We’ve heard it all before. Don’t be so sure a UM football coaching change is the answer | Opinion
“He played here. He knows the kind of people you need. He’s going to get back to what the formula was.”
“We got a `U’ guy! Great hire!”
“He understands the swagger.”
That first quote was from former Hurricane great Dan Stubbs, reacting to the hire of his former teammate Randy Shannon as head coach on Dec. 8, 2006.
Shannon, who replaced Larry Coker, was part of three UM national championship runs, and a Miami Norland High grad with green and orange blood running through his veins. He learned how to coach defenses under the tutelage of Jimmy Johnson and Butch Davis. Known for being a strict disciplinarian, he was considered exactly what the Miami football program needed.
The second quote was from former Hurricanes great Clinton Portis, reacting to the hire of former UM quarterback Mark Richt as head coach on Dec. 3, 2015.
Richt signed a deal for a program-high $4 million a year, and the fact that UM would finally spend that kind of money was considered a watershed day for the program. Richt, who led Georgia to 145-51 record, was a quarterback guru, a South Florida native, a guy who understood what it meant to be a Cane. He wore a green-and-orange-striped tie and a “U” lapel pin to his introduction. He threw his hands up in the “U” and the entire room — including many former UM players — erupted in cheer.
The third quote came from Manny Diaz, Sr., the former Mayor of Miami, when his son, Manny Jr., was named head coach on Dec. 30, 2018.
Many of the fans’ social media posts at the time shared the same sentiment. Diaz was a Miami guy through and through, a tireless worker, the product of a Cuban immigrant family, and passionate as they come. In three seasons as defensive coordinator, he had brought back a 4-3, speed-driven, crush-the-quarterback defense reminiscent of UM championship days of old. In 2018, the Hurricanes led the country in tackles for loss (136), ranked fifth in total defense (278.9 yards allowed per game) and 18th in scoring defense (19.5 points allowed per game).
And let’s not forget that Diaz was the brainchild behind the “Turnover Chain,” the gaudy Oh-so-Miami bejeweled necklace that became a national sensation in 2017 as the Canes racked up 10 wins and briefly reached No. 2 in the national rankings.
Diaz, Richt and Shannon were all considered “the right guy” and “exactly what the U needs.” They all came in with a Hurricane pedigree. They all understood the “U” swagger. They all had deep knowledge of South Florida’s high school talent pool and had built-in relationships with local coaches, former players and fans.
And they all wound up with winning records — though not good enough to win the Atlantic Coast Conference or be in the national title conversation. Shannon was 28-22 overall and 16-16 in the conference. Richt was 26-13 overall and 16-8 in conference. Thus far, Diaz is 21-15 overall and 16-9 in conference.
The Hurricanes have won five of their past six games, and second-year freshman quarterback Tyler Van Dyke has proven he is the real deal. He is on the verge of setting UM records with 2,931 yards, 25 touchdowns and just six interceptions in 10 games. Next season he would be within reach of records set by UM greats Vinny Testaverde, Gino Torretta and Steve Walsh.
Despite those positive developments, most of the buzz centers on making big changes.
UM parted ways with athletic director Blake James a few weeks ago, and his replacement is expected to be named soon. Former UM players Torretta and Alonzo Highsmith are among the leading candidates, and there have been conversations with New Mexico AD Eddie Nunez, a Miami native and former basketball player at Miami High, Miami-Dade College and University of Florida who has close ties to the city and UM.
Whoever gets the job — and it might be that UM divides the job between two people — there will be much pressure to pursue a big fish like Oregon coach Mario Cristobal, a former Cane who is among the nation’s most respected coaches. His Ducks are ranked No. 10 in the country and 35-12 since he took over. He went 27-47 over six seasons at FIU, where he had a fraction of the budget he has at Oregon.
Cristobal is a Miami native with family in town, but it would be expensive to get him. Last year he signed a six-year $27.3 million contract that runs through Jan. 14, 2026.
Already, we are hearing some familiar tunes:
He played here. He will know what it takes to get UM back to the glory days.
He’s a “U” guy! He would be a great hire!
He understands the swagger.
We’ve heard it all before. Rinse. Repeat. It is possible Cristobal would come here, and with Van Dyke at QB, along with other promising young talent, the Canes could finally turn the corner. It is also possible that Diaz, with Van Dyke at QB, could do the same.
There is no magic wand in college football — or any sport. And in these days of Instagram and Instacart, there is no patience.
A reminder that former UM basketball coach Leonard Hamilton went 0-18 in the Big East in 1993-94. Then-AD Paul Dee was under pressure to fire him, but he didn’t cave. Six years later, they made the Sweet 16. And now Hamilton is a legend at FSU.
Six years seems like an eternity by today’s Insta-standards. Diaz surely won’t get that long. But anyone who thinks Cristobal is the golden ticket to success because he is a “U” guy and understands the swagger has a very short memory.