Head Coach Mario Cristobal (:39), Linebacker Francisco "Kiko" Mauigoa (13:55), Offensive Tackle Jalen Rivers (18:27), and Quarterback Cam Ward (22:46) addressed the media at the annual ACC Kickoff in Charlotte.

Full Transcripts

MARIO CRISTOBAL

Q. Talk about your defense. How good is your defense this year?

MARIO CRISTOBAL: We made a lot of progress last year from a total defense standpoint, really just about every statistical category.

Part of that was the caliber of player in the building had improved. We bolstered that even more this off-season.

I think when you have continuity at the defensive coordinator position, that bodes well also. A guy you're going to be speaking to in a little bit, Kiko Mauigoa, he's a big reason why, as a leader of that defense, being surrounded by people that are driven, hungry and want to be there.

We took a good step last year. We expect to take an even bigger one this year.

Q. Talk about Cam Ward coming into the system. How has that adjustment been so far?

MARIO CRISTOBAL: It's very well-documented his productivity as a player throughout his career. What really stands out in the short time we've been around him is he's an alpha leader, okay? On the way in, when we were watching him on film, the reason everybody wanted him was his play making ability. Accurate, great arm strength, ability to improvise, extend plays, a game changer.

Whenever there was a bad play, his ability to bounce back and make things right. His aggressive, I would say, competitive nature to come back and make things right, to go and make up for maybe a play that was negative, was really impressive. That has really stood out at his time at Miami throughout spring practice as he just built and gained the trust of his teammates.

Q. Your first game is against the Florida Gators. They're a rival. How do you not only win that game, set that tone for the rest of the season the country knows?

MARIO CRISTOBAL: It's a tremendous rivalry. I know our fan base and everybody is incredibly fired up about that. But we're not talking about the Florida Gators. We have training camp coming up. For us to be the best team we can be on August 31st, we have to have a great training camp, we have to improve our systems, our techniques, our fundamentals, our ability to communicate, execute. Without any of that, nothing else is really possible.

There will be a time we get to it. In no way, shape or form am I disrespecting your question. All focus is on Miami. In due time, we'll be addressing our first game.

Q. Get your Cuban coffee this morning?

MARIO CRISTOBAL: No, they failed me, man. Everybody talked about the great Cuban coffee places in Charlotte. I'm sure they're here. I'll call Greg about that.

Never happened, so there's some making up to do.

Q. Cam Ward over the last two seasons has been sacked over 80 times. What conversations have you had with your O-line with protecting the quarterback?

MARIO CRISTOBAL: Protecting the quarterback has always been the forefront of any and every place that we've been at. It starts with guys like Jalen Rivers over here. Complete pro from top to bottom. A mentor to the younger guys. His approach to his craft.

It starts with the guys up front, making sure there's complete alignment between the coordinator and the offensive line coach, right? Understanding what defenses do, what they do well. Where there personnel advantages and disadvantages might be, and scheming our plan as it relates to that.

To do that, you have to have good personnel up front, especially when you have a quarterback like we feel our quarterback and quarterbacks are to give him the right amount of time, to allow them to at a very high level operate within the system. Sometimes improvise on their own.

We feel good about the personnel up front. We feel really good about the personnel outside on the perimeter, in the core, in the backfield. The combination of those things. Cam's football IQ, his knowledge of protections, understanding where he is and isn't protected, how to get to a protection to make sure he is, and everything built around it will allow him to be efficient, protected and allows us to keep him up right.

Q. The transfer portal has been huge for Miami. Y'all have been busy in the transfer portal. Can you tell me how much of an impact and what role it has had for your program?

MARIO CRISTOBAL: It's a great question.

We were talking about this earlier. The use of the portal and how you build your roster is all dependent upon what the starting point is in a program. At a previous program, there wasn't much use of a transfer portal by us because we were very junior and senior ladened.

We have a handful of fourth and fifth-year guys that are awesome. They need to be complemented by guys that have had a significant amount of snap counts, maturity at certain positions.

You have guys that have been here, have been through a lot, are driven to compete and win. Then you have some transfer portal guys at some positions that needed bolstering that are driven, that want to win, want to be at Miami. Then they're sandwiched in there with some uber-talented freshmen classes.

You have them at all levels and different positions. That allows us for higher-level play, allows for a great mentorship and development for the younger guys. Now you build the right kind of depth. You're nor staggered where it's more sustainable.

