Kirk Herbstreit’s blunt message for the entire college football world

The longtime ESPN broadcaster issued a passionate warning to college football coaches and GMs about what should take priority when building a team.

ESPN college football broadcaster Kirk Herbstreit spoke about what coaches and GMs should be looking to build after the broadcast of Miami's win over Ole Miss. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Miami Hurricanes secured a spot in the national title game Thursday night with a thrilling comeback victory against the Ole Miss Rebels. It was a contest defined by resilience rather than recruiting rankings, as Miami overcame a deficit in the final minute to win 31-27 at the Fiesta Bowl.

Following the broadcast, longtime analyst Kirk Herbstreit utilized the moment to address a growing trend in the sport. He shared a clip from his postgame commentary highlighting the intangible qualities that propelled the Hurricanes to victory. His remarks targeted the current obsession with talent acquisition at the expense of roster cohesion.

Herbstreit directed his advice toward coaches and general managers navigating the modern landscape of transfer portals and NIL demands. He emphasized that accumulating raw talent does not guarantee success on the sport's biggest platform.

The veteran broadcaster highlighted specific examples from the 2025 season to illustrate why culture remains the ultimate differentiator.

Kirk Herbstreit urges programs to build teams instead of chasing star power

Herbstreit’s commentary was sparked by the emotional postgame reaction of Miami defensive back Jakobe Thomas. He noted that Thomas was nearly in tears as he spoke about his dedication to his teammates. This display of brotherhood prompted the analyst to warn coaches against the endless pursuit of "five stars and agents" at the expense of locker room chemistry.

The 56-year-old broadcaster pointed to the undefeated Indiana Hoosiers as a prime example of his philosophy. He argued that while Indiana lacks a roster full of highly touted recruits, they possess a unified team identity that consistently wins games. Herbstreit insisted that this collective spirit is a prerequisite for reaching the College Football Playoff stage.

For what it's worth, Thomas is on his third team, beginning his collegiate career at Middle Tennessee before transferring to the Tennessee Volunteers ahead of the 2024 season. In May 2025, the safety transferred to the Hurricanes.

Miami defensive back Jakobe Thomas (8) spoke passionately after the Hurricanes' win and was named the Fiesta Bowl defensive MVP. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

So the spotlight Thomas gets from Herbstreit doesn't really add up, since today's college football landscape is all about chasing talent. The bygone era of 'team chemistry' exists only in the heads of those deluded enough to believe chemistry is something built rather than paid for.

His message became a direct challenge to program leaders dealing with roster management. He advised coaches to stop "chasing the craziness" and to step back when faced with unreasonable requests.

"If those are your demands, get out of here," Herbstreit said. "We're gonna go find guys that want to be a part of this and wanna play, because that's what's getting here."

Had to get this off my chest… pic.twitter.com/AF0v6FqvyZ

— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) January 9, 2026

The video's caption, which stated he had to get the thought "off my chest," underscored his frustration with the transactional nature of the sport. He praised Miami for building a squad of players who, like Thomas, often arrived from other schools but bought into a shared vision. For Herbstreit, the Hurricanes' ability to rally late in the fourth quarter validated the importance of connection over individual star power.

The Hurricanes will face the winner of the Indiana and Oregon semifinal matchup in the College Football Playoff National Championship on Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium.