Mario Cristobal had plenty to say in a recent ESPN College GameDay conversation with Rece Davis, but the loudest thread running through the interview was Nick Saban.
What started as a relaxed preseason sit-down about heritage, cafecito and Cristobal’s connection to the University of Miami eventually turned into a long, playful riff on his former boss. When Davis asked whether Saban owes him anything, Cristobal fired back, "Look, that guy owes me a lot."
From there, the jokes kept coming. Cristobal said Saban "moves the goalposts all the time," then guessed the former Alabama coach was "either getting his eyebrows trimmed or his hair dyed right now or makeup put on."
He also made clear he is not one of Saban’s "stepchildren" who get taken care of with houses, a nod to Saban’s charity, Nick's Kids Foundation, which has provided $18 million to help children, schools, teachers and families.
Cristobal then told Davis to pass along that Miami’s practices are tougher than Alabama’s ever were, before immediately backing off because it sounded like he was bragging.
The eyebrow joke was familiar territory. Cristobal used nearly the same line about Saban’s appearance during a College GameDay appearance after the Fiesta Bowl in January, when he told him he had plenty of time to think while getting his makeup done. That version landed better because Saban was there to laugh along.
Still, the exchange was more than just a string of punchlines. Cristobal said he had recently spoken with Saban about the details of offseason practice schedules, a reminder that their relationship runs deep.
Cristobal joined Saban’s staff in February 2013, five weeks after taking a job at Miami under Al Golden. He replaced Jeff Stoutland, who left for the Philadelphia Eagles. Cristobal stayed through the 2016 season as assistant head coach, offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator, and his work was recognized in 2015 when he was named 247Sports National Recruiter of the Year and his offensive line won the Joe Moore Award.
The two have also been trading barbs on ESPN since Saban joined the network in 2024. After Miami beat Ohio State 24-14 in the Cotton Bowl, Saban criticized a 3rd-and-3 call, and Cristobal shot back that Saban used to think that way before getting into "the big business and the TV world."
Cristobal also claimed he saved Saban’s life because Dolphins fans wanted to kill him. Saban went 15-17 in Miami across two rocky seasons in 2005 & 2026.
His brief NFL run is remembered for passing on Drew Brees after team doctors failed his physical, leading to a trade for Daunte Culpepper. Even so, Cristobal said the coach was still well-liked locally, recruited South Florida high school players alongside him and never hesitated to share knowledge.
"I'm eternally grateful for him," Cristobal said.
That gratitude eventually gave way to more teasing, including Cristobal’s line about people needing to be surgically removed from Saban’s backside because the praise is so heavy. He then said he hoped to bust Saban’s chops on national television every week.
The rest of Cristobal’s interview stayed in familiar territory: no predictions, no big declarations, and plenty of reminders that he prefers to shut up and work. That’s how he sees the job.
Miami opens at Stanford on Friday, Sept. 4, and then waits until Sept. 26 for its next Saturday game, when it hosts Central Michigan. Davis pointed that out after Cristobal said all college football should be played on Saturdays.
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