Everything Miami coach Mario Cristobal said about Ohio State postgame

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It just wasn't meant to be for Ohio State against Miami in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal Cotton Bowl Classic. The Hurricanes came out hungrier and executed much better in the first half against a flat Buckeye team that dug a hole that was too big to dig out of. As a result, Ohio State is going home just as its CFP run started -- hardly the way to defend its College Football Playoff national championship from last season after a 24-14 loss.

But give credit to Miami head coach Mario Cristobal and his team. The gameplan was great, and they followed through with the plan about as well as could be expected. Cristobal was noticeably happy at the postgame press conference, but he did credit the OSU team he played against as well.

Here is everything Cristobal and a couple of the Miami players said about the win over Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on New Year's Eve:

Miami head coach Mario Cristobal Ohio State postgame comments

Q. Mark, what can you say not only about your running style and what you were able to dotonight but to give credit to that offensive line and just what they did to create thoseopportunities for you?

RB MARK FLETCHER JR.: Those guys up front, they're the hardest-working group, I believe, in thetrenches. We know we needed to show up big in this game; but if you look at our tape, you gotthe tight ends doing it, and the receivers.So, they just move people out of the way, and I just choose a hole and run.

Q. Mark, for you, you fumbled the ball in that moment. Do you get a sense of deja vu, especiallywith what happened last week with Malachi [Toney]? But then you see the team rally aroundyou. What are those emotions like in that point in time? And do you get a sense of deja vu inthat moment?

RB MARK FLETCHER JR.: I wouldn't say deja vu. But definitely, it's football; it happens. I couldn'tdrop my head. There was no time for that. My teammates, even defensive players, they cameup to me and they just didn't want to let me have my head down. There wasn't time for that. It'sfootball; it happens. But it's all about how you bounce back.

Q. Keionte, the pick six, was that something that you saw on film? Was it just that JeremiahSmith missed a block? Can you walk us through that play?

DB KEIONTE SCOTT: Yeah. It was on film for sure, but I think in the moment, with all the skillplayers on one side of the ball, so, obviously, knew the ball was coming in that area.

And then as soon as the tight end motioned, I kind of confirmed in my head -- made up in mymind that I was going at that moment. Shot my shot, and the ball went in my hands.

But that goes back to just trusting my brothers behind me, and trusting my brothers to be ableto play fast. And it goes to Coach [Corey] Hetherman, too. Just allowing us to be able to playfast and play at a high level and play fast. Just because we know everybody is swarming to theball, which is one of our principles, one of the things we stand on.

So me just knowing that everybody is swarming behind me, me being able to play fast and take a shot, that's what that was.

Q. Keionte, when you made that interception, just talk to me about what was going throughyour mind. Did you think like, "Oh, I see nothing but synthetic turf in front of me and I'm goingto score"? Not only that, at that time, it was Ohio State's biggest deficit of the season at thatpoint. So talk about just that play, what it meant to you.

DB KEIONTE SCOTT: Yeah, I was full of emotions. I think I took a little moment to peek at thesideline and look at everybody and let them know what was going on. So that was a pretty coolmoment.

And then, you know, just having fun. At the end of the day, that's what this team relies on, justgoing out there, playing free and just having fun.

Q. Mark, did Coach Cristobal give y'all a message as far as the offense, like y'all were going tocome out and punch Ohio State in the mouth and just be physical and just keep taking it tothem play after play? And what was that -- I mean, could you kind of let us in on that messageand how y'all executed that on the field today?

RB MARK FLETCHER JR.: Yes, sir. He definitely relayed that message that he wanted us to be themost physical team, the most violent team. And that's with anybody who we play, who we lineup against, especially on the offensive side. But he was screaming that to the defense, too.And, shoot, defense played violent. We got to play violent, too. That's how we match it.

Like Keionte said, we just went out there, played loose and had fun.

