Cristobal says ‘look at track record’ for evidence he and coaches can turn around Miami

University of Miami coach Mario Cristobal told reporters Monday at his weekly news conference that he would prefer to talk about his next opponent, the Virginia Cavaliers on the road at 12:30 p.m. Saturday. Nobody asked about Virginia.

Cristobal spent the next several minutes answering questions about how his program, now 3-4 overall and 1-2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, can recover from its recent woes and prevent players from quitting.

Miami’s starting quarterback is injured, the Canes are virtually out of the ACC race and they must win three of their remaining five regular-season games to qualify for a bowl game. But the coach said they haven’t folded.

“It’s gotta be us, it’s gotta be together as a team and as a staff,’’ Cristobal said, regarding building resiliency and what he calls competitive response in stressful, tight situations. “What you can’t ever allow to filter in is splintering. Because in general, human nature, right? Weak human beings will splinter, they’ll point fingers and just kind of fold. It has never been part of the DNA of being a Miami Hurricane. I think guys are really, really trying.

“The message to them was real clear. You’re going to continue to get every ounce of effort from every single one in the organization to make you the best you can be. Because that’s what you do, especially when things are difficult, especially when things are challenging. And we all came here together to build a championship program. It doesn’t matter if you got here three years ago, four years ago, if you got here in December.

“We’re going to build a champion on and off the field and we’re going to leave no doubts in what we do and how we do it. ...We just have to go to work and make it a reality over time, work and effort.”

Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, 64, who has coached at several high-profile programs, including as the coordinator of Alabama under Nick Saban, concurred: “When you’re talking about going through adversity and you put that much work in, and the outcome not being the way you want, the easiest thing in the world is to give up. That’s in anything. These guys— they’re not quitters. They have not given up and they have a phenomenal attitude.”

Recruiting agenda

Cristobal said he has “full confidence” in everything he does and that his current recruiting commits will stay intact. The Canes have 17 players committed to the Class of 2023, including five players ranked inside the nation’s top 100. The class is ranked 11th by 247Sports and On3.com.

“We don’t sell a dream. We don’t sell any false hope,” Cristobal said. “We sell the reality of a track record and what we’ve done and where we’ve been and how we’ve done it. Parents and players appreciate honesty and truth and good people. And they see a path for a great future for their sons, as well.

“The truth is always going to win out in the end. ... And when you are at a program, whether you just got there, been there, whatever, there’s always a starting point. We’re at our starting point.’’

More from Cristobal

Earlier Monday, Cristobal, the former coach at current No. 8 Oregon, went on WQAM and was asked if the program was what he thought it would be when he looked at the talent level.

“You never know exactly where it’s going to land,’’ he said. “We left really, really good jobs that we had built into being great jobs to come here and make sure we built Miami to what it needs to be, fully knowing it is a very large task due to some of the inadequacies of past years.

“We get it. We’re all about it. We knew it would come with lumps. We’re OK with that. We’re all about the work. The key is you need tough minded people to coach it, to put it together, to deal with the lumps. Because that’s what it takes. That’s what it has always taken to rebuild places, especially places that have been at the top of the mountain.”

Later Monday he was asked to specify some of UM’s past inadequacies. “ I think we all know it’s been inadequate for awhile, and maybe rationalized for a while,’’ he said. “But we’re not going to do that.’’

So, how does he ensure that frustration doesn’t mount?

“Shake it off quickly,’’ Cristobal said. “The sun is still going to come up and set. The ball is still going to be placed on the tee at 12:30. The best way through it is always with reality — build strong relationships, give it to everybody real... And you teach that this stuff does come with some tough times, difficult times that will try you, will push you to the brink. You’ve got to be able to deal, because you know what? No one is coming to rescue you. You’ve got to make sure you take care of your own business, do it to the best of your ability and from there we can move forward.”