Miami Hurricanes news: Steele leaves for Alabama, Hoops hosts Duke
Alabama hired Kevin Steele as its defensive coordinator on Sunday night leaving both Miami Hurricanes coordinator positions open. Mario Cristobal has less than a month until spring practice starts to make new hires. The Miami basketball team has its most anticipated home game this season versus Duke Monday.
Steele’s departure on Sunday night comes nine days after Mario Cristobal fired offensive coordinator Josh Gattis. After a 5-7 inaugural season Cristobal has a chance to remake the Miami football staff. Cristobal has the option of promoting co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Charlie Strong.
The potential for Strong to take over the full responsibilities of DC and not share them with Steele could provide the opportunity for Cristobal to return defensive analyst DeMarcus VanDyke to an on-field coaching role. Van Dyke is an elite recruiter and was the Miami cornerbacks coach in 2021.
The Miami Hurricanes basketball team will host Duke on Monday night after finally winning a big weekend road game on Saturday at Clemson who is in first place in the ACC. Miami lost road games the three previous Saturdays by a total of seven points. Miami is 18-5 overall and 9-4 in the ACC.
Duke is 17-6 overall and 8-5 in the ACC. The Blue Devils lost on Saturday at Duke. A win over Duke would provide Miami with another key victory in potential tiebreakers that could arise at the end of the season. Miami already owns tiebreakers with Clemson and Virginia after wins earlier this season.
Virginia is 17-4 overall and 9-3, in second place in the ACC. A win over Duke would also be another huge resume builder for the NCAA Net Ratings and their NCAA Tournament resume. After hosting Duke Miami will be off until Saturday when the Hurricanes host 3-20 Louisville on Saturday afternoon.
Next. Alabama hires Miami defensive coordinator Kevin Steele. dark
David Lake and Gaby Urrutia of Inside the U had an instant reaction podcast posted above that went through multiple potential candidates to replace Steele. There are several options for Miami beyond the in-house hires of Strong and Van Dyke. Expect Cristobal to be methodical with both coordinator hires.