Was giving Mario Cristobal a 10-year contract a huge mistake by the Miami Hurricanes?

As head coach Mario Cristobal and the Miami Hurricanes head toward their third season together, results from the past two years have left a lot to be desired.

Despite recruiting wins like transfer quarterback Cam Ward and veteran tight end Cam McCormick, Cristobal’s squads have struggled to keep their heads above water.

On December 6, 2021, Cristobal signed a 10-year contract for $80 million to take over the Miami football program, his alma mater.

Over two seasons, the Canes have gone 12-13 under Cristobal’s reign, reaching the Pinstripe Bowl at the end of the 2023 season but losing to Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

Mario Cristobal and Miami 2022

The Hurricanes had a promising start to their first season with Cristobal as their head coach.

In Miami’s non-conference games against Bethune-Cookman and Southern Miss, the Canes walked away with resounding 70-13 and 30-7 victories respectively.

Despite the dominant start to 2022, the Hurricanes lost the next three games and only saw three more total wins throughout the season.

With a 32-point loss to Florida State and a 30-point loss to Clemson, the Canes closed out their season at 5-7 overall.

Mario Cristobal and Miami 2023

Miami had a much better start to their season in 2023, winning the first four games of the year against Miami (OH), Texas A&M, Bethune-Cookman, and Temple.

While the Canes lost 31-24 to Rutgers in their bowl game at the end of the season, Cristobal led the team to 7 wins in the regular season, flipping their overall record from the previous year.

Miami kept the game close against No. 4 Florida State, only losing 27-20, and No. 10 Louisville, losing 38-31.

The improvement in Miami’s season was minimal but it was still a step forward for Cristobal and the Canes.

As the Hurricanes, now led by experienced QB Ward, head toward the 2024 season, Cristobal better hope that the improvement continues and that his ten-year contract stays intact.

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