CORAL GABLES, FLA. (WSVN) – The Miami Hurricanes begin their season ranked No. 19 in the country and with Cam Ward as the preseason ACC Offensive Player of the Year, but the Canes absolutely need to win and not give up games due to mistakes from last season.
7News’ Mike DiPasquale sat down with head coach Mario Cristobal to explain expectations ahead of Week 1.
Mike DiPasquale: “This is Mario Cristobal, head coach of the University of Miami football team. Mario, we have known each other for a long time. I know you are a busy man, so thank you for taking the time.”
Mario Cristobal: “Nice to see you, brother. Welcome.”
Mike DiPasquale: “Two years ago when we were in this building, you were introduced as the new head coach and I remember you saying at the time, ‘This is going to take some time.’ The U is not back yet. How close are you now?”
Mario Cristobal: “When we decided to come back to Miami, when we had the honor and privilege of being selected for Miami, we knew Miami had made it. It didn’t get into a situation overnight where drastic changes were needed at every level. So we knew it wasn’t going to be an overnight situation to get out of it either. And that’s OK with us. And we feel like we’re getting closer and closer to that. We have a strong bond with the group of guys that we have. I know that hard work works, and hard work and good people make special things happen, and Miami is on its way to doing special things.”
Mike DiPasquale: “I remember from FIU to Oregon, it was important to bring in players who fit into your system. And I keep hearing about the guys who are going to succeed Mario. Are you starting to bring those guys here?”
Mario Cristobal: “Yes, I mean, football hasn’t changed in 150, 200 years. It needs tenacious, hard-working people who are willing to compromise, you know, me for the team. And we certainly have a lot of like-minded people around us who are high-class competitors who want to win and who are willing to do whatever it takes to win.”
Mike DiPasquale: “You talked about players who want to win. Cam Ward has already come out. In his first year, he wants to be not only a leader of the offense, but a leader of the team. Is that the kind of player you knew you would have when you brought him here?”
Mario Cristobal: “Cam Ward is the right guy because it’s not just about talk. The way he approaches training every day, the way he approaches workouts, who he is as a teammate. He’s a guy that people rely on because he knows what he’s doing, he knows how to do it, he knows why we do it that way, and he’s willing to spend time with others to make sure they know why too and to help them get better. That’s why Cam is the right guy.”
Mike DiPasquale: “It was a bumpy road for us last season. So what have you taught the players coming back and the coaching staff that they can take with them into this season?”
Mario Cristobal: “Well, those are painful steps that you can’t skip. They’re part of football, unfortunately. And you learn from them. You face them. You admit your mistakes. You look at the areas where you could be better and you attack them and work on them, right? And you do that as an entire organization. That’s the best thing about this team right now. Nobody is really offended. Does that make sense? If it’s wrong when you win, it’s wrong when you lose, right? I mean, you can’t choose when it’s right and when it’s wrong. Wrong is wrong, right is right. So the focus is on making sure we always do things right and give ourselves the best chance of winning.”
Mike DiPasquale: “I know you’re an intense guy. You put in a lot of hours. You love this place. Is it still fun knowing that, let’s face it, there’s pressure on you and this program?”
Mario Cristobal: “Well, I mean, the word pressure is just not part of our DNA for someone like you who works in the media. It’s just not. We play and coach football because we love the sport and we’re fierce competitors. And we left a great situation, winning championships, to come to Miami and lead Miami to championships. That’s self-determination and expectation. And anyone who’s too thin-skinned, who’s a little bit of a wimp, doesn’t belong in that process and can’t be part of that process.”
Mike DiPasquale: “Let me ask you: You’re finally playing in the swamp against the Gators, 90,000 fans, you know the atmosphere. Is that what you wanted for this team from the beginning?”
Mario Cristobal: “A great opportunity. And as we prepare for game one, for the first opponent, we will certainly get a lot of questions about the opponent. We always see it as a huge opportunity, a huge challenge, and for us it’s all about preparation. That’s all we talk about.”
Mike DiPasquale: “Good luck against the Gators.”
Mario Cristobal: “Nice to see you, brother.”
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