Cristobal assesses team progress after Saturday scrimmage

CanesInSight News

Apr 8, 2023 3 min read

Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal was pleased with the team's overall progress during their Saturday morning scrimmage in Coral Gables. He highlighted some standout performances and shared insights on both defensive and offensive updates.

"Some big plays, explosive plays on both sides of the ball," Cristobal said. "Kam Kinchens continues to excel. He's not satisfied at all. The banner got hung up two days ago, and it's like he's performing like it was never there, and that's awesome to see. We're seeing that from a lot of veteran guys as well but overall, very solid progress from our entire football team, and we still have three days of practice."

On the defensive front, Cristobal acknowledged that the team had been dealing with injuries during spring ball but was impressed with the players' performances in the scrimmage. "A guy like Chantz Williams showed up big, Nyjalik Kelly and Rueben Bain showed up big, Jake Lichtenstein, Thomas Gore showed up, Ahmad Moten and had some really good moments," he noted. "Our linebackers played at a high level they all did today. And then in the secondary on the back end, they did a great job being aggressive, getting hands on receivers and they made it difficult for the offense to get the ball out and they put them in difficult down and distance situations."

Offensively, Cristobal mentioned a few standout players, including Jacurri Brown, Isaiah Horton, Xavier Restrepo, and Don Chaney. However, he did point out some inconsistencies, especially with the wide receivers. "As a wide receiver group, the receivers were inconsistent today outside, we had some opportunities and we did not come up with them. Later in the scrimmage, we did, but early on we couldn't get the thing going," Cristobal explained.

Regarding second-year quarterback Jacurri Brown, Cristobal commented on his potential and progress. "Well, this suits his style a little bit more because it's just from a progression standpoint, from a learning standpoint, and then having a quarterback coach in the room – it just it all makes sense and he has progressed. Guy's won a lot of ball games. He's played in a lot of big games, and he knows how to play football. All we've got to do is make sure that him and all the quarterbacks are systematic that they're playing within the system, but without being a robot."

Cristobal also touched on the state of the ‘Canes roster, indicating that Miami will be active in the transfer portal in the coming weeks. "We have to do what it requires. That's always been the blueprint to success at the stops that we have had; you've got to build and develop to a point where you have legitimate winning and championship depth at every position. We have certainly gained a lot of ground towards that we still have to gain more so at every position."

Miami's coach did express satisfaction with the offensive line's development. "We have certainly poured a lot into the offensive line body types and mentality, which was a monstrously glaring issue upon arrival and through the season, and it's something that we feel that we're getting a lot of ground towards getting better."

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Empirical Cane

Apr 9, 2023

Tru C said:
On that note, look like Tropical Park to me! lmao!

Young man will have 30 scholly offers tomorrow morning.

Mackmiller974

Apr 9, 2023

Lupusg said:
I don’t follow other teams but who on Miami’s schedule has elite talent and depth? Clemson, A&M . FSU has more talent but are they elite? I don’t think you need elite talent to compete in the ACC next year. If we’re 5-6 players from competing with Duke then this program is in real trouble!

Texas AM
Clemson
FSU
North Carolina

All have more talent then us, so we would need an upset to be anything better then 8-4. Then you have teams like NC State and Louisville who are near us in talent and could easily beat us if we get caught slipping. If you split those games then we're at 7-5 and then you got to beat the teams you should beat like Boston college, Virginia and Georgia Tech. On paper Miami is about a 7 win team right now, they can push 8-9 wins with good coaching and 6 or less with coaching like last year.

Empirical Cane

Apr 9, 2023

passitback said:
"...Restrepo is kind of like our offensive version of Flagg."

Joo es talkeng crazee meng.

SayWhat

Apr 9, 2023

Empirical Cane said:
Young man will have 30 scholly offers tomorrow morning.

So will the QB from us. **** near overthrew the guy.

Lance Roffers

Apr 9, 2023

Cribby said:
You said you don’t have to be elite , I‘m saying our talent / depth isn’t elite or even good.

We need all hands on deck and then some to compete with most teams in this conference. That’s the point some refuse to get just like last year. Your argument is the exact same one I got when I made the same posts in the previous season.

We are playing walk-ons at DT in scrimmages. That’s how thin we are right now.

There is one unit on this team that’s NY6 Bowl game worthy. That’s at OL, which is where you’d expect Mario to be able to impact the most.

