Cristo-Ball finally has The U back where it belongs
Some people spend a lifetime looking for the kind of love Mario Cristobal has for the trenches of a football field.
Consider Cristobal's introductory press conference in December 2021. After thanking Miami officials and his wife and kids, he looked into the audience and called out a specific group of people.
"I can't help but look across, and right away, I see offensive linemen. I'll always see offensive linemen," the Miami native said, pointing out former Miami standouts Bryant McKinnie, Brett Romberg, and Joaquin Gonzalez.
Cristobal's rebuild of the Hurricanes' program has focused in large part on assembling a talented group of massive humans to dominate either side of the ball. That's no surprise given his background as both a player and coach.
A national champion offensive lineman at Miami, he also coached under Nick Saban for four years at Alabama. Things were going to look a certain way on the field in Coral Gables: physical and violent.
And that's how things needed to be.
Miami ruled the college football universe for two decades, winning five national titles and posting 14 double-digit win seasons from 1983-2003. The U broke out of the sports bubble to become a mainstream story and cultural phenomenon.
However, excellence had long departed South Florida by the time Cristobal stepped back onto the scene. A 10-win season in 2017 was the only time the Hurricanes had reached that milestone since 2003. When your program is the subject of more documentaries than nationally successful seasons over an 18-year period, it's probably not a sign of health.
It had been so long since Miami captured the national championship that sixth-year senior quarterback Carson Beck - the semifinal's last-minute hero - wasn't even born the last time the Canes stood atop the sport. For many programs, a 25-year championship drought wouldn't even register. For The U, it was an annual crisis.
Enter Cristobal, fresh off a highly successful rebuild at Oregon, to return home and revitalize the Hurricanes.
"We came here because this is the place I love the most," Cristobal told Andrea Adelson of ESPN in 2023. "We know that this is the place that when done right is the best, and also fully understanding you better be a tough son of a b---- to come here and do this job because it was left in a bad spot."
Beyond his passion for the program and an outsized appreciation of home, elite recruiting was the biggest asset Cristobal brought to the table. He was widely regarded as one of the top recruiters on Saban's staff at Alabama.
His strategy centers on dominating the state of Florida - as Miami did to a staggering degree during its rise to the top. That will be reflected when the Hurricanes take the field Monday.
Cristobal's first order of business was to fortify the trenches. After his first season as coach, he got commitments from standout offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa and star defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. - both from Florida schools, with Bain hailing from the heart of Miami.
Three years later, those are arguably the most important players on their respective sides of the ball for the Hurricanes in the title game. Mauigoa anchors an offensive line whose starters weigh in at an eye-popping average of 331 pounds. That quintet has overwhelmed everything in its path throughout the postseason, opening huge holes for another South Floridian, Mark Fletcher Jr., to exploit. The senior is averaging 131 rushing yards per game in the playoffs, largely based on Mauigoa setting the tone up front.
Bain has developed into the biggest wrecking ball in college football. In the CFP alone, the future first-round pick has 21 quarterback pressures, four sacks, and 5.5 tackles for loss. The attention he commands from opponents allows the rest of Miami's line to feast - it leads the nation in sacks.
In all, 59 players from the state of Florida are on Miami's roster, including electric freshman Malachi Toney. He brings the kind of sizzle that was a trademark of the program's glory days, running through defensive backfields as though he's unaware they're trying to tackle him. That blissful ignorance makes sense given he's supposed to be a high school senior right now.
Cristobal's steady four-year build reaches a crescendo Monday in front of what should be a rabid Hard Rock Stadium crowd just 22 miles from campus. A sixth national championship is the goal, but this Miami season is a smashing success regardless of the final score versus Indiana.
Both lines are elite once again. The program has re-established its recruiting roots in South Florida. The U is officially back, right where it's supposed to be.