The coming years, it bodes well for Miami where it's layered with upperclassmen are complemented by younger guys. There are younger guys in starting roles as well. But overall the blend and mix is really well -- really good.

Q. Cam Ward comes from an air raid style offense. Shannon Dawson has that history. Can you talk about how his skill set lines up with what Coach Dawson likes to do?

MARIO CRISTOBAL: It's a perfect marriage because you're looking at very high football IQ guys that continue to evolve.

Sometimes it's unfair to pigeonhole a guy into being just an air raid guy. There are passing principles that relate to the air raid, but there's also five, six, seven man protection and play action, schematical stuff that is more towards a power spread team as well as a very efficient and powerful run game that we've also put together.

It's a great blend. The evolvement, the morphing of our system allows a guy like Cam, a guy like Jalen to maximize their abilities, right? Whether it be in the run game, whether it be in the screen game, the passing game, we feel there's a lot of different ways we can attack opponents.

It starts with the guys up front and the guy behind center. We're super blessed to have guys we wouldn't trade for anybody in the country.

Q. What does 'accomplish greatness' mean to you?

MARIO CRISTOBAL: It would be a way of life. Relates to alignment, everything you do. At our place we say how you do anything is how you do everything. Whether it be the classroom, the community, how you are at home with your family, how you are in the community with people, how you are in a locker room, on the road, how you are when things are going well or when they're not going so well and you face adversity.

Greatness is being the absolute best you can be all the time. It's a way of life.

Q. We've seen a lot of great Miami teams over the years. Can you tell us what's different about this year's Hurricane team?

MARIO CRISTOBAL: What's different? I can tell you what's progressing. Back to what we were talking about earlier. There's a starting point for everything, right? Starting point at Miami for us was making sure that we enhance the caliber of talent in the locker room, that we increase the level and capabilities of the coaching staff, and that we blend in the strongest and most unbreakable culture that we can.

We've been at it for two years. Systems are growing. Players are developing. People are there for the right reasons, right? Growth and development, hard working, good people is a very strong combination. We feel awesome about the people in the building.

These guys, they run to the work. They run to the fight. They're awesome to be around. It's awesome to sit back and watch them work. It lets you go home and feel good knowing that no matter what, these guys are ready and willing to show up because they're driven to win. They're team goal oriented.

What's different? I don't know if I've ever answered one of those questions well or to the point because there are kind of projections, almost like hopes and wishes. For us, we're about the work.

We've been lucky to have been around great coaches, great mentors in our profession as players and young coaches. We apply all those principles and values. We've been blessed enough to have a locker room full of guys that are all about it.

They're eager. I can't wait to have the opportunity to get to work with them.

Q. Miami is traditionally a pro style offense. Maybe a more mobile quarterback like Cam, does that open up the playbook at all for you guys?

MARIO CRISTOBAL: Miami, we got two different eras now, brother. We go back to Testaverde and Kosar. Miami has gone open spread, air raid, condensed, just about everything.

We believe in Cam Ward and we believe that Cam Ward will allow Miami to do things that Miami hasn't been able to do in a long, long time. We have complete trust and faith in him and the guys around him.

He's a dynamic player. Even more importantly, he's a dynamic human being. Strong leader. Raised the right way. Unbelievable parents. Like the guys beside him, those sets of parents are the reason why those guys are the way they are.

When you combine that with the talent he has and the guys around him, it's exciting. But we're not here to make any predictions or projections. We just want to get to work. We want to get to work, get at it, go prove ourselves.

Q. In a fast casual business we have a saying of eliminating excuses. You've been able to eliminate excuses with the recruiting, with the roster construction. Now there's no excuses, it's that pressure to perform. Can you speak on that?

MARIO CRISTOBAL: I'm not sure if I understand the question. I just know that football is process, right? People, systems and culture. That's what we're doing.

I guess I would answer in the way that we have been working really hard to get to a point where our expectations for ourselves continue to grow. We want those. We welcome those. That's what we're looking forward to as we enter training camp for 2024.

FRANCISCO MAUIGOA

Q. As one of Miami's top defensive performers, how do you see your role in mentoring the younger players on the team?

FRANCISCO MAUIGOA: I think part of it comes with the culture of the team. I think Coach Cristobal has held the standard high, expectations for us to meet. I think everybody buys into it.

