What to expect from new Miami Hurricanes OL coach Alex Mirabal
Alex Mirabal is official as the Miami Hurricanes offensive line coach after he updated his Twitter profile on Sunday as first reported by Susan Miller Degnan from the Miami Herald. Mirabal was on the Oregon staff coaching the OL for the last four seasons under Mario Cristobal who brought him to Miami.
Cristobal and Mirabal played together at Christopher Columbus High School in Miami in the 1980s. Prior to working with the offensive line at Oregon, Mirabal was the OL coach at Marshall from 2013-2017. Mirabal began his coaching career at Columbus from 1993-2006. Mirabal’s first collegiate coaching job was at FIU in 2007.
Mirabal was the assistant head coach and tight ends from 2007 through 2009. Mirabal moved over to be the Panthers OL line coach from 2010 through 2012 under Cristobal. Cristobal and Mirabal reunited at Oregon after Willie Taggart left to become the head coach at Florida State.
Per Miller Degnan, Oregon was 36th nationally allowing 1.7 sacks per game with a total of 24. Miami allowed 2.5 sacks per game and 30 total. Oregon was 24th in rushing averaging 202.4 yards per game. Miami was 97th in rushing at 127.7 per game. Oregon was 13th nationally averaging 5.29 yards per carry.
As expected, well-regarded OL coach Alex Mirabal becomes first person officially to join Cristobal's UM staff; he announced it today and his Twitter page reflects his new job. Multiple other Oregon assistants also expected to join Canes staff.
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) January 2, 2022
The Miami Hurricanes were 98th averaging 3.69 yards per carry. The Miami OL has improved but struggled for most of the last three seasons. Mirabal showed his ability to coach and quickly adapt when Oregon lost all five starters on the OL entering 2020. Four of the five new starters were named all Pac-12.
Mirabal coached all-conference players at FIU, Marshall and Oregon. The teams Mirabal has coached have frequently been balanced offensively. Working in tandem with Cristobal, the Miami OL should improve under Mirabal. Expect the development of the Miami OL to also improve. Miami has underachieved on the OL.
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Miami will return most of its OL in 2022. Center Jakai Clark, guard D.J. Scaife and offensive tackle Zion Nelson are all expected to return. Miami loses guard Navaughn Donaldson and OT Jarrid Williams. Guard Jalen Rivers returns and will be expected to return to being a starter replacing Donaldson.