January 3, 2002 is a special anniversary for the Miami Hurricanes football team and its fans. Twenty-two years ago Miami won its fifth national championship beating Nebraska in the Rose Bowl with arguably the greatest college football team EVER. Since then, there’s one question regularly repeated among media virtuosos: Are the Miami Hurricanes back? If one defines being back to mean ‘returning to old ways,’ then the Canes are far from the glory days, but is a return for the former dynasty closer than the haters want to admit?
The records:
On paper, not much changed for the Miami Hurricanes in 2023. The Canes finished the season with a 7-6 record, two more wins than the previous season’s 5-7 record. The end of this season found the Canes enduring yet another bowl game loss, adding to a lackluster bowl record that includes four consecutive losses and 10 out of the past 11 dating back to 2008.
In Mario Cristobal’s second season at the helm, the Canes still couldn’t muster the wins needed to compete for an ACC championship and lost yet another game to in-state rival Florida State. On paper, the 2023 season can easily be deemed another disappointment, with some fans already calling for coaching changes.
The Intangibles:
The more seasoned fans quickly recognized significant improvements over the course of the 2023 season in terms of recruiting, attitude, and culture change. True freshmen play from Miami local and ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year Ruben Bain Jr. and offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa epitomize Cristobal’s recruiting prowess and desire to build a team that can dominate at the line of scrimmage. The offensive line gave up 20 less sacks, while the running game saw an increase in yards per rush and overall rushing yards per game.
In close games often lost in the past due to player apathy, this team won back-to-back overtime games, one of which included the team’s first victory over Clemson since 2010 with a true freshman quarterback making his first career start. The entire team, especially the defense, rallied around a broken Tyler Van Dyke, who may have single handedly cost the team two to three wins. Ultimately, the not-so-impressive record on paper, could easily be a 10-win season for the 2023 team.
Player-led practices and meetings, along with the emotion and fire fans are seeing on the field are all signs the culture IS changing at Miami. The old guard is gone and so are the majority of the previous regime’s players. Change sometimes happens in more obscure fashion and fans must be attuned to what success can look like both on and off the paper trail.
What I’m buying in 2024:
The recruitment and relentless pursuit to keep local talent at home is a must for a return to glory. The 2024 season will see several local additions from St. Thomas Aquinas such as wide receiver Chance Robinson, running back Jordan Lyle, and a UM legacy, safety Ryan Mack. There’s also receiver Joshisa “JoJo” Trader and safety Zaquan Patterson from Chaminade-Madonna Prep. Throw in a much-needed tight end with the recruitment of Elija Lofton from Bishop Gorman (think Brevan Jordan) and new center from the portal in Zach Carpenter and the roster for the next few years is truly starting to take shape.
Improvements for 2024:
The main concern for the 2024 season is the lack of QB #1 now that Cam Ward made his decision to enter the NFL draft. While the Canes might still acquire a quarterback in the portal, with Jacurri Brown announcing his return, it is anyone’s guess how the quarterback situation will play out over the next several months.
In addition, Cristobal must allow his ego to acknowledge the in-game coaching mistakes and clock management issues that were very apparent in his first two seasons.
When will the U be back?
The 2024 season will be a pivotal year in the Mario Cristobal era. On paper, it is possible to envision a season with more wins, victories over UF and FSU, and a chance to compete for the ACC championship. While I don’t personally believe this team will be vying for a national championship next season, there would be nothing more fitting that the Canes showing ‘they are back’ in 2026 winning a 6th National Championship in front of the home crowd at Hard Rock Stadium.
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