Takeaways from local coach’s meeting with Cristobal and reasons for UM’s recruiting roll
Mario Cristobal needed only a few months to remind everyone around the University of Miami what they already know: The man can recruit.
A sizzling May/June streak of snagging eight top 250 commitments in three weeks catapulted UM’s 2023 recruiting ranks from the 60s to the top 12, ahead of powers Georgia and LSU, among others.
And even during the struggles of a 5-7 season and the immediate aftermath, UM has lost only one nonbinding commitment — four-star quarterback Jaden Rashada — while adding four players, including four-star edge players Collins Acheampong (who flipped from Michigan), speedy running back Christopher Johnson (who committed this past weekend) and two others.
[Update: Offensive lineman Connor Lew flipped to Auburn on Tuesday afternoon, becoming the second Canes commitment to drop his UM pledge since August.]
[Second update: UM on Tuesday night landed a key commitment from Miami Central four-star defensive lineman Rueben Bain.]
Cristobal somehow raised UM’s recruiting class from 12th to eighth (in the 247 rankings) despite UM posting its worst record since 2007.
So how is he achieving this?
I asked Brett Goetz, who coaches the South Florida Express 7-on-7 team and met with Cristobal earlier this year.
Several Express players have gone elsewhere through the years, including Ohio State and Alabama, in large part because UM wasn’t winning and those players wanted to go to national powers and play with the best of the best.
Goetz said only big winning will change that, but said Cristobal has a better chance than any recent UM coach of achieving that.
“It was refreshing to hear Mario’s take on the program and him knowing what needs to be done at Miami,” Goetz said. “After meeting him, he’s the right guy. He gives them the best chance to turn the program around.”
Goetz likes how Cristobal “meets with a lot of NFL coaches, takes the time to learn. His demeanor is impressive. I love the toughness part and cutting out all the [expletive] and the turnover chain. That stuff is a joke. When you’re not winning, stop dancing on the sideline when you’re down by three touchdowns when you get an interception.
“I love his love for the university and understanding what it takes to win. He talked about [Oregon’s] win at Ohio State [in 2021 when Cristobal coached the Ducks]. He’s so technical. They had to play them at noon Eastern Time. He talked about the details that went into that win. He did a lot of research into sleeping patterns and when to make these guys go to bed, interesting stuff nobody would think about. He talked to several NFL people to discuss West Coast people coming East.”
Goetz said he emerged from his meeting with Cristobal knowing “there’s no more BS. You can’t be late for practice. There’s accountability.”
Goetz cites three factors in UM’s recent recruiting success.
“First, NIL. I hear kids talking about that.
“Then, I think he’s been given tons of resources such as money for coaches, great coaches around him. And I think Mario is the other reason; he has been around really good programs — including Alabama and building up Oregon — and he knows what it takes to win and knows what a winning roster looks like and what it takes to get it. His grind is paying off.
“He’s not just a guy coming in and telling recruits how great Miami is. His passion for the university rubs off on recruits, being there, and being a player there.
“And I can tell he learned a lot being around Nick Saban at Alabama, what it takes to win. The guy is a worker, he’s determined. If they sign all the guys in 2023 that are committed, that’s great. And you need two or three of those classes together to build what he wants to build. He got really good commitments up front on both sides. He’s got a lot of respect from Saban. He understands the formula.
“The other thing is you got a bunch of guys that have been around winning programs and know how to win. You bring a guy like Jason Taylor, Ed Reed. Kids want to learn from great [former] players. The staff he has is a huge part of his success.”
Goetz said Cristobal is “not going to give up on any of the ‘23 kids he wants” — including a nonbinding Ohio State commitment from Goetz’s team, receiver Brandon Inniss.
“Until they sign, it doesn’t mean anything [that they’re committed],” Goetz said. “From a ‘23 standpoint, he will continue to grind. He knows he really has got to work on the ‘24 class. [Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna receiver] Jeremiah Smith and [new teammate] Joshisa Trader are two guys he can’t miss on here. There have been too many receivers who have gotten away” — including Jerry Jeudy and Calvin Ridley with Alabama.
UM flipped one player from Goetz’s 7-on-7 team – Miami Edison receiver Nathaniel Joseph.
So what will it take for Cristobal to get more of the elite prospects to bypass going to an out-of-state powerhouse and playing at Miami?
“Winning is going to be everything,” Goetz said.
Local businessmen Tom Rodgers, Gerald Moore and Harvey Chaplin - who fund the South Florida Express — “want to see the local team win” and asked Goetz if they could set up that meeting with Cristobal. Goetz, naturally, said yes.
Goetz, of course, doesn’t decide where his 7-on-7 players go to college. But Cristobal’s proven recruiting skills can only help – provided he can convince players not to hold this past season against the program.
This story was originally published December 13, 2022 at 2:50 PM.
