CFB expert: Keeping everyone in alignment Miami Hurricanes biggest challenge

The Miami Hurricanes football program has continued to make big splashes since hiring Mario Cristobal as head coach in December. Two high-profile coordinators, a new athletic director and a University of Miami Sports Hall of Famer have all been hired by the Hurricanes following Cristobal returning home.

Shehan Jeyarajah of CBS Sports said the biggest challenge for the Miami Hurricanes football program entering the 2022 season is Keeping everyone in alignment. The observation on Miami was part of Jeyarajah’s article about the “Biggest challenge facing each coach in their first season at a new Power Five school.”

ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit made comments in September on the network’s College Football Gameday Pregame show that the Miami football program needs to be more “aligned in their vision for what needs to happen.” University of Miami President Julio Frenk has made a greater commitment to the football program since September.

With Cristobal as the head coach and the offseason hires working with him, the Miami Hurricanes football program is more likely to run a program that has everyone in alignment. The coaching staff that Cristobal has hired has been praised as an elite staff, particularly as recruiters. The Miami offseason hires have been impressive.

"“Mario Cristobal, MiamiKeeping everyone in alignment: Reeling in the big fish was only one part of the equation for Miami.Perhaps more importantly, the Hurricanes poached athletic director Dan Radakovich from Clemson, stole star coordinators Josh Gattis (Michigan) and Kevin Steele (Maryland) from two Big Ten schools and encouraged former Hurricanes star Alonzo Highsmith to leave NFL front office roles to run Miami’s operation.History is littered with programs that made big splashes but failed to build it long term and translate into success. Cristobal has been one of the better program managers in the nation during his time as both a head and assistant coach, but what has been a chaotic program at Miami will be his toughest challenge yet.”"

The hires of Radakovich, Gattis, Steele and Highsmith should take the Miami Hurricanes to another level. Those hires made a statement that Miami is ready to compete with other elite programs to poach coaches and administrators. Steele is the only hire who is not coming from a historic program.

Steele has been on the staff of multiple big-time college football programs and spent four seasons with the Carolina Panthers in the 1990s. The hire of Highsmith made Miami the latest college football program to hire someone with extensive experience working in an NFL front office and getting the title of general manager.