Mario Cristobal told Miami football recruit new OC within about a week

Update: The Miami football program and head coach Mario Cristobal released a statement on Friday that stated offensive coordinator Josh Gattis “has been relieved of his duties as offensive coordinator.’’ Three-star 2024 quarterback Luke Moga spoke to CaneSport in an article released on Thursday before the Gattis’ firing.

Three-star 2024 quarterback Luke Moga who visited the Miami football program on Thursday told CaneSports that Mario Cristobal expects to have a new offensive coordinator “in the next week or so.” There has been a lot of speculation in the last few weeks about the status of current Miami OC Josh Gattis.

The Miami football team regressed significantly offensively under Gattis in his first and likely only season as the Hurricanes’ OC. Miami averaged 23.6 points per game in 2022 which was 97th nationally. The Hurricanes averaged 367.1 total yards per game, 239.0 yards passing and 128.1 rushing in 2022.

Those numbers were down significantly from 2021 when Miami was 23rd nationally averaging 34.1 PPG. Miami averaged 449.9 total yards per game in 2021, 321.2 passing and 128.8 rushing under Rhett Lashlee who left to become the head coach at SMU. The Gattis tenure is eerily reminiscent of the one season under Dan Enos.

A drastic system change under whoever the new OC is seems unlikely. Cristobal prefers to run a power spread. Establishing physicality is critical to Cristobal. Winning at the line of scrimmage on defense and offense are the primary attributes Cristobal expects from his teams. Moga discussed a new OC and his Coral Gables trip.

"“Coach Cristobal is trying to get his new offensive coordinator, is still searching for his offensive coordinator and said that should come in the next week or so…So once that happens I’ll build that relationship and see where it goes…It was super cool…It’s a historical place, I loved it. I loved everything around it.”"

Per Matt Shodell of CaneSport Moga was able to meet with Miami RB coach Kevin Smith and the General Manager of the Miami football program Alonzo Highsmith during his visit to Coral Gables. With Cristobal out of town, he and Moga spoke via facetime. Moga said Cristobal encouraged him to make more visits to Miami.

CaneSport also reported that Moga does not have a timetable for a commitment. The On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine projects Arizona State as the favorite with a 55 percent chance for a commitment for Moga. Moga has 15 scholarship offers with 10 from Power Five football programs.