Q. Mark, you see Marty (CharMar Brown) out there getting those massive, massive runstowards the end of the game. Didn't touch the ball at all. And just that trust to get him the balland allow him to do that, what was that like, especially as a running back and the rest of y'allcheering him on in the moment?

RB MARK FLETCHER JR.: Our coach had preached to us -- we had a little talk before the game, alittle pregame speech. And he was saying, there's one running back out there, but there's eightof us in the room. You got eight hearts, eight souls in that backfield with you.To see my brother out there, I told him that I need you. And, shoot, he just had my back. That'swhat I love to see, man. I feel like we got the best running back room in the country.

MIAMI HEAD COACH MARIO CRISTOBAL: Sorry I'm late to the party, guys. A lot of stuff going onout there. It starts and ends with these guys and their teammates. Their resiliency, theircommitment to a program, and a level of work and dedication that is just rare.

Their resiliency, their just desire to find a way to punch through and get better on a weekly basis has led us to this opportunity; and now has granted us another one. So, looking forward to getting back to work.

Q. Coach, you talked about resiliency. Talk about the resiliency of your team this year. Andwhat specific position group do you think had the most improvement from last season to thisseason at this point?

COACH CRISTOBAL: That's a tough question. I think the defense is obviously the most improvedunit. Last year, towards the end of the season, we had a tough time stopping anybody.But I think the entire team, and really the leadership -- these are two of the guys that reallyspearhead the leadership on our team.

I think that part right there, playing as one, doing whatever it takes, finding a way to play withtrust and confidence and just cutting it loose on game day, that's what these guys bring to thetable. When you come out of the tunnel and these guys are beside you, you feel confident thatit's going to get done.

You guys should be happier. Everybody's really quiet here right now. Am I in the wrong room?Is this the right room?

Q. I know everybody's going to talk about the defense, but your three offensive drives tonightaveraged six minutes and three seconds per drive. That kept the ball out of their hands andtheir explosive offense, didn't it?

COACH CRISTOBAL: No doubt. And they were starting to find some chunk plays, and they foundsome success in the running game to open up the second half.

Those two drives, they did a nice job just checking and doing what we call the kills, right?Getting to an opposite side run, exposing the B gap. And they got themselves some chunkyardage, a couple gap schemes, and wide zone.

But certainly, again, the line of scrimmage, the physicality of our tailbacks. Actually, Carson[Beck] with a nice scramble there, right?

RB MARK FLETCHER JR.: He said he was going to run somebody over.

COACH CRISTOBAL: He did say that. You sure he weighs 230?

But it was. Mark [Fletcher], Marty (CharMar Brown), the offensive line, the tight ends. I can'tspeak highly enough about the tight ends because that was a big matchup in this game. Theirdefensive ends, their edge players -- and I think they had allowed 80 yards a game orsomething like that on the ground. I don't know what we had. 161, so I guess we doubled that.We had some more opportunities out there.

So, I guess to sum it up, incredibly proud of these guys. They're the absolute best human beingsand best competitors I've been around.

And then for me, really just looking forward to all the things that I could have done better, wecould have done better to keep improving so we could be prepared to go to Arizona.

Q. In this moment in Miami history, what does it mean for The U to take down the defendingnational champion Ohio State and just what it says about the road that you've been on allseason.

DB KEIONTE SCOTT: I mean, me just getting here is something that I could just tell, when I firstgot here, the program was just very serious about what they were trying to get done. You couldtell everybody in the room had their eyes on one goal, and that was something I was superexcited to buy into.

I feel like Coach Cristobal does a good job of keeping us focused and keeping us on task. We'lltake 24 hours to focus on this one and continue to keep it going.But it's definitely something that we don't look past at all. We're very grateful to be in thissituation but we're never satisfied.

RB MARK FLETCHER JR.: As far as me, I've been here since the start. And I just trusted his plan,trusted the vision. And he told me that we'll get this program back to national championshipstatus, and we just continue to keep on going one game at a time.

