Where Does Miami's Mario Cristobal Fall in the Coaching Rankings for 2025?
![Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier, left shakes hands with Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal after the Hurricanes defeated the Gators during the season opener at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, August 31, 2024 against the University of Miami Hurricanes. The Hurricanes defeated the Gators 41-17. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_382,w_7841,h_4410/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/all_hurricanes/01jkdz3bz94gv3tk862d.jpg "Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier, left shakes hands with Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal after the Hurricanes defeated the Gators during the season opener at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, August 31, 2024 against the University of Miami Hurricanes. The Hurricanes defeated the Gators 41-17. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]")
In this story:
The 2025 national rankings for college coaches are here and Miami's Mario Crisotbal's ranking is higher than some would expect.
On3's rankings for the top coaches in the NCAA have been released and some of the rankings are predictable — Georiga's Kirby Smart being ranked No. 1 — with other shocking ones. The Miami Hurricanes head coach ranks No. 11 and the second-highest in the ACC (Dabey Swinney No. 6).
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For some the perfect coach is a master of the Xs and Os and a leader of men. Some have one trait and others have another. Cristobal is a better leader of men and a recruiter than an Xs and Os coach. That is why he has coordinators in discussions with other highly looked-at offers around the country.
For the Third Consecutive Year, the Miami Hurricanes Ranks A Top The ACC In Recruiting
Ari Wasserman of On3 elaborate more on how he views Cristobal and the future of the Hurricanes.
"Say what you want about Oregon, but he left the Ducks much better than he found them," Wasserman wrote. "And now at Miami, the Hurricanes have gotten incrementally better year over year during his leadership. There is no question Cristobal knows how to attract talent — Miami was loaded a year ago — but his in-game decision-making has been called into question."
That is the only knock on Cristobal is his big-game decision-making. Twice against Georgia Tech in the past two years, and against Syracuse to end this season, it happened again. Luckily, there is still a positive with Cristobal being in a program as he is known as a rebuilder.
"Though it’s hard to imagine Miami is better next year than it was this past year, the Hurricanes have great offensive and defensive fronts, addressed needs in the secondary, and brought in Carson Beck to try to get them over the hump." Wasserman wrote. "Cristobal’s presence has been a net positive at the places he’s coached."
READ MORE FROM MIAMI HURRICANES ON SI:
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Everything New Defensive Coordinator Corey Hetherman said in Opening Press Conference
Where Miami Ranks in the Final AP Poll of the Season
Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University and is the site lead for Miami Hurricanes on SI. He can be reached at justice.sandle111@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter@Justice_News5.
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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.