Cristobal praises Canes for ‘pushing through’ spring. ‘I don’t judge what happened before’
Mario Cristobal was two days from his first spring game as Miami Hurricanes head coach, when he was asked Thursday about stopping practice last week to give his players some verbal tough love about staying focused, passionate and energized.
Cristobal, who replaced former coach Manny Diaz and praised his Hurricanes for “pushing through” a difficult, different regimen while saying “we’ve got to get better,’’ clearly has remained his passionate self. In his newest message to the media, the coach stressed that whatever happened in the recent past should stay there, and that it wasn’t his responsibility to judge. He said last Thursday’s halting of practice “was the only time I had to do it in spring ball.”
“You want it to be player-led, but at the same time, there’s no time to get frustrated,’’ Cristobal said. “We’re doing something different. And I don’t judge, man. I don’t judge what happened before. So, I don’t ever want a player to think that anything that was done before was wrong or different. We’re just doing things a certain way — a certain way that has stood the test of time as it relates to success.
“Success on the field, off the field, during the season, post-college careers. It’s demanding. It requires your discipline because there’s going to be days where your motivation may not be there, but your discipline has got to carry you through. Because the program and the regimen is that demanding. It tests you. And every single day, we’re intent on passing that test. Everything we do has a purpose...
“That’s the way we roll.”
The coach said he had met with players individually and as a team.
“We all want more discipline,’’ he said. “We want more accountability. It’s hard. And the response has been really good. And then in the moments where we fatigue and our bodies and our minds are starting to give in a little bit, we have found the ways to get through. And that’s a big difference, right? Being able to crank it up and push through and excel and overtake an opponent. You can talk about that all you want and show it on film all you want. Until you practice it and do it out there on a consistent basis, it’s not going to become game reality.”
Excelling Canes
Cristobal praised several Canes on Thursday, first saying, without being asked, that “a guy really worth mentioning” is 5-10, 194-pound sophomore receiver Brashard Smith. “I mean really just these last three, four practices [he] turned the corner. I grabbed him when he was going off the field because it was noticeable what a difference he made for the offense. He’s physical. He’s a tough guy.”
Also mentioned was slot receiver Xavier Restrepo, who “has been doing it all, all spring long,’’ the coach said. “Really been a game-changer for us.”
“Outside, we’ve got to get more consistent. Had some big plays but we’ve got to get more physical, more durable, but more consistent because we flash big-play capabilities and there is progress.”
QB Brown kudos
Cristobal, as well as offensive coordinator Josh Gattis, heaped praise on 6-4, 210-pound early enrollee quarterback Jacurri Brown, who has played well all spring and appears ahead of his years.
“The guy that really flashed today was Jacurri, actually the last three days, man. He was, wow, impressive — in everything he did: decision-making, accuracy, his temperament. His presence at the line of scrimmage was outstanding.”
When asked more about the freshmen, Cristobal said tight end Jaleel Skinner “has had an outstanding spring.”
“He looks like he’s 190 pounds,’’ the coach said of Skinner. “He’s 232. The entire spring he has taken reps with the [second team], and the same with [edge rusher] Cyrus Moss.
“Cyrus Moss, to be able to qualify just in time, get on out here, come on weighing 199, 200 pounds. He’s put on about 10 pounds and has been thrown into every single package, taken on double-teams with a senior-laden tackle/tight end box — that’s a lot — and he’s done exceptionally well.
“Super proud of those guys. Those guys are going to be great players for the Hurricanes.”
This story was originally published April 14, 2022 at 4:34 PM.