CB might not be bowl-worthy today. DJ Ivey started from jump last year and there isn’t anyone at this point who has played better than he did. Ivey wasn’t our best CB last year and that player is ALSO gone.

The defensive scheme that Guidry wants to play relies on smart, sticky CB’s. We don’t have that. They NEED a portal CB who is all-conference level. It doesn’t matter the price, you have to pay it.

At LB, Flagg is still starting a lot of snaps in spring. Wesley isn’t even the 2 a lot of times right now. It’s fair to be a bit disappointed in him to this point.

Edge looks to be solid if everyone is healthy, but it’s thin of P5 level performers at the moment.

WR is as bad as you can imagine Miami being and are currently getting trolled by all the legit ones in the portal.

RB needs a legit horse.

The biggest issue with a rebuild isn’t that you need a recruiting class or two to get the talent up, the problem is that once you’ve gotten those two recruiting classes, all of the really good players you had when the rebuild started are now gone. That means you’re relying on the two recruiting classes, but now all your good players are young. So you really need four recruiting classes to get things balanced and aged at the same time.

With Miami being in year two of the rebuild, it’s exactly as Cribby is talking about: thin.

If injuries stay away, this team can win nine. If injuries hit hard, they could miss a bowl game.

Most likely it ends somewhere in-between.

JHallCanes

Apr 9, 2023

KingB02 said:
Lol exactly you answered your own BS. Last year they said WRs sucked. This year no one is saying that. Matter fact, they are saying the opposite. Said Young is a dude, and the young guys are good but need to be consistent. Very different from saying they suck. But you think it’s going to be the same results as last year in a more simple offense.. Just let it play out man.

Maybe then I misworded or it didn’t come across how I meant it

I didn’t mean the results would be the same

I meant like last year people were trying to ignore the info from people watching and we saw how it played out

This year we will be better but there’s still big concerns so I just was saying let’s not make the same mistake this year not paying attention is all

My original comment probably should have been just fleshed out more

KANE

Apr 9, 2023

Tru C said:
The LAST position I would think Miami would struggle is receiver. Perhaps it is ignorance but in Florida, I feel like all the kids are born ready to play receiver and then slowly get molded into another position depending on how much they eat lol.....In other words, you are in MIAMI FLORIDA. Why the F can't we get some dogs out there!? lol

We’re in the fuccin HUB of WR talent in the USA…. and we got to rely on dudes from lower level programs to come in and get the job done. That’s so crazy to me.

RVACane

Apr 9, 2023

SinisterCane said:
No

RVACane

Apr 9, 2023

JHallCanes said:
Maybe then I misworded or it didn’t come across how I meant it

I didn’t mean the results would be the same

I meant like last year people were trying to ignore the info from people watching and we saw how it played out

This year we will be better but there’s still big concerns so I just was saying let’s not make the same mistake this year not paying attention is all

My original comment probably should have been just fleshed out more

I knew what you were saying. And I still haven’t heard good things consistently about the WR group. In fact it’s been inconsistent to the point that I think they’d seriously take two portal WRs if one’s they want are there.

RVACane

Apr 9, 2023

Lance Roffers said:
WR is as bad as you can imagine Miami being and are currently getting trolled by all the legit ones in the portal.

Lol wait what’s going on here???

JHallCanes

Apr 10, 2023

RVACane said:
I knew what you were saying. And I still haven’t heard good things consistently about the WR group. In fact it’s been inconsistent to the point that I think they’d seriously take two portal WRs if one’s they want are there.

Maybe dude just assumed it was a mope post. I dunno.

But yeah with a better OL and a better OC the WRs should be more opportunities

But still they gotta make the plays

A healthy X helps too

JHallCanes

Apr 10, 2023

RVACane said:
Lol wait what’s going on here???

We got trolled pretty hard last year as well from what I was told

Yikes…

Angry Ibis

Apr 10, 2023

JHallCanes said:
We got trolled pretty hard last year as well from what I was told

Yikes…

This will never happen under Mario… watch the loafer

RVACane

Apr 10, 2023

JHallCanes said:
We got trolled pretty hard last year as well from what I was told

Yikes…

Angry Ibis said:
This will never happen under Mario… watch the loafer

So is he saying that our staff is getting trolled by portal kids or our current WRs are getting trolled by portal kids?

There isn’t anyone in the portal yet I thought so are these “potential” portal kids???