For man-to-man, I think being around great leaders, being around great people that have the same mindset as you is really important. That's been a big factor of who I am today, just being around the people that helped me reach the goal that I want to.

Q. You're from California. You played at Washington State. Why did you transfer to Miami? How has it been?

FRANCISCO MAUIGOA: I'm from American Samoa. I was in California for one year. I was at Washington State for my freshman and sophomore year. I made the transition to come here to Miami.

Part of it was just the coaches. I think these guys have welcomed me very good, with open hands. Having my brother with me has been a big factor into it.

I think being able to be with family is very important. Family is very important to me, a priority. I want to make a family tradition with just being with my brother, being around great people like Coach and these guys that help uplift your spirit. Be your best player, not only your best player, but the best person you can be.

Q. You played quarterback in high school. How does that experience in high school help you on the defensive side of the ball in college?

FRANCISCO MAUIGOA: Grew up playing quarterback. It's been fun. I love playing quarterback. I love having the ball in my hands. I think just seeing the game different from a quarterback perspective has changed the game for me, just being able to feel what a quarterback will feel. I think that was very important for me as a linebacker because you know when a quarterback gets hit one time, two times, they kind of feel that.

For me, when I was a quarterback, I felt the same way. Just seeing the game at that perspective has been really important to transition my game at a high level.

Q. Does that mean you're sympathetic when a quarterback gets hit?

FRANCISCO MAUIGOA: At this point as a defensive player, not any more (smiling). Kind of got used to it.

Q. Your eyes lit up when you started talking about family. You've been going through a lot of changes. We as media don't get a chance to know what you go through in the locker room. Talk about your core pillars as a young man and how they align with Coach Cristobal and the rest of the players in the locker room.

FRANCISCO MAUIGOA: I mean, for me, being raised as a kid, I was taught to serve. I think this program has very similar aspects. I think coming in, I kind of just felt welcomed, immediately attached to it because the culture is pretty much the same.

The coaches are very easy to talk to. You build the relationship that will go a long way. I think having relationships with your coaches and teammates is very important because that's how you earn trust. Being able to trust your teammates and coaches, that will translate to the field and how you perform so...

JALEN RIVERS

Q. You have a new center this year. What have you seen from Zach?

JALEN RIVERS: Matt Lee had a great year. I'm excited for his future in the NFL. Now that we have Zach, he's a great addition to the team. He's filling that leadership role really well. Took some time for him to get comfortable, but now he's filled the shoes really well at the center spot. Built the camaraderie with everybody, not just our offensive line, Cam Ward, everybody on the offense.

He's doing a really good job and is excited for the season.

Q. O-linemen don't get a lot of publicity. How do you know at the end of the game that you had a good game?

JALEN RIVERS: For me, I never feel like I have that great game. I critique myself. I'm my biggest critic. In the film room with Coach, you're like, Damn, maybe I didn't have a great game (smiling).

As a lot of people in our room, you never feel like you had a great game because we always want to be better each day. That's how you get better. You never want to be complacent. You think you have had a great game, you shouldn't because you always look for room for improvement.

Q. As an offensive lineman and in a league with so many great defense linemen going up against you, what is your role to set the tone in the game?

JALEN RIVERS: We get that pretty early because we get that a lot during practice. We have a lot of defensive linemen in our program right now that get us ready for the games. When we go in the games, we are really prepared. We got Rueben Bain, we got Akheem Mesidor, we got Tyler Baron, Elijah Alston. The list goes on. When we go against these guys that have a great defensive line, there's no problem and we're ready for that challenge.

Q. Historically when Miami has been good, they've had great offensive lines. What kind of advice have you gotten from past great players of what you can do to have success?

JALEN RIVERS: I mean, speaking of recently, we had our legends camp. A lot of the alumni came back. We got a lot of great feedback. Instead of coaching the little kids, we got a little time with the alumni, hearing technique that they used in their past experience as an offensive line in the league and in college.

They're spewing that all to us and teaching us. It was a great learning moment. I'm excited to use that in my game.

