No.3 Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal offered a relatively measured yet passionate take on the upcoming No. 18 Florida State showdown ahead of the program’s 70th all-time meeting. On “The Mario Cristobal Show,” the longtime coach discussed the famous rivalry but stressed practice rather than emotion.
Mario Cristobal Keeps Emotions in Check
Cristobal spoke diplomatically about the FSU rivalry, which reflects his coaching philosophy. He responded by highlighting the deep personal links and professional obligations related to the case.
“Oh, you guys know what that means to me, you know. So, um, and it has no bearing on our preparation,” he said. “My job is to make sure that regardless of what I feel and all those great memories or whatnot, that’s all the side pocket.”
The coach made it clear that sentimentality takes a backseat to performance. He noted his primary focus remains ensuring “our team, our coaches, everything I could possibly do to help our team prepare at the highest level to have the best chance of success.”
Cristobal played for Miami from 1989-92, experiencing this rivalry firsthand as a player. Despite those memories, he’s channeling all his energy toward preparing his squad for the Tallahassee road test.
The Miami coach addressed why players embrace this matchup with such intensity. When discussing whether his roster loves competing in this rivalry, Cristobal’s response was simple yet profound: “That’s why you sign up to play at the University of Miami.”
He also spoke candidly about his team’s physical identity against No. 18 FSU’s approach. “We want to be a physical team, but we’re not all the way there yet,” he noted. “We’re not to the standard that we want to play at from a physical standpoint.”
Cristobal emphasized the ongoing development process, stating his team has “a lot of improvements to make in the areas of technique, fundamentals, physicality and violence and finishing plays.” He added that facing Florida State provides “a tremendous opportunity” since “we’re facing a team that has a lot of players that play like that.”
Regarding recruiting implications, he said, “I mean, I look at recruiting every way possible. You always want to gain an advantage.” However, the coach maintained perspective, explaining that football seasons and recruiting cycles don’t always align perfectly, concluding that “you’re just always rolling” in the recruiting game.
The No.3 Miami Hurricanes are graded B with an 85.5 offense factor by PFSN’s Offense Impact (OFFi). Florida State, on the other hand, is graded A- with an Offense factor of 92.9. This Saturday, the face-off at Doak Campbell Stadium marks the start of a pivotal conference stretch for both programs.
