Everything Miami Head Coach Mario Cristobal Said After Pop-Tart Bowl Announcement
The Miami Hurricanes will take on Iowa State in the Pop-Tart Bowl on Dec. 28th and it will be a great opportunity for young talent to show what they can do as the Canes look to next season.
This will also be a chance for Mario Cristobal to win his first bowl game as the Hurricanes head coach after suffering a loss to Rutgers in the Pinstripe Bowl last season.
Cristobal had a positive outlook on this game even though the disappointment of missing out on the College Football Playoffs played a key role in the Hurricanes playing in this game.
Miami is set to Face Iowa State In the Pop-Tart Bowl
Opening Statement....
Thank you for having me. thank you to uh Florida Citrus Sports for the incredible opportunity uh to play an excellent football team in culture uh Clash of two top 20 teams hand again just a lot of respect for Coach Campbell and his team and certainly the opportunity to compete uh and play and give our guys an opportunity to do uh something that hasn't been done in Miami in a long-long time.
On what it means to have this opportunity to have an 11 win season....
We've been working hard to continue to get the program better to progress and now this being our third year you know we've gone from five uh to seven to a 10- win season and that's different from Miami it's only been done the last 20 years twice and now we have a chance for 11 against a team that's also fighting for number 11and an opportunity to do it for the first time in their history as well soy ou know the intensity is going to be high both teams really want this and the competition and the caliber of athlete and player on the field is going to be awesome so it means a lot to ourselves I'm sure means a lot to Iowa State.
On the progress of the program over the past three season...
We're not satisfied you know we want to win every single game and we won 10. We were close on the other two but close isn't good enough. We want progress. We're hungry and driven to get better and so that's what our focus is on improving as a football program to getting better to moving into the postseason with an opportunity like this against a great football team like this and putting our best on the field.
On missing the College Football Playoffs...
You know our focus on everything regardless of the bracket or whatnot is to go win our next game you know I think every you know everyone that doesn't get in feels disappointed but more so we feel the the on us of just doing better. Just do better go forward and have an opportunity to get better. This is both this is the ending of 24 and the beginning of 25 this is the last opportunity to be on the field and carry some momentum into the off-season so itis U it is in essence it's the most important game because it's the next game so there's a lot of you know excitement in the form of opportunity for our guys our guys love to play football and the chance to play one more time with this special group. This's a special group of guys now. They've worked really hard to really change the trajectory of the University of Miami and they want to continue to elevate the status and the culture at the University of Miami so certainly a ton to play for so we're looking forward to the opportunity.
On his player opting out of the bowl game...
I'm sure people do you know again we've really worked hard at culture around here and has improved tremendously over the last few years so um I feel we have a group that wants to play that is excited to play uh certainly there was any news I would get that to you guys but feel really strongly about that opportunity I think it's important that our guys anyone playing and closing out the season understands the importance of that next step for a program like ours and I think our guys do so I'm looking forward to getting on the field with our players.
On balancing the transfer portal and preparing to play in the bowl game...
You dedicate the same amount of time that you always would throughout the course of the year you just got to realize as a coach that your day is just it's already long but it's that much longer but you don't compromise either you know I want to be really clear about that you know the opportunity to play in the postseason is an honor that is earned and I always want to treat that as such and I think that's important for the University of Miami and every one associate with the University of Miami to understand that earning a chance in the postseason is something that is earned and it has to be approached with absolute professionalism and eagerness to do really really well and at the same time certainly the other moving parts of the building and re continuing to progress a college football program revolves around recruiting revolves around the portal. Both your players and players that are going to have uh opportunities to come to the University of Miami and it doesn't stop you just stay the course you know we've always been a very driven hardworking program and that's not going to change uh a matter of fact it'll be upped and amped up even more.
On Iowa State...
Excellent football team. A lot of respect for Coach Campbel,l I know that uh you know offensively I think they're one of maybe one of uh teams that have two1,000 yard receivers they're really explosive on offense and they've always played great defense you know I believe they're a top three or four passing defense um in the country very disciplined very hard-nosed very tough and very physical. I know that they, I mean it's exhibiting the fact that I think they are the least penalized team in the country and they bring it they just play with a lot of energy a lot of effort they get a lot of hats to the football just a very well coached very talented football team.
On the value of the bowl practices and bowl game...
It's extremely valuable you know I mean you really don't have many opportunities throughout the course of the year right time is limited more and more each season with your student-athletes and I think again and I want to State this and be very clear it's very important. It's ultra important for the University of Miami to continue to develop and grow and progress by stressing the importance of offseason opportunities it's been a minute you know before these opportunities have been taken advantage of in a positive manner and this needs to be that and you know it's you learn a lot about your team you learn a lot about your people and your program when you head into the postseason and Iknow it's important to a lot of guys and I know our guys they want to finish the right way and they want to begin the next season in the right way and this a game like this encompasses both especially against a great team like Iowa State.