Q. Coach Cristobal gave us some insight into the unbreakable culture at Miami. How do you assume that responsibility?

JALEN RIVERS: It's very important as a guy, this is my fifth-year, so it's important for me to really learn all the things that I learned in my past times here. Just pushing that onto the younger guys. I've experienced a lot through my team here, so have other leaders. Learn from other leaders, learn from my experience as a player in this offensive line, in this room, in this program. It's important for me to see what I learned and see what other people have learned as leaders, put that to the younger guys, put that more into my teammates so we can be a cohesive and successful unit.

Q. You had 19 offers coming out of high school. You're a Florida gay, stayed in the Sunshine State.

JALEN RIVERS: Yeah, I always wanted to be in the vicinity of my hometown, Jacksonville, Florida. It was important for me to just stay in Florida. Luckily and fortunately I ended up a Miami Hurricane. I'm excited to be a Miami Hurricane. I will always be a Hurricane.

CAM WARD

Q. Every player's dream is to play in the NFL. You could've accomplished that during this off-season, but decided to withdraw from the NFL Draft. I want to know the reasons why you decided to choose Miami over the NFL.

CAM WARD: A lot went into that decision. That's probably one of the most stressful times in my life. Me, my mom, my dad. Every day my decision changed. Went into my parents' room. I told them one day I was going to this school. Next day I was going to the league, next day I was going to Miami. If I had to do it all over again, I would.

The biggest thing for me is there was still food left on the table for me. I accomplished a lot of things at the FCS level, I haven't accomplished things I know I'm capable of at the Power Five level. I feel like NFL isn't going anywhere. God put me in this position to be a Miami Hurricane. I think it's been the best of both worlds.

Q. You've received a lot of pre-season hype. Your name is mentioned for the Heisman, NIL deals. What has helped keep you grounded and humble?

CAM WARD: Really just how I was raised. I don't get too high or low. Even on the football field. At the end of the day the only thing that is going to take care of myself and my family is making plays on the football field.

Everybody's opinion of myself doesn't really matter to me and my family. At this point, this time in my life, I'm more focused on trying to win football games with the team around me. The coaching staff is going to put us in the best position.

I don't really get into all that. If I happen to be at the podium up there in December, I'll be thanking God and thanking the guys.

Q. You came from the snowy state of Washington. Now you're at the sunny sands of south Florida. How much pressure do you have performing at a high intensity school like Miami?

CAM WARD: It's not real pressure at all. We got to show up and play each and every Saturday. We can't take no team too lightly. We playing the best team in the country or the worst team in the country, we have to show up and be that team each and every Saturday. We're going to let the rest take care of itself.

Q. Coach Cristobal has talked so highly of you, evidently has so much faith in you. What does that do for your confidence?

CAM WARD: That means a lot for me. I'm already a confident person. But we have a head coach like that who is going to instill that in not only yourself but the whole team, offense and defense, it's going to help us later in the season.

At the end of the day, I mean, we trying to win football games for his family, going to set our families up in the long-term. Just thinking to what he preaches each and every day outside of practice, being good people on and off the field, it will translate to some wins.

Q. There was a clip circulating around of you and Shedeur and Kyron Drones kind of practicing. Talk about that a little bit, the work you put in with other quarterbacks.

CAM WARD: Yeah, that clip was crazy just 'cause that's just how we are, us three. That's how we talk to each other each and every day. Every time we talk on the phone...

It's going to get blown out of proportion. That shows that us three, the competitiveness that we have for each other, how we want to see each other be great.

I got a chance to play against Shedeur, I'll get a chance to play against Kyron this year. Two great quarterbacks, I wish them the best. I'm just happy for two kids like Kyron, I'm from a small town, to be up on a stage like this, not only express ourselves, but our teams.

We've been put in a good position and we're trying to do the best to run with it.

Q. I had the pleasure of running into you yesterday in the game room. I asked you how are you enjoying Miami. You said, I love it. What is it about Miami you love, the city and the school?

CAM WARD: I'm not a real big person of doing stuff. I like to stay home with my Rottweiler and chill.

Miami is good because if you want to do something, you can. I'm a big fisherman. Been fishing since I was a little kid at home. Got a chance to go Mahi fishing. I am going fishing once I go back home tomorrow.

Miami has a lot of things. I feel where people get carried away is when they try to do too much in places like Miami.

Me having the background that I do, not wanting to do too much, that's going to help me in this position because I know what I want to get out of football, I know what I want to get out of life. Really just keep my feet on the ground, keeping every day moving one foot after another.

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