Mario Cristobal watched very little of FSU-GaTech with focus on Florida

Mario Cristobal told Joe Rose during his appearance on the eponymous morning show on WQAM he watched very little of the Georgia Tech 24-21 upset win over Florida State on Saturday. Miami plays Florida State and Georgia Tech this season. Cristobal is focused on the Miami season opener at Florida on Saturday.

Cristobal stated there is time to prepare for future opponents. Florida State and Georgia Tech will be very different teams when Miami plays them on October 26 and November 9. Cristobal stated there were some great teaching points with the four or five games played this weekend.

Miami will kickoff at 3:30 PM Eastern Time at Florida on Saturday. The Hurricanes were ranked 19th in the Associated Press Top 25 and USA Today Coaches Poll. After the focus was primarily on Florida State and Georgia Tech in Dublin during week zero, Miami at Florida is part of a huge week one.

Miami at Florida in the season opener has generated a lot of focus. There is a lot of pressure on Cristobal and Florida head coach Billy Napier. Cristobal is 12-13 in two seasons at Miami and Napier is 11-14 in his first pair of seasons at Florida. With training camp over, both teams are now in game-week mode.

"Very little. Our entire focus has been on getting our team ready and our opponents, so in terms of future opponents, there'll be time for that, but at the end of the day, you take lessons in what you watch on TV, if you have a chance to watch other teams play, and all over the country, I think the four or five games that were played, some great teaching points and I'll focus on the University of Florida”"

- Mario Cristobal on the Joe Rose Show

Cristobal also told Rose that Miami has been focused on Florida with some things always implemented during the spring and in the summer. Florida signed 16 transfers to their 2024 roster. Five Florida transfers are projected to start. Florida returns 14 starters.

Miami defensive coordinator Lance Guidry has been able to focus on Florida quarterback Graham Mertz who is returning. In his first season after transferring from Wisconsin, Mertz threw for 2,903 yards, 20 touchdowns and three interceptions. Mertz was third nationally completing 72.9 percent of his pass attempts.

Miami feels pretty settled on who will start and that at some positions they will let that play out during the week per Cristobal. Entering training camp, left guard and safety were the primary open starting positions for Miami. Washington transfer Mishael Powell is one starting safety for Miami.

Who will start next to Powell was the question. Redshirt sophomores Jaden Harris and Markeith Williams, freshman Zaquan Patterson and Arizona transfer Isaiah Taylor were the competitors to start with Powell. Harris and Williams both started games for Miami during the 2023 season.

Samson Okunlola has reportedly been the favorite to be the starting left guard for Miami. The 2023 five-star offensive tackle signee suffered a season ending knee injury after three games as a freshman. Massive 6'8 335 pound Markel Bell and Tommy Kinsler were the other two primary candidates at left guard.

Cristobal also told Rose he was impressed with the size and speed Florida has on the edge. As always with a Cristobal team the line of scrimmage will be a focus. Cristobal expects his teams to be tough and meticulously prepared. Florida in the season opener will have the attention of the Miami players from Cristobal and his staff.