Miami Hurricanes alum/head coach Mario Cristobal addresses the high expectations around the program

Mario Cristobal has returned home to Miami. Cristobal, who helped lead the University of Miami to two national championships in 1989 and 1991 as a standout offensive lineman, was named the University’s 26th football head coach on December 6, 2021. One of college football’s most highly regarded coaches, Cristobal returned to his alma mater after leading the University of Oregon to three straight Pac-12 Conference championship game appearances and two Pac-12 titles. He is the only coach in the nation whose team has played in a Power Five conference championship game in each of the past three seasons. “We are incredibly excited to welcome Mario, his wife, Jessica, and their sons Mario Mateo and Rocco home to Miami,” UM President Julio Frenk said. “Mario’s legacy as a student-athlete at the U is well established. And the standard for competitive excellence that he and his teammates helped establish is one to which we continue to aspire. Our selection, however, was not one based in nostalgia for a proud past, but rather in a bold vision for a promising future. “The characteristics that helped Mario excel as a national championship-winning player—drive, determination, and discipline—continue to propel his success as a coach. In Mario we have found a head coach who shares our belief in providing student-athletes with the very best opportunities to succeed on and off the field, and our commitment to winning at the highest level.” “My family and I are excited to return home to the University of Miami, which has been so instrumental in shaping me as a person, player, and coach,” Cristobal said. “This program has an unparalleled tradition and an exciting future ahead of it. I can’t wait to compete for championships and help mold our student-athletes into leaders on and off the field who will make our University, our community, and our loyal fan base proud.”