The Miami football program enters the 2022 season with a lot of expectations after hiring Mario Cristobal as head coach in December. Led by quarterback Tyler Van Dyke and the additional of 11 transfers, Cristobal has a good foundation set for the 2022 season. Games at Clemson and Texas A&M will be a barometer for Miami in 2022.
Sam Marsdale of 247 Sports examined “ACC football: Best-, worst-case scenario for every team in 2022.” The success of the Miami football program in the first year under Cristobal will be judged largely by the games versus Clemson and Texas A&M, how they finish in the ACC Coastal Division and the 2023 recruiting class.
With Cristobal recruiting without a full staff he improved the Miami 2022 class from ranked in the 70s when he was hired in December to finishing 16th. The Miami football team will likely be the co-favorite to win what could be the last season of the ACC Coastal Division. Cristobal is one of four new coaches in the Coastal.
Duke, Virginia and Virginia Tech have greater rebuilding projects with their programs than Cristobal has at Miami. The success Cristobal had at Oregon and his prowess as a recruiter have created high expectations for the future at Miami. Marsdale outlined the best and worst-case scenarios for Miami.
"MIAMI HURRICANES (7-5 IN 2021)Best-case scenario: 10-2, ACC Coastal Champions in Cristobal’s first season.The Hurricanes have two easy ones against Bethune-Cookman and Southern Miss. before a massive road test at Texas A&M. Miami also has to go to Clemson in Week 11. Plenty of hype surrounds the Hurricanes with Tyler Van Dyke at quarterback and Cristobal’s arrival from Oregon.Assuming losses in both games, Miami would need to beat UNC and Pittsburgh at home and also sweep Virginia and Virginia Tech on the road. Other ACC home games include Duke, Florida State and Georgia Tech.Worst-case scenario: 6-6, Van Dyke regresses.Assuming no injury, Van Dyke would have to experience a sophomore slump for this to happen. This scenario would pit Texas A&M as the only out of conference loss and only winning three ACC games.”"
Going 7-1 in the ACC with the only conference loss at Clemson creates high expectations. Miami has not finished a regular season with 10 wins and one ACC loss since winning its only outright Coastal Division title in 2017. The Hurricanes did not play Clemson until the ACC Championship Game in 2017.
Clemson seems vulnerable after finishing 10-3 in 2021 and losing both of their coordinators. Loyalty and stability have been a major part of the success of Clemson over the last eight years. Texas A&M is projected to start Max Johnson at QB after he transferred from LSU. Johnson is the nephew of former Miami head coach Mark Richt.