Mario Cristobal Delivers a Comedy Set Against Kirby Smart and Florida
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Stage one of the off-season is reminiscing on the season that was and dealing with the transfer portal.
The Miami Hurricanes had an extended season with the National Championship run, but it also helps when others also have eyes on them.
Stage two is everyone accepting all of their awards, and Canes superstar Malachi Toney and Mario Cristobal spend a few days in "enemy territory" at the Football Writers’ Association of America Dinner held in Gainesville on Monday at Spurrier’s Gridiron Grill.
“I never felt so welcomed in enemy territory,” he said. “Except last year at the Swamp. 41-17.”
Toney was named Offensive Rookie of the Year and received the coveted Entertainer of the Year Award. However, Crisotbal delivered a comedy set that had everyone outside of Goeriga Head coach Kirby Smart and Florida Gator fans rolling on the floor in laughter.
Miami Coach Mario Cristobal takes a shot at Kirby Smart 😳
— The College Sports Company (@CollegeSportsCo) February 24, 2026
“It’s a great piece to watch what a player like Carson Beck can do with great coaching” - Cristobol 👀 pic.twitter.com/MHE4s9rq9V
“It’s great to watch what Carson Beck can do with great coaching,” Cristobal said as those in attendance roared with laughter. “Let’s give it up for Coach Smart.If it wasn’t for all his years of pre-NIL we wouldn’t have NIL right now.”
Moreover, the jokes came from both sides. Smart had earlier joked about how Cristobal was trying to steal away his players with NIL.
“You have to be careful around Mario, sometimes they’re taking players, you know what I mean?” Smart said.
Furthermore Cristobal would get one of the last laughs.
“You have to give a guy like Kirby credit when you have all that time to sit at home watching us play on TV in the playoffs … but congrats on the SEC and the championship," Cristobal said. "That’s awesome. We were 5-0 against the SEC. I don’t know what you were.”
The season is a long way from now, with spring ball starting to ramp up. It also helps that the Hurricanes have sent 10 players to the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.
This new light on the Hurricanes is good for the college football world, as a return to normality continues to show that when the Hurricanes are good, the sport is in healthy hands.
Crisotbal now attacks the recruiting trails hard again, preparing to bring in one of the top classes in the country after three straight seasons of top-10 classes.
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.
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