- 2 hours ago
Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal joins The Joe Rose Show following a 52-23 victory. Coach Cristobal breaks down the performance of Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney, addresses defensive breakdowns and the early touchdown allowed, explains his perspective on the top 25 AP poll, and details how Miami utilizes in-game sideline iPads alongside analytics. Plus, get his early scouting report on Bill Belichick and North Carolina.
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00:00Mario Cristobal, head coach of the Miami Hurricanes, joins us 52-23, the final.
00:06Congratulations, Coach.
00:06How are you doing this morning?
00:08I'm doing good, Joe.
00:09Good morning.
00:09How are you, man?
00:10Man, I'm doing great.
00:11I'm not sure where to start, but I know fast starts are important.
00:14You guys get off to a 17-0 start.
00:17Your defense gets four straight three and outs, and you guys really got after it.
00:23And really, I didn't think really ever look back after that.
00:26Talk about, do you ever get a feel for your team?
00:28I never asked you this, coming out of the tunnel of, hey, my guys are ready or not.
00:34Can you ever get a feel for your team on that stuff?
00:37You know, Joe, I don't doubt that we're ready, both mentally and physically.
00:41It's just, you know, you always want to attack.
00:44You don't want to react, right?
00:45You're always in attack mode.
00:46You want to be the alpha.
00:47You want to be the hunter.
00:48It's just that, you know, the other side has really good players, too.
00:51And your responses, right, your resiliency is what you always want to gauge, right,
00:56when you first get hit in the mouth because, you know, man, it's not only hitting people
01:01in the mouth, it's being able to take a hit and forging for it also.
01:04So we just stay process-oriented and go.
01:07Hey, you know, it's funny.
01:09We were, I was talking to Bob with shoes in at the Jets game, who did your game on TV.
01:13And, of course, everybody in the country is talking about Mince and Malachi
01:16and another unbelievable performance.
01:19But the blocking on the screens from Malachi, I mean, you got these guys.
01:26It doesn't matter if you're an offensive lineman or wide receiver.
01:29It doesn't matter if there's a girl in the second row that's coming down.
01:32Everybody's blocking, man.
01:35Yeah, we're not going to block the girl in the second row.
01:39I'm with you, brother.
01:41No, it's improved, Joe, but you know what?
01:43Watching film and breaking it down, we have to get a lot better.
01:47We do, you know, hat position, hand placement, right, leverage.
01:50All those screens are different, right?
01:52Ones are quick sliders and some are hit screens and some are tunnels.
01:56And hat position, right, hand placement, leverage, that's all really, really important.
02:01And then also sorting out the different looks because one thing about Pittsburgh is
02:06whatever they come out in, like that shell, you can't tell what they're going to.
02:10Like on the snap, post-snap, adjustments got to be made on the run.
02:13So there's progress here, but there's a lot more to do, man.
02:16There's several plays where better technique and better fundamentals will give us a better result.
02:21I hate talking about individuals because I know you are zoned in on team, team, team.
02:27But when you got guys putting up these numbers, one a wide receiver and the other at quarterback,
02:33Mensah, four touchdowns, almost 400 yards.
02:35Malachi, 16 catches, 194 yards and three touchdowns.
02:41We're seeing it in a lot of different ways.
02:43We're just seeing great instincts, great chemistry.
02:46What can you say?
02:47I mean, you've seen this.
02:49We've talked about their work ethic.
02:50We've talked about their leadership.
02:52What is there to add with these two guys right now?
02:56Both of them have got to get a hell of a lot better.
02:58I mean, that's the bottom line.
02:59And they know it.
03:00For us to achieve what we want to achieve, the guys around them are doing a really, really good job.
03:06And we have to get better there and we have to get better as coaches.
03:09And that's about it.
03:11I mean, we don't overcomplicate it.
03:12No drama, no narrative.
03:14Just keep our mouths shut and get our butts to work.
03:17Well, I'll tell you what, everybody else is doing a lot of yapping.
03:19And you're not yapping back, including the guy you just played against.
03:25You know, I'll focus on the Kings, brother.
03:28Yeah.
03:28Hey, let me ask you a question.
03:30I haven't asked you this before.
03:32I know all coaches, we all like to get stat sheet after a game.
03:35Everybody wants to kind of know and you kind of look at everything.
03:37I don't know if you do that before your press conference.
03:39I'm always curious.
03:40What numbers do you look at to get a pretty good feel of things you're probably going to like or
03:46not like in a game?
03:49Oh, man.
03:50Well, I mean, you know, in the course of the game, regardless of what that stat sheet says,
03:54you better be ready to make the adjustments necessary to make them look good at the end.
03:59So, it's – I don't – I mean, certain guys that may be prone to dehydration,
04:05you want to keep track on their play count and stuff like that.
04:07Wow.
04:08Okay.
04:09Yeah, you know where you got penalized.
04:10You know if you're running the ball well enough.
04:11You know if you're practicing well.
04:13It's more of the use of the iPad now, which has, again, changed the game tremendously to make, like, instantaneous
04:19adjustments, right, and changes.