COACH CRISTOBAL: They all made -- these guys make us better coaches, and I'll tell you why. It'sbecause, again, they are elite human beings and have an incredibly high care factor and dowhatever it takes all the time. And when you have that, you stay up at night as a coach and youtry to think of ways, What else can I do to help these guys be successful? That's what theydeserve, and that's what they're going to get.

Q. Mario, you talked to Coach [Jimmy] Johnson on the field. I'm just curious what theconversation was.

COACH CRISTOBAL: The game wasn't over yet. I'm like, Coach, come on. You're the one that tellsus not until the clock strikes zero.

But at the end of the day, he changed our lives, my brother and I. We were still kind of anobody. You know what I mean? We pride ourselves on that. He offered my brother and Ischolarships.

My parents, may they rest in peace, they didn't even know what a scholarship was. They'reCuban-Americans that came over and found a way and tried to make a living. And fast forward,almost 40 years later, and he's out there on the sidelines supporting us. He set such a high standard.

Coach [Howard] Schnellenberg did as well. Coach [Larry] Coker. So many great coaches. CoachRocco [Cristobal] was out there a little while ago. So many that have come through.

So, really proud that this team is making him proud, and also, again, the first thing he says,remember, let's keep getting better.

And we're on that. We think like that. We're on the same mindset.

Q. Mario, how important was it to set a tone in the trenches, especially with your outstandingpass rushers and the pressure they were getting on their offense?

COACH CRISTOBAL: We keep getting better and better up front. We don't think we have arrivedby any stretch, but we certainly think we're getting better. When you play a team like that that'sbeen the number one defense in the country the entire year, you have to. And you have to notonly hit, but you've got to be willing to take the hits and keep coming, because that's what it'sgoing to be.

If you buckle, if you fold, and you know what, they're going to run right over you. And they hadsuccess in the second half. Credit to them. They were a very well-coached team. Schematically,they were very difficult to prepare for.

We just kept -- our players kept responding. Our players kept coming with their counterpunch.And those last couple of counterpunches, that big stop after they converted a third and 18, andthen the touchdown drive at the end, and then to finish it off with an interception, those areall -- those are great counterpunches. Those are just really left hooks to the body and to thehead. Those are great, great counterpunches by our team.

Q. Mark, Coach talked about going to Arizona next. But just how special were these two gamesin Texas for you and your teammates, these two moments y'all had in Texas? You probablydon't want to leave here anytime soon after the game y'all just had.

RB MARK FLETCHER JR.: Facts. It's extra special because we won, and we were 1-0. That's alwaysthe goal. Trying to go 1-0 next week as well.

Q. What has it been like for you -- you were born and raised in Miami, Columbus HighSchool -- and to take the program back to where you want it to be, almost getting there? Iknow you've put in 20-hour days since you became the Miami coach. It's been a tireless workethic. So what does this moment mean to you?

COACH CRISTOBAL: Again, I have very little care to do anything as it relates to me. And I'm beinghonest with you, and I'll tell you why. Because this operation is, like, 150 people. You tie infamilies, it's about 600 people. And we all live and die by the moves that we make and the work that we put in.

So, it is 100% not about me. I'm part of their team. I'm part of that family. And it is myobligation as a former Miami Hurricane player -- and all the things that Miami did for mybrother and I -- to do my best to try to provide these guys with even better opportunities sothey can fulfill all the great things they are destined for.

So, I am part of a great team, and I'm proud to be part of a great team.

Q. Mark and Keionte, did Coach show y'all the 1991 Cotton Bowl and show you the legacy thatMiami is expected to dominate when you come out here?

RB MARK FLETCHER JR.: No, we just focus on the 2025 Hurricanes. That's it.

DB KEIONTE SCOTT: I watched the game before in the hotel. I watched it. Yeah, I watched it. Itwas fun.

