Hurricanes coach Cristobal embraces NIL
CORAL GABLES — Alabama coach Nick Saban criticized the NCAA’s current rules regarding name, image and likeness, saying the current environment was not “sustainable” and that it “creates a situation where you can basically buy players.”
In South Florida, Miami Hurricanes coach and former Saban assistant Mario Cristobal is embracing NIL opportunities for his players.
“Football is changing,” Cristobal said Thursday. “Like anything else in life, you adapt to how things change. I think it’s really neat that guys can profit off of their name, image and likeness.”
Florida state law prohibits university officials or employees from directing NIL deals to players or recruits and prohibits compensation “provided in exchange for athletic performance or attendance at a particular institution.”
But players and boosters have advertised NIL deals on social media, which is viewable by anyone — including prospects considering the Hurricanes. Several players have posted about signing NIL deals where they have received cars.
“I think it sells itself,” Cristobal said. “Let’s call it what it is. I can go and grab statistical information that will blow people away on the financial capabilities of a city like Miami, its alumni and how well it’s doing in the NIL world. But I think that’s already out there. I think that’s been advertised and has been highlighted. So I like to focus on the other stuff, you know, because that is a piece of it. And it’s reality, so we don’t ignore it. But I think it’s obvious to the rest of the world if you want to compare what’s being done here to everywhere else, I think it’s out Miami’s blowing people away and not by a little.”
Although it doesn’t hurt to have prospective players seeing the flashier benefits of playing for the Hurricanes, Cristobal said he thinks there are wide-ranging perks to playing at UM, including learning from the coaching staff, the education the school provides and living in Coral Gables.
“I still walk in the door and I’m like, ‘Whoa, that’s Charlie Strong. Damn,’ ” Cristobal said. “He’s here as a co-coordinator and coach. There’s Kevin Steele and there’s (Joe) Salave’a and there’s (Alex) Mirabal, there’s Josh Gattis, there’s Kevin Smith, coach (Frank) Ponce. It goes on and on and on. I don’t want to leave out anybody. There’s a Jason Taylor. A couple gold jackets walking around. There’s a couple of NFL players, some high-level coaches walking around. And the best part is that they do this.
“So that combination, along with the people, the networking system, the alumni here, a private-school education, living in Coral Gables, which — I remember driving around in a ‘68 Impala, trying my whole life to get into Coral Gables and it was really hard. So being able to go to school here and being part of a community like this, it’s unmatched. So instead of bragging about it, you just show it. You show facts so that people understand that we’re working really hard to show what we have and we focus on selling us and stay away from negative recruitment.”
Gattis surprised with Broyles Award trophy: Hurricanes offensive coordinator Josh Gattis was named the Broyles Award winner for the nation’s top assistant coach in December, but he was surprised with the trophy presentation during his post-practice press conference on Thursday.
“It’s truly an honor,” Gattis said. “It’s one I really hold in the highest regard. Obviously, as an assistant coach, this is always a dream for any coach to be honored with the Broyles Award.”
Gattis won the award after helping lead Michigan to the College Football Playoff last season. Gattis’ offense was 16th in the nation with 35.8 points per game.
Gattis’ colleagues congratulated him on social media, and Cristobal added his praise.
“Congratulations to coach Gattis again for being presented the Broyles Award,” Cristobal said. “Certainly, that’s the highest honor you can have as an assistant coach, and he’s certainly been a game-changer for us since his arrival from a lot of different standpoints — from a cultural standpoint, a schematic standpoint, his credibility, his ability to teach and motivate. His scheme really fits the footprint of our recruiting area. It really does. Really, congrats. Super happy for him and really excited for what’s to come.”
Logan Sagapolu shooting for a half-ton squat: Offensive lineman Logan Sagapolu followed Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal from Oregon to Miami in the offseason, and the new Hurricane lineman brings strength to the weight room.
“I come from a powerlifting background, so I love the squat,” Sagapolu said. “Squatting is probably my favorite one. The most I’ve ever done is 800 pounds.”
But Sagapolu doesn’t want to stop at 800 pounds. He wants to add more weight.
“I want to squat 1,000 pounds,” Sagapolu said. “Probably have to go back to my old powerlifting way of lifting, but other than that, that’s like my goal: squat 1,000 before I die.”