Mario Cristobal and the Miami Hurricanes are back in the national spotlight - and not just because of their long-awaited College Football Playoff breakthrough. Former Ohio State quarterback and CFP champion Cardale Jones stirred the pot this week, resurfacing a blunt critique of the Hurricanes’ program that he originally posted years ago.
The message? Miami’s recruiting pitch, especially around NIL deals, isn’t enough to cover up deeper issues within the program.
Jones didn’t hold back in his repost on X, writing: “I said what I said! Here we go!”
The original post, which dates back to before Cristobal took over the Hurricanes, took aim at Miami’s staff, program stability, and even the atmosphere at home games. “Man, I feel bad for the recruits going to Miami U for NIL…….. bad staff, no stability within program and one of the worst college home game atmospheres.
Chasing the money isn’t always the answer. But good luck,” Jones wrote.
The timing of the repost is no coincidence. Miami is preparing for its biggest game in decades - a College Football Playoff quarterfinal showdown with No.
2 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on December 31. It’s the kind of high-stakes matchup that could redefine the narrative around Cristobal’s tenure and the Hurricanes’ long road back to national relevance.
And here’s the thing - Miami has quietly been laying the foundation for this moment.
Under Cristobal, the Hurricanes just secured their first-ever College Football Playoff win, knocking off Texas A&M to earn a spot in the quarterfinals. It’s a milestone that speaks volumes about the program’s progress, especially when you consider the turbulence that’s surrounded Miami over the past two decades.
For the first time since the early 2000s, the Hurricanes have posted back-to-back seasons with double-digit wins. That’s no small feat in today’s college football landscape.
Cristobal’s recruiting work has also been a bright spot. Despite the noise, Miami has consistently brought in highly rated transfer portal classes, reinforcing the roster with talent that can compete at the highest level.
And let’s not forget - the Hurricanes recently produced the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. That’s a clear sign that the program isn’t just attracting talent; it’s developing it.
Still, the matchup with Ohio State looms large. A win in the Cotton Bowl wouldn’t just punch Miami’s ticket to the CFP semifinals - it would send a message to critics like Jones that the Hurricanes are more than just an NIL destination. It would validate Cristobal’s vision and prove that Miami is once again a serious player on the national stage.
For now, the Hurricanes are focused on the task at hand. But make no mistake - a victory over the Buckeyes would be a turning point. One that could finally quiet the outside noise and mark the beginning of a new era in Coral Gables.