The Importance Of Family In The Miami Hurricanes Football Program
Developing and honing the building blocks within a program holds a team together through the good and bad. When first introduced as the head coach in 2021, Mario Cristobal highlighted how he wanted everyone to bring it while being a tight-knit group.
"I really want the Hurricanes nation, The U family, the University of Miami, everyone that's ever touched it, been a part of it, went to school here, is a fan, the community around the country, we got to bring this thing tight," Cristobal said. "We got to bring this thing in tight and we got to bring it"
In the three years since his opening statement, he has brought it and has gotten the group of players from past to present to extend those values of being together to everyone.
As a former alumnus, Cristobal knows what it is like to have that family-like mentality and connection within the community of Coral Gables and the surrounding pretty beaches of southern Florida.
The criticism will come with his coaching but family has always been a top priority in any program he has influenced. His time at Florida International University and Oregon will prove that. His recruiting out of the high school ranks and now the transfer portal is more evident of those values with the type of players he has brought and continues to bring in.
A player familiar with the Hurricanes family is star sophomore Rueben Bain Jr. He followed his bloodline by playing for the Canes and knows the importance of it. His family is filled with football players. His connection to the Canes comes from his uncle, Tolbert Bain. He was a four-year starting defensive back for Miami in the 80s and one of the catalyst players for the 1987 National Championship win.
"This is something that has been going through my bloodline for years to come since the 80s. I'm just another Bain that is a Cane. I get the chance to continue the pipeline that's going on and hopefully, there is plenty more to come after me," Bain said.
Francisco Mauigoa knows that his family is one of the most important things in his life. It is also one of the great things about the Miami Hurricanes football program and what caused him to transfer from Washington State. It was also one of the reasons why his brother Francis committed and is now one of the cornerstone pieces for the offensive line.
"I mean, for me, being raised as a kid, I was taught to serve. I think this program has very similar aspects. I think coming in, I kind of just felt welcomed, immediately attached to it because the culture is pretty much the same," Mauigoa said. "The coaches are very easy to talk to. You build the relationship that will go a long way. I think having relationships with your coaches and teammates is very important because that's how you earn trust. Being able to trust your teammates and coaches, that will translate to the field and how you perform."
READ MORE: Mario Cristobal Details the Process of Turning Miami Back Into 'The U'
Before Cristobal's return, there has not always been an "open door" policy for program alumni to return to watch and pass on wisdom to the younger players. Miami Hall of Famer Jimmy Graham has been around the facilities during fall camp and spoke to the ACC Network crew during their annual road trip. He highlighted some of the things he can do now compared to a few years ago thanks to Cristobal's open arms and that family mentality.
"I mean that's what's been so special about [Mario Cristobal]. The kind of open arms he has had for us with you know bringing us back in here this past summer," Graham said. "I had the opportunity to take up the Carver tight ends up in the helicopter and that wouldn't have happened you know five-six years ago but it's that closeness that we have now. These conversations that I'm allowed to have with these kids and now bring them to the airport show them a different thing a different way of life and educate them you know not only on football but life and business and how to operate as a man moving forward throughout this whole journey."
Graham is not the only legend spreading some knowledge to the young players in the program. Over the past two seasons, Cristobal has hosted legends camp for the program with other hall-of-fame players leading talent through drills and sharing their experiences
Former Canes like Michael Irvin, Santana Moss, Gino Toretta, Calais Campbell, Edgerrin James, Lamar Miller, Duke Johnson, Ereck Flowers, Antrel Rolle, Jon Beason, and many more were in attendance in this years legends camp and expressed their gratitude for Cristobal and his desire to return this program back to prominence.
This is only year three of Cristobal's ten year contract and he has much more to accomplish with the program and the city of Coral Gables. Family and togetherness is the top priority for this program and a tight-knit group has formed from the leadership of Cristobal.
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JUSTICE SANDLE