By August 15, Mario Cristobal’s Miami Hurricanes were ranked 16th in the preseason AP poll and picked by media to win the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
By November 26, the unranked, underperforming, almost unbelievable University of Miami football team couldn’t come close to the expectations, finishing 5-7 and losing five home games in a row for the first time in 59 years — starting Sept. 24 with Middle Tennessee State and continuing October 8 with North Carolina, Oct. 22 with Duke, Nov. 5 with Florida State and finally Saturday night with Pittsburgh.
Miami’s 42-16 season-ending loss to Pitt was especially heart-wrenching, as the Hurricanes failed to qualify for a bowl for the first time in 15 years and sent out the seniors in a decidedly depressing way.
“There wasn’t nobody angry,’’ said sophomore safety Kamren Kinchens shortly after the game. “Everybody is sad because we wanted to send the seniors out the right way and we didn’t.’’
“When you put in work ever since January — hard work, busting your tail off — and it’s just not good enough, it just kind of hurts,” said third-year sophomore receiver Xavier Restrepo, who fought through a significant foot injury in September to make his return in late October. “Our entire team was injured. We didn’t have a healthy team except for the first snap of the first game. That definitely plays a part in it.
Added Restrepo: “First-year offense, first-year defense. We just gotta do better executing.’’
Fifth-year cornerback DJ Ivey won’t be back, but said he believes in the program’s future and acknowledged that the experience of going through this pain would drive the younger Hurricanes.
“It means a lot because it takes them to a place they don’t want to go anymore,’’ Ivey said. “I know they don’t want this feeling anymore, so why even put yourself in that predicament again?
“You gotta have the right people around. As far as the culture you have to have every player buying in. You can’t have some players [say] ‘I’m going to go this route,’ or ‘I’m going to go this route.’ Everybody has to be one. Everybody has to buy in. That’s what Coach Cristobal is trying to do. ...I was hoping we could [get it done] the first year but it didn’t work out like that.
“I just can’t wait to see what they have in store.”
Now what?
Now, Cristobal and his staff, along with the rest of the nation, will monitor who enters the transfer portal after next weekend’s conference championship games. Cristobal will need to bolster his roster and compensate for the mass exodus. As of Thanksgiving, six UM players had recently announced they were set to enter the portal, with up to dozens of players expected to follow.
Exit interviews will take place — many of them — and the coach said he will meet “with every single player.’’
“Remember that the portal is a two-way street and not every player is asked to return,’’ Cristobal said. “I understand from a media standpoint, you guys have to go with what you feel you hear or you feel is what it is.”
Reiterated Cristobal: “Not everybody is asked to return.’’
The coach said he will also evaluate the staff “as it relates to everything — performance on the field, performance off the field, performance in recruiting.
“You reassess everything.’’
Player wise, Cristobal said there were “a lot of guys who tried really, really hard and then some other areas where we just have to get a whole lot better.”
Rebuilding
“Our roster certainly has to get deeper. The way that we coach has got to get better. ...We didn’t accomplish our goal of being in the postseason, so obviously, we didn’t live up to our own expectation. ...For me, it’s nothing but drive and determination going forward. I don’t get fazed or flustered by what needs to be done. It’s important to look at exactly each and every position and performance and everything that goes with it and what needs to be done to improve it. That is what rebuilding a program is all about.”
He indicated he will look for the best routes to add personnel, whether it be through high school recruiting. junior colleges or the transfer portal. “The work never stops,’’ he said.
Cristobal was impressed with Kinchens, the only Hurricane who stood up and addressed the others in the emotionally aching locker room.
“He called up everybody and told them how much he loved them and anyone that can’t or doesn’t want to be a part of that, move fast and get out of the way,’’ the coach said. “That’s what it takes.”
Kinchens was asked how he stays focused in the midst of change.
“Football,’’ he said. “You’re going to grind regardless. That’s all I know. All I know is football. So nobody can take the joy away from me. I’m here to grind and play football. That’s what I came here for.
“If you don’t want to be here, farewell, good wishes to you, hope for the best,” Kinchens said. “But if you want to stay, come every day ready to grind because we don’t want this taste in our mouth again.”
More from Cristobal
— On whether third-year sophomore starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, who missed most of the last six games with a shoulder injury, has told him if he’ll be back: “That’s a discussion with Tyler, his family and myself — to be respectful of him and his family.’’
— On the message to recruits and fans: “there are some really good foundation blocks that are already set. There are some really good players, a small core of players that are tough, that are talented and who want to be really great.
...We just have to get back to work and make sure we continue to develop and fill the roster with the right people — high-caliber, tough-minded guys; and make sure we are doing the right things as coaches. We have to take it together. It’s an entire job as a program, starting with myself. That’s what leaders are supposed to do — own it, eat it, grow from it and go get better.
“Miami will be a championship program.”
— As of Sunday, the Canes ranked 88th in total offense (96th in rushing and 57th in passing), with 367.1 yards-per-game. They ranked 67th in total defense (81st in passing yards allowed and 55th in rushing defense), allowing 376 yards-per-game. They’re ranked 97th in scoring offense (23.6 points a game) and 68th in scoring defense (26.8). They’re tied for 104th in sacks allowed (35).
