Miami Hurricanes Bearing Fruit of Their NIL Labor From Last Few Years

Navigating the NIL landscape of collegiate athletes hasn't been easy, but the Miami Hurricanes are making the most of it.

Aug 31, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal gestures after a game against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. / Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports

It has been a long time since the Miami Hurricanes were a powerhouse college football program. 2017 was the last time they finished the season ranked in the top 10 and before that, you have to go all the way back to 2003 when they were still part of the Big East.

There have been a lot of obstacles for the program to overcome, but the athletic department and Mario Cristobal have worked tirelessly to get this once-proud team back to prominence.

One of the ways they have done that is by openly accepting NIL. While some programs have shown hesitancy to get into the new-age landscape of collegiate athletics, the Hurricanes have dove head first.

"Nobody really likes to talk about the starting point," Cristobal told reporters after the game. "I knew when I got to Miami there was a lot of work to do, and these guys have been through a lot, and they made the decision that it was enough, they've had enough, and they were going to prove that by the way they played the game."

There is still plenty of work to do, but on Saturday when facing off against their rivals, the Florida Gators, it certainly felt like the Miami of old was back.

They set the tone for the 2024 season, going into The Swamp and destroying the Gators, 41-17. In a starring role for the Hurricanes is one of their prized NIL recruits, quarterback Cam Ward.

One of the most sought-after players in the transfer portal, Ward was looking for the third school of his collegiate career. He was a star at Incarnate Word before tearing up the Pac-12 with Washington State last season.

His Hurricanes career got started with a bang. He completed 26-of-35 attempts for 385 yards, three touchdowns and one intersection. Ward added 33 yards on the ground on three rushing attempts.

"I'm a gunslinger," Ward told reporters last week, via Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports. "That's just what I do."

A talented player like that under center is exactly what Miami has been waiting for. Their persistence in building up NIL collectives to compete with the other top programs around the nation are what has them on the brink of being back.

"It's been a three-year process of Mario's sweat and blood and everything else to try to rebuild this roster," said Zach Burr, co-founder of Canes Connection, Miami's school-affiliated collective. "For us to be able to play a small part in helping him to do that days like [Saturday] validate all the hard work."

Miami was a popular selection to be part of the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff coming into their season. Their dismantling of Florida will lead to more people jumping on the bandwagon.