The Hurricanes aren't quite the blue-chip program of their former glory, but expectations are high for Miami football and Mario Cristobal. Entering his third season as head coach, Cristobal was recently heaping praise on standout players like QB Cam Ward and DB Meesh Powell, via Marcus Benjamin of Rivals.
“They're men of action. As members of the leadership council and members of this team, Meesh Powell and Cam Ward right now stand out as two guys that, besides doing what they're supposed to do, [they] really go out of their way to impact other people,” Cristobal said. “And they're really good at it. [They're] naturally charismatic for the right reasons and they grind.
“These guys are here all day, all night, and they're not afraid to stand up and speak up. They're very experienced guys. They've seen a lot, a lot of ball, and a lot of ball against each other,” Cristobal continued. “They get it cranking in practice, get after each other, try to match each other's intensity and bring everybody else with them.”
Big 2024 expectations for Miami football, Mario Cristobal
While coach speak is often derided, downgraded and brushed off, it's still an important part of the game. Acting as a leader of young men and women as a coach, working toward a common goal–this is what life is all about. Expectations for Miami football are quite high; however, can they match the anticipation?
The AFCA Coaches Poll ranks Miami at No. 19. For Cristobal, a Miami football alumnus who has committed so many years to the program as a player, position coach, coordinator, and now coach, setting big expectations for the Hurricanes' best players is key.
On Wednesday, Miami football held its first practice in full pads, and Cristobal sounded optimistic about the team's progress, via David Lake of 247Sports.
“Our technique and fundamentals have improved,” Cristobal said. “You can tell that we had a good summer, and that has paid off. Our familiarity with our schemes has shown up, and our communication seems to be improved, but we have to work on it more.”
Ward, a QB transfer from Washington State, is entering his fifth season. In 2021, he had a monster year with Incarnate Word, a Division I FCS school based in San Antonio. Ward passed for 4,648 yards, 47 TDs and 10 INTs in 13 games, leading the Cardinals to a 10-3 record.
Although wins were tough to come by, Ward put together excellent seasons at Washington State in 2022 and 2023.
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