Mario Cristobal gets frustrated with question about turnover chain
Miami head coach Mario Cristobal was frustrated with a question at ACC Kickoff about comments he made earlier this week that the Hurricanes would not be using the turnover chain this season. Miami made the turnover chain a college football fad in 2017 that was often copied by other programs.
Manny Diaz had the turnover chain created as the Miami defensive coordinator in 2017 as a way to incentivize his defense. Miami went from 19 turnovers forced and 67th nationally in 2016 to 31 which tied for third in the nation in 2017. The chain grew criticism in recent seasons when the Miami defense wasn’t as opportunistic.
Mario Cristobal is more of a no-nonsense coach that wants the Miami football team to focus on what they need to do on the field. Cristobal stated that his comments about the turnover chain are not an indictment of the past staff. The decision to eliminate the turnover chain has created a lot of discussion this week.
Asked about the turnover chain, Cristobal spoke about getting better as a program that includes the activity by the Miami football players off the field. Miami players have praised Cristobal in the seven months since he was hired for the culture that is being created. The turnover chain did not win or lose games.
"Q. Why we retired the turnover chain?MARIO CRISTOBAL: “I think probably the media has put more thought into this than I have. We just really focus on getting better as a program and have focused on technique, fundamentals, regimentation, academics, strength and conditioning, sports science, community service, and that’s what the focus has been on.It is not a shot or form of disrespect to anybody or anyone. Certainly history is history, and whether it’s positive, whether it’s inconsequential, whatever it may be, it’s still history and part of your program. We’re just moving in a direction that right now doesn’t involve it. That’s really the best way to address it.Let’s put it this way. We’ve been working so hard and paying attention to so many other things that, in my opinion, are much more critical to winning football games and having success that it really hasn’t been a subject or a topic. We won’t be using it. You guys okay with that? We good now? Everybody got the chain stuff?Okay. All right. Thank you.”"
The comments at ACC Kickoff should be the last time Cristobal has to address the turnover chain. Cristobal is beginning a new era for the Miami football program. Miami is expected to be a more physical and tougher team under Cristobal. The history of the Miami football program has been frequently mentioned by Cristobal.
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He has been a part of that Miami history as a player, graduate assistant, assistant coach and now a head coach. The Miami players will learn from Cristobal and his staff that hard work on the Greentree practice fields is what created the Hurricanes’ swagger and created five national championships.