Q. Coach, the last time I saw you here was the SMU game. What kind of changes did y'all doand adjustments did you make as far as the teams, your message going forward to drive themfrom where they were that game, the last time they were in Dallas, to now?

COACH CRISTOBAL: It was really the lowest moment for us in the season. And a credit to Coach[Rhett] Lashlee and his team. I don't think people realize how good the teams in the ACC are.And I hope now that they're realizing that more and more as we advance, because those teamsthat we play in our conference, they do great in the CFP.

So that day was -- it was a low point. And we quickly -- we got together because we have reallygood people, and we work really, really, really hard. And we weren't achieving the results thatwe set out to have, and that's difficult. That's a punch in the gut.

So, before the players got back, we rounded up the staff and we just made a very simpledecision. We called it like the meeting. We save those notes in a nice box that will always bewith me forever.

We told them that. We have awesome people. We work really hard. We're not getting theresult, but we are going to have to be our very own best fans, our very own best supporters,our very own best family, and we're not going to let anything get in here.

But we're just going to do it one day at a time. And every day, I'm going to lift you up. You'regoing to lift me up. We're going to bring great energy. We're going to have great practices, andwe're just going to focus on getting a little bit better every day.

And if we do that, it's November 1st, and y'all saw the 5% chance we had to make the CFP.

They all saw it. They said, if we do that at the end of the season, we will have an opportunity tocontinue playing into the postseason.

And we just stuck to the plan. That's why I love those guys and what they stand for, you know?When they say they're getting ready to get back to work and get on the next one, it's what theyare. They're kind of -- that's their DNA, but that's the way we've been working hard to wire ourteam, and probably the most important, we have a long way to go. But we are getting better inreally good chunks and really good increments.

So, certainly looking forward to doing it again.

Q. Two for you, Coach. One, Carter Davis, nearly a 50-yarder. Just what's that sense -- not asense of relief, but the trust in him to go ahead and knock in that field goal. And two, havingMarty (CharMar Brown) to go out there in the closing stretch, what did you see from him,especially leading up to that, to give him that opportunity?

COACH CRISTOBAL: I'm glad you bring up Carter, because last week was very difficult. You sawthose conditions. Those were 30-mile-per-hour gusts, and everybody's all over the guy. Hewalked into my office like, "I'm good." I go, "I know you're good," you know? And he was justdrilling them in practice like he always has.

We have our two-minute drills at the end of practice. And in fall camp, I believe we had 14opportunities where he was kicking field goals at 50-plus and he made 12 or 13 of them. Sothat's been second nature for him. Proud of him.

You had a second question, but I forget -- Oh, Marty. Yeah, this was a -- and [Girard] Pringle[Jr.] did a nice job when he got in there, too.

This game leaned more towards Marty, [Mark] Fletcher [Jr.] and Marty, that combination,because of how big and physical Ohio State was. This was going to have to be a slug-it-out,contact, balance, yards after contact type of game. And those guys, they did a great job.

And actually, Pringle did a really good job with that as well. Our backs, our entire room, wetrust them to get it done.

Q. Can you talk about your fan base coming to College Station, and then coming to Arlingtonand how they traveled really well? I feel like they traveled real well compared to what peoplehave criticized your fan base for in the past.

COACH CRISTOBAL: And hopefully they're online right now just buying up flights and tickets togo out West again.

I mean, who really cares about the criticism? That's one thing I never understand. When I hearquestions that are kind of framed that way, as it relates to noise, I don't quite digest that. I don't get it. I don't understand how that ever becomes part of a process where you'rededicating your entire existence, every ounce of blood and sweat and time to getting thingsgoing. Like, the outside stuff, it doesn't matter.

I'm glad to see them enjoy a moment like this. I know it's been a long time for them.

And you know what? It's great for the city and great for the community. When the MiamiHurricanes do great things, the city of Miami and the community really, really comes together,all the way back to the -- you know. So, just really, really proud of our people.

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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Miami coach Mario Cristobal postgame comments after win vs. Ohio State

