Canes get ‘bodies back’ for camp. Cristobal on progress, recruits, disciplinary philosophy
Let the all-out grind begin, or, more realistically, continue.
It’s the final weekend before the start of fall camp for the Miami Hurricanes, who, according to coach Mario Cristobal, have had a “discretionary week” to “get their bodies back’’ in preparation for the opening of fall camp Friday, Aug. 5.
Some players, such as quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, spent this past week with their families at home. Van Dyke is from Glastonbury, Connecticut.
“We’ve put their bodies through something pretty unique, a very different for them, very regimented, demanding offseason program,’’ Cristobal said in a private conversation with local UM beat writers. “They’ll be back for Monday stretch and stride, Tuesday workout and compliance stuff, Wednesday’s conditioning session as well as skill instruction and then Thursday’s administrative report day and then Friday starts practice.”
“You have 25 practices, and we like the structure of it right now. We have our built-in physical, full-padded days and we have our built-in recovery days. We just use the first four days as... natural acclimation and then we start practice on Friday. Some schools will be starting [practice] on Wednesday.”
UM’s first game is at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 3 at home against Bethune-Cookman.
Recruiting run
Cristobal has been on a recruiting tear, as eight four- or five-star players have committed to the Class of 2023 in the past month — quarterback Jaden Rashada, wide receiver Nathaniel Joseph, tight end Riley Williams, offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa, edge rusher Jayden Wayne, linebacker Raul Aguirre, athlete Robert Stafford and linebacker Malik Bryant.
On Thursday night, 6-6, 330-pound three-star Ocala Trinity Catholic offensive lineman Tommy Kinsler committed to the Canes.
How much has the momentum gotten the team and coaching staff fired up?
“It’s awesome,’’ the coach, who is not allowed to discuss specific recruits, said. “The momentum is very strong, but they’re not playing this year. These are the guys that are going to be taking the field in ‘23, ‘24, ‘25 and so on. The momentum is very real. They recognize the caliber of coaches that have made the decision to come here and schematically what we have done to enhance our ability to perform well.’’
Cristobal cited UM’s “strength and conditioning department” for “taking a massive step up, including the sport science side.”
“We’ve gotten some technology from the Department of Defense that has allowed us to train at a really high clip. Our nutritional side has taken another massive uptick. Sports psychology, mental health support, you name it, we’re getting after it.
“The demands of class, we’ve gotten after it. Our GPA took a significant jump this past summer semester. ...All these things, they are tied in together. If you’re telling a guy, ‘It’s not important to get to class on time, but it’s important to stay behind the line of scrimmage and not jump offsides,’ you’re talking out of both sides of your mouth. It all matters. Everything. There are no little things. If it’s a thing, it’s a big thing and it matters.
“That’s what we’ve been working on, just being very real. Also making sure we spend a lot of time together. We’ve been doing everything from paint-balling to ax-throwing to pool sliding to boat day.”
Disciplinary philosphy
Cristobal was asked how he deals with suspensions and if the players get a list of rules.
“We have policies and procedures, but one of my old coaches put it best, ‘If I have to put together a book like this of policies and procedures, we got the wrong guys. Right is right and wrong is wrong. Some things you have to be explicitly clear on, the rest is, ‘Come on now, you gotta understand the differences and make good choices and decisions.’
“That’s the greatest power we have, the power of choice. Choosing to do the right thing even when you don’t want to do it, that’s discipline. That’s powerful. And making sure your teammates understand how important that is, that changes things.
“For example, when we go out to practice, when we go out, we’re all wearing the exact same thing — not because I’m enamored with the way a gray shirt looks with black shorts. But you know what? It’s important to culture. And if it’s important to culture and you’ll do it, you’ll understand there are no little things. They’re all important. They’re all tied into being bought into what we do.”
The coach indicated any punishments — he used the term “consequences” — will “match up to whatever the issue might be.”
“It depends on what they do,’’ he said. “There’s a really big difference in a young guy being immature and having to learn and some consequences and the learning experience that comes with that, as opposed to someone with malicious behavior that there’s no room for, period. To me, it’s as clear as the day is long and those decisions, they fall upon me. And I’m good with it. There’s no hesitation if there has to be a, you know.…
“But we’ve been very fortunate for the most part to have guys that have made good choices and decisions. And we hammer it home. We’re not going to come off of working hard and doing things the right way.”
Cristobal declined to discuss if anyone has been suspended for the opener. “Just so you know going for the future, any of those things, if there is one, it will be announced at the appropriate time. I will never piecemeal that.”