Lance Roffers

Apr 10, 2023

RVACane said:
So is he saying that our staff is getting trolled by portal kids or our current WRs are getting trolled by portal kids?

There isn’t anyone in the portal yet I thought so are these “potential” portal kids???

Mostly just Bryant and Harrell is what I was referring to, but it’s pretty open that portal WR’s love to include Miami on their lists because it’s common knowledge Miami pays and you can use them as leverage to get paid elsewhere.

Canestomp

Apr 10, 2023

CanefaninBuckeyeland said:
The comments on the wide outs are very disturbing

I am reading this into that:

Cristobal also touched on the state of the Canes roster, indicating that Miami will be active in the transfer portal in the coming weeks. "We have to do what it requires..."

RVACane

Apr 10, 2023

Lance Roffers said:
Mostly just Bryant and Harrell is what I was referring to, but it’s pretty open that portal WR’s love to include Miami on their lists because it’s common knowledge Miami pays and you can use them as leverage to get paid elsewhere.

Where’s Harrell going?

I swear man, we desperately need to buy a high level speedy WR1 and 2 CBs in the portal.

Cane4life18

Apr 10, 2023

Lance Roffers said:
We are playing walk-ons at DT in scrimmages. That’s how thin we are right now.

There is one unit on this team that’s NY6 Bowl game worthy. That’s at OL, which is where you’d expect Mario to be able to impact the most.

CB might not be bowl-worthy today. DJ Ivey started from jump last year and there isn’t anyone at this point who has played better than he did. Ivey wasn’t our best CB last year and that player is ALSO gone.

The defensive scheme that Guidry wants to play relies on smart, sticky CB’s. We don’t have that. They NEED a portal CB who is all-conference level. It doesn’t matter the price, you have to pay it.

At LB, Flagg is still starting a lot of snaps in spring. Wesley isn’t even the 2 a lot of times right now. It’s fair to be a bit disappointed in him to this point.

Edge looks to be solid if everyone is healthy, but it’s thin of P5 level performers at the moment.

WR is as bad as you can imagine Miami being and are currently getting trolled by all the legit ones in the portal.

RB needs a legit horse.

The biggest issue with a rebuild isn’t that you need a recruiting class or two to get the talent up, the problem is that once you’ve gotten those two recruiting classes, all of the really good players you had when the rebuild started are now gone. That means you’re relying on the two recruiting classes, but now all your good players are young. So you really need four recruiting classes to get things balanced and aged at the same time.

With Miami being in year two of the rebuild, it’s exactly as Cribby is talking about: thin.

If injuries stay away, this team can win nine. If injuries hit hard, they could miss a bowl game.

Most likely it ends somewhere in-between.

Sounds like a 7-5 team. If OL stays healthy we'll probably win 8 games.

C
canesbaby

Apr 10, 2023

Lance Roffers said:
We are playing walk-ons at DT in scrimmages. That’s how thin we are right now.

There is one unit on this team that’s NY6 Bowl game worthy. That’s at OL, which is where you’d expect Mario to be able to impact the most.

CB might not be bowl-worthy today. DJ Ivey started from jump last year and there isn’t anyone at this point who has played better than he did. Ivey wasn’t our best CB last year and that player is ALSO gone.

The defensive scheme that Guidry wants to play relies on smart, sticky CB’s. We don’t have that. They NEED a portal CB who is all-conference level. It doesn’t matter the price, you have to pay it.

At LB, Flagg is still starting a lot of snaps in spring. Wesley isn’t even the 2 a lot of times right now. It’s fair to be a bit disappointed in him to this point.

Edge looks to be solid if everyone is healthy, but it’s thin of P5 level performers at the moment.

WR is as bad as you can imagine Miami being and are currently getting trolled by all the legit ones in the portal.

RB needs a legit horse.

The biggest issue with a rebuild isn’t that you need a recruiting class or two to get the talent up, the problem is that once you’ve gotten those two recruiting classes, all of the really good players you had when the rebuild started are now gone. That means you’re relying on the two recruiting classes, but now all your good players are young. So you really need four recruiting classes to get things balanced and aged at the same time.

With Miami being in year two of the rebuild, it’s exactly as Cribby is talking about: thin.

If injuries stay away, this team can win nine. If injuries hit hard, they could miss a bowl game.

Most likely it ends somewhere in-between.

So depressing and frustrating. Hoping Mario can somehow figure out a way to overpay/convince a top WR to come here