Mario Cristobal’s first two seasons back at his alma institution have been far from ideal. Back-to-back top-seven recruiting classes, on the other hand, should offer Miami fans faith that the squad will continue to progress as the talent level rises.
What should Cristobal’s 2024 New Year’s Resolutions be?
1- Get the quarterback position resolved as soon as feasible. Miami was forced to abandon Plan A after Cam Ward chose to enter the NFL draft rather than transfer to The University. Other transfer targets are still available. According to reports, the Hurricanes are interested in USC transfer Malachi Nelson and UNLV transfer Jayden Maiava. Jordan McCloud of James Madison, Liberty quarterback Kaidon Salter, and Arizona transfer Jayden de Laura are other intriguing unsigned options.
Or will Miami’s next starting quarterback be promoted from within? Emory Williams and Jacurri Brown remain on the roster. Both lack experience but have shown promise in a few starts. Judd Anderson will be an early enrollee, but he is unlikely to be ready to take over straight away.
Miami’s time is running out. If they still need to bring in a transfer, they have until January 24th at the very latest to enroll a new player in time for spring football. Given the timing, Miami may not receive their anticipated transfer addition until later in the spring.
2- Be more consistent in establishing your football culture. The coaches at Miami talk a lot about discipline, but it doesn’t always translate on the field. WR Jacolby George was called for three unsportsmanlike penalties in the Pinstripe Bowl loss against Rutgers. He’s a terrific player, but he should have been benched sooner to convey a message. During the regular season, there were other examples of players remaining on the field after expensive penalties. Cristobal’s message should always be that selfish games are not acceptable.
3- Involve your playmakers more. Miami has just lost “Swiss army knife” Brashard Smith through the transfer window. Smith was most likely disgruntled by his lack of playing time. The Hurricanes feature a number of young players with similar agility and versatility. Speedy receivers like Nathaniel “Ray Ray” Joseph, Joshisa Trader, Ny Carr, and Robby Washington need to be used creatively in space in 2024. Miami’s attack has been too predictable in recent years, despite the fact that running back Chris Johnson is one of the quickest track stars in the country.
4- Cristobal and his team require in-game management methods and self-reflection. When you don’t take a knee to secure a victory and the TV announcers start criticizing your use of timeouts on a weekly basis, it’s time to tighten things up. Cristobal excels in roster creation and talent evaluation but has showed limitations in other areas at Oregon and Miami. Something should be done here, whether Miami needs fresh analysts to perfect their analytics charts or Cristobal needs someone on headset late in games solely to focus on his time management calls. The best leaders are those who can recognize their own shortcomings and assign those tasks to others.
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