"Just play ball, man": Miami's Mario Cristobal shrugs off tampering talk; prioritizing hard work and defense over complaints

Miami Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal isn't buying into the drama surrounding college football tampering. While some head coaches are busy pointing fingers, Cristobal is more focused on putting in the hard work and emphasizing defense.

The Hurricanes will kick off their 2024 season against the Florida Gators in Gainesville on Aug. 31. At the ACC Kickoff Event on July 25, Cristobal dismissed the tampering chatter with a hint of sarcasm, saying:

"Tampering existed way before I was put on this Earth."

He clarified that he is not interested in complaining or blaming others. Instead, he believes in hiring good people and doing things the right way, which, as he puts it, "should be good enough."

“I don’t get much into complaining or just flat out b**ching about stuff,” Cristobal said, per On3. “Work hard, hire good people, do things the right way and that should be good enough. It should be good enough.”

Cristobal's stance is simple: if a player leaves his program due to tampering, then it's probably for the best.

“There’s a lot of finger-pointing around the country. I don’t get into that. I don’t care about that stuff,” Miami coach Cristobal said. “Just play ball, man. Let’s get our teams ready and let’s go play ball.”

While other coaches at the ACC Kickoff Event expressed concerns about tampering, Cristobal and the Hurricanes are staying focused on their goals.

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Mario Cristobal’s unmatched progress across all positions

Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal takes on the field - Source: IMAGN

Mario Cristobal's Miami Hurricanes kick off camp with excitement in the air. Coach has brought in six new transfers since spring, including standout running back Damien Martinez from Oregon State, who racked up 1,000 yards, and receiver Sam Brown from Houston, with 800 yards to his name.

Cristobal seems to be thrilled with the progress Miami's lineup has made over the past two years, especially in key areas.

“The quarterback position — we haven’t played a game yet — but certainly in a really good place,” Cristobal said [H/t The Athletic].

“The backfield is strong, powerful, fast. The tight end room is staggered the right way (by graduating class) and capabilities,” he added.

“The receiver position has certainly gotten better. Defensive line, linebacker. You can’t find a position where we haven’t gotten better.”

Cristobal and company recently hosted Donta Simpson, a defensive lineman from Hollywood, Florida's Chaminade-Madonna Prep, who had previously committed to Maryland.

After attending the camp last week, Simpson has now verbally committed to Miami, adding another promising player to their roster.