04:21And, you know, aside from that, it's just making sure that on a down – and more a series, but
04:27if there's something glaring on a down-by-down basis,
04:29the level of clear, quick communication that allows us to get the info to the players and put them in
04:36position to make plays.
04:37That's the most – the process, like, that machine working at that level, quick, fast, accurate, right?
04:43No bullshit.
04:44Oh, I saw a guy here, and he came in the A-gap, but then – no, bullshit.
04:48All right, this is what it was.
04:49This is the adjustment.
04:50We're going to run powers at a counter or a wide zone, whatever it may be, and we're going to
04:54point this guy as a mic,
04:55or we're going to identify this as a three-by-one detach, all the stuff that goes into calling a
05:01successful play.
05:01Mario, I can't even imagine what it's like having that 2001 championship team.
05:07Most of those guys there honored, and a big part of you have been great about having all those guys
05:12come back.
05:13They've all been – it's been open policy for the former players to come back here.
05:17But that team, Marlon, I don't rank them.
05:20That's for – Canes fans have been around a long time to rank them, but it's hard to beat that
05:252001.
05:26The guys that played on that championship team that won the Rose Bowl and the national championship.
05:32How fun – yeah, go ahead.
05:34They're definitely one of the top three teams in Miami history.
05:38You know, that 91 team was an ass-kicking machine.
05:40You know what I mean?
05:41Yeah, I know.
05:43I love when all the different guys different ages tell me – again, I hear Jimmy Johnson.
05:49He's telling me, and we're talking, I get a kick out of it that everybody – even though it's one
05:54big family,
05:55when we start talking about the best of the best, it's pretty funny.
05:59But does that – the guys get into that and wanting to know those guys?
06:03Are they pretty aware of what those guys have done?
06:06And I know they know the Hall of Fame guys, but what was that like for some of those guys?
06:10Yeah, you know, they've seen those guys play.
06:13They've seen the highlights, right?
06:14They've watched the videos and whatnot.
06:15And they're around a lot.
06:16And to me, it's awesome to have them here now so they could, again, get recognized in the fan team.
06:22They brought a lot of energy to the table.
06:24And I think it's even more important to have these guys back for the alumni reunion for spring football
06:29when they could spend more time around our players.
06:31Because game day is what it is, man.
06:33It's like, you know, it's nonstop.
06:35You don't get to spend much time outside of anything but ball.
06:37But those guys, they're a tremendous inspiration for these young guys.
06:42And, again, you know, actually we put on those – not that I'm in the uniforms,
06:46but we did wear the uniforms that they had back then.
06:48And I think everybody got a kick out of it.
06:50So, all in all, really a productive day.
06:52Well, college football, once again, Mario, as you're sitting back playing that 12 o'clock game.
06:57And so, Notre Dame loses to BYU, and BYU's feeling really good, and they lose to Central Florida.
07:06How do you explain – because we get into who the best teams are and this and that here.
07:11I know, and it's just a little past the halfway mark.
07:14But, my God, UCF beats BYU.
07:18You surprised at all?
07:20Nothing in college football is surprising.
07:23You know, I say week in and week out because I do believe it, Joe.
07:26So, every team out there has really, really good players.
07:29And remember, to get into a conference championship run or to get into the playoffs,
07:36teams have to – they need help from other teams.
07:39So, you're not only playing against the teams you're playing against.
07:41You're playing against all the staffs that need you to lose so that they can get in also.
07:46So, the amount of shared information, the amount of work,
07:48the amount of good players on different rosters that show up,
07:51the amount of things that happen out of the blue.
07:54You know, last-minute illness, the last-minute death in the family that –
07:57where you lose a guy, maybe mentally or physically can't be there.
08:01There's a lot of things that go into this.
08:03So, you've got to come in every single time ready to play your best.
08:07If not, you're putting winning at risk.
08:09So, Mario, there's been a lot of complaining here recently.
08:12I've heard Urban Meyer over the weekend complaining about this AP poll,
08:16the top 25 AP poll, it's great for us because it gives us something to kind of talk about
08:21where people are ranked.
08:22And I know they change.
08:23And sometimes people don't like where they're ranked to start the year.
08:26They think it's too high and it's too hard to have this thing.
08:30And maybe the people that vote don't have enough time to really look at everybody.
08:34What's your thoughts on the top 25 AP poll?
08:38There's little relevance to it, Joe.
08:40And I'll tell you why.
08:42Because no one – you might have, you know, media swing by a practice in the spring or the fall.
08:47No one's doing, like, in-depth homework and watching daily, except the coaches on those teams.
08:53And there's not enough time to do it or access to do it.
08:55So, it's a guesstimate, right, at best.
08:59I mean, the only rankings that matter are the ones at the end of the season.
09:02How to get there?
09:03Win, man.
09:04You know, win and avoid the pitfalls because they're all over the place.
09:08And if your butt isn't mentally and physically ready to go, fire beware.
09:15So, defensively, you guys look so good.
09:18Still giving up a few big plays.
09:20Are they breakdowns or more technique or physical stuff?
09:24Coach, what do you see there?
09:26The four three and outs were elite.
09:28The lapses, like on that touchdown early, complete bullshit.
09:32All right?
09:32A corner should very clearly get a signal from the sideline, be clear on assignment, and get it done.
09:38You know, and we've been playing well at certain spots, and then we had some lapses that are inexcusable.
09:44And these are, again, these are good dudes, and they've been busting their butts.
09:47But we go to meetings, you've got to go right at it.
09:49Have absolutely zero excuses because, you know what, your opponents see that, too.
09:53And if you want to play in the NFL, you know what, they see that, too.
09:58Right?
09:58So, all focus on getting better.
10:00Those things are really correctable.
10:02We've had some really good success.
10:03We've had some lapses, and we're going to get them fixed.
10:05Coach, the other thing, I always wonder from week to week now, as you guys are esteemed,
10:10you guys are playing like an NFL schedule, as you know, and you guys get after, and it's big-time
10:15stuff.
10:16You slow down on practices a little bit because I know I've seen your practice.
10:21You like to get after it pretty good during a week once or twice.
10:24How are you treating things, especially as guys start to get a little banged up,
10:27and you could have them around for Saturday or not?
10:31Yeah, I mean, there are, like, every three to four weeks, there's a modification to practice.
10:38You know, we have all that data coming in, but the best data you get is still your eyes, right?
10:42Your eyes tell you what's up.
10:44But, you know, we're lucky to have an awesome sports science department,
10:48a great standard condition department, nutrition.
10:50I mean, we eat like we're going to the electric chair every day, man.
10:54You know, and so if the guys that are really banged up, you have to modify,
10:59but you can't strip them of all the things that they need to do throughout the course of the week
11:05to play well, Joe.
11:06Joe, we're not pros.
11:07We're college players, you know, and I know the NFL guys have a million reps to their name.
11:12It's not the same in college.
11:13These guys need reps to get better, so it's them if you do and them if you don't,
11:16and if a guy's not ready to be practicing at the latest by Wednesday full speed,
11:21then we've got to put somebody else in the game, and that's not personal.
11:25You've got to give your team the best chance to win the game,
11:28and those are guys that actually practice what you've got to go against.
11:31Hey, Mario, one other thing that's been a hot topic last week I wanted to ask you about,
11:34analytics and how much you use them.
11:37I saw Troy Aikman, you might have saw his comments,
11:39and he said that's the way head coaches get fired, listening to too many numbers.
11:43And the second part is sports science and how much you listen.
11:47I see your big sports science group.
11:48They sit by, they stand over and do a lot of their work up by where we do our shows
11:53from
11:53when we're out there.
11:54How much do you depend on both of those groups?
11:57Well, the good thing is our sports science people are really, like, highly qualified,
12:03get after a dude.
12:04So there's, you know, it's not a, hey, stop this, we're doing too much.
12:09They're not.
12:09They know that this has a rigorous regimen, so they're all in.
12:13Again, we just find ways to get better, get stronger, get faster.
12:18But there's no, the focus is on the work.
12:21You know what I mean?
12:22There's a rest and recovery aspect, but it does not interfere with the principles and values
12:26of being a tough-ass football team.
12:28And then on the flip side, what do you call it?
12:32The analytical part, you use it to have an idea, Joe, but there's also a flow of game
12:40that can never be taken into account.
12:42Like, that chart doesn't have whether there's a 30-mile-per-hour win or not,
12:45whether it's raining sideways or whether your defense is banged up
12:49and you've got to get them off the field and end the game there.
12:52You know what I mean?
12:53So there's some good data, and you use it to the best of what can be used for the team
12:59to make a good decision, but it's not completely based on it.
13:04But Mike Cassano runs a lot of that stuff for us.
13:07He does an unbelievable job.
13:08We're collaborating all game long on the sideline, and sometimes we agree with it
13:13and sometimes we don't.
13:14And I want to ask you not only about all that stuff, but now getting ready for North Carolina.
13:19Bill Belichick at North Carolina, what's going to be the biggest?
13:24You've had a chance to look at them a little bit.
13:26They've actually played a lot better than I thought they would,
13:29considering all the things that have gone on this past year in the program.
13:33What's your thoughts on what you've seen from what they do?
13:36I feel like an NFL team, big and powerful up front.
13:39Can two-gap you, could also play four down.
13:42Multiple ball coverages on the back end, big physical offensive line,
13:46downhill in the running game.
13:47I think quarterback is really accurate, least penalized,
13:50one of the least penalized teams in the country.
13:51I think they're number four overall, lead in the red zone.
13:55They've got tons of guys that are returning starters as all-conference players.
13:59And you know what they do?
14:00They're really smart.
14:01They win.
14:02They win games by playing together as a team,
14:04and really they're a player or two away in three games where they could be undefeated.
14:08So they've done an excellent job, great football team,
14:10going to be a great environment, got to be at our best.
14:13Mario, listen, man, appreciate it.
14:15Hey, congratulations, really, really great start and never really let up.
14:19It was great.
14:20And then getting a lot of guys in in that fourth quarter as well
14:23with everybody getting some playing time.
14:25Thank you so much and good luck this week.
14:28Joe, I appreciate you, brother.
14:29Have a great day and go Cates.
14:30Thanks, Mario.