Miami Football: The Beast Unleashed – Super Mario is Back
It’s always a comforting feeling when one of your own comes home. Mario Cristobal is back at his alma mater and I couldn’t approve more of a move that Al Golden has made. First let’s make it clear, it was asinine for Pete Garcia to let Mario go in the first place, especially if your replacement is Ron Turner. I mean really? But FIU’s loss is The U’s gain, and a big gain it is.
As I heard before it was reported, Mario will come in and coach the TEs and not the WRs like we previously thought. He’ll also be the Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator. It’s the last part of his title that has me smiling. As of the writing of this article the ‘Canes only have two verbal commitments from South Florida kids. Now, there are some big fish out there, a la Alex Collins, that haven’t committed yet, but to only have two South Florida kids on board as of now is disconcerting. Mario will change that, and quickly.
Yes Michael Barrow is on staff. Terry Richardson certainly has ties down here. Art Kehoe has recruited this area for years, but let’s face it, Mario gives Al Golden a CLOSER on the streets here in the 305/954. The one criticism I’ve heard around town about Al and some members of his staff is that they are still trying to learn how to communicate with the kids down here in South Florida. It’s one thing to talk to inner-city kids in the North East; it’s another thing to deal with kids coming out of Overtown, Liberty City, Carol City, Norland, etc. Mario has been dealing with these kids his entire life. Mario can sell ice to Eskimos. Mario is exactly what this staff needs right now.
With Mario coaching TEs, Brennan Carroll will now move over to coach WRs, at least for now. I say for now, because I’m not positive there isn’t another move out there. FootballScoop.com reported Thursday morning, before the Mario news broke, that Miami was interested in Matt Lubick, former ‘Canes DC Sonny Lubick’s son, the WR coach at Duke. Lubick is also known as one of the best recruiters in the ACC.
I ask you these questions, without knowing the answers myself. 1. How effective do you think Brennan Carroll has been as a position coach? 2. How effective do you think he’s been as a west-coast recruiter?
I ask those questions because if Al deems that Lubick would bring more to the staff, maybe he makes a change. Of course this is just some out-of-left-field scenario that floated into my brain. Don’t think that this is something that I’m hearing about.
The good thing is that Jedd Fisch has experience coaching WRs in the NFL, both with the Ravens and Broncos. If he can coach Brandon Marshall, I’m sure he can coach Malcolm Lewis.
Lets address the other elephant in the room.
Here’s another reason why the Mario hire is key: He’s a safety net.
Look, personally, I don’t think Al is going anywhere till he accomplishes what he wants to accomplish, which is to get Miami back to prominence. However, we are going to have to deal with his name being tossed out there for every open job as long as he’s in the Gables. One day, maybe not now, maybe not next year or the year after, but one day, he’s going to want another challenge. If Mario is still on staff it gives the AD a chance to keep stability by just giving Mario what is probably his dream job. In my eyes, that wouldn’t be a bad thing. The last thing I want to think about is another coaching search.
It was a hot and sunny day last year, when I ran into Mario Cristobal and his entire staff taking in a ‘Canes practice on Greentree field. I shook hands with Mario, and a bunch of other coaches that I knew over at FIU. Mario and I talked for a few about how excited he was that Al invited them over to watch practice and how lucky Miami was to have Coach Golden at the helm. His eyes were beaming. Golden, asked that same day about Mario, shared the love back towards his cross-town colleague. I sensed a mutual man crush brewing. There’s a ton of Mario Cristobal in Al Golden and a ton of Al Golden in Mario Cristobal. The fact that they are now on the same staff can only be a good thing. Here’s to Super Mario being the Al Golden’s Mega Mushroom.
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Agreed this is a great move. I think BC is an asset and definitely don’t want to see him gone.
Beast, I’m seriously tired of the Mario as UM’s head coach. He may be a good coach but really what had he done to merit this kind of Butch David type respect. If AG does leave in the near future (hope it doesn’t happen for a long, long, long time), I’d like to think we can do a lot better than him.