 2024 and already brought in impact transfers like quarterback Cam Ward and defensive tackle CJ Clark. They have foundational pieces like wideout Xavier Restrepo, left tackle Francis Mauigoa and pass rusher Reuben Bain. Hybrid tight end Elija Lofton, offensive lineman Samson Okunlola and end Marquise Lightfoot are young players with lots of promise and upside. 

But as the spring game illustrated, the Canes are far too thin at tailback and defensive back right now. Still, Miami is over the 85-scholarship limit, so the Canes used spring practice to gauge where they could upgrade — or add depth on the roster. 

In a radio interview Tuesday, Mario Cristobal was upfront about his team’s need to attack the portal to supplement the program with continued competition. 

“The only way to combat the ever-changing college football climate is to keep bringing in the best talent, best human beings you can and let it play out on the field,” Cristobal said. 

“Every roster has 85 scholarships. Spring football now is like NFL minicamps where you are over numbers and you are trying to let the guys play and see who really fits your systems and then who has to go, who is maybe not ready to compete, who doesn’t want to compete. What area can you make yourself better? Does a guy have to switch positions? You just roll. 

“As this portal thing goes on there are things we can add to the roster that can benefit the University of Miami. At the end, the only thing that matters is the University of Miami winning, right? Bring people here that have the guts and willingness to work their butts off to win.”

Mario clearly has a plan for how to make sure Miami is best positioned to compete in 2024. 

The problem? 

The supply of high-end talent simply might not be available this spring portal window. 

While many were predicting doomsday scenarios and unparalleled player movement, Day 1 of the 2024 spring portal window was mostly a muted affair. Thus far, the rumors of who could enter the portal far outweigh the talent that has officially submitted their names. 

Case in point: Behind the scenes, Miami has been linked to multiple impact tailbacks who have yet to enter the portal. It’s still early, so maybe those players will ultimately opt to transfer, but Miami is in a tricky position of being an aggressive player in a game lacking face cards.

The Canes are reportedly top contenders for USC edge Romello Height and Marshall corner D’yoni Hill, which would be two solid adds. They’ve been in contact with Rutgers defensive end Rene Konga (who had eight total tackles in 2023) and Pitt defensive end Dayon Hayes (45 tackles, a team-high 10.5 TFL, four sacks). 

Those are all nice players, but if that’s the best that the ‘Canes can do this spring, then the second portal window was liked a botched delivery on Uber Eats. 

Miami needs more impact players to officially enter the portal over the next two weeks. If they do? Then the Canes — who are willing to swim in the murky NIL waters — are probably the frontrunner for their services and true contenders for the ACC Championship this fall. 

If not? Then it might be another frustrating fall in Coral Gables, leaving to more questions about if Cristobal is actually the right guy to lead the program back to its prior glory.

So suffice to say: Mario Cristobal & Co., have a lot riding on the next two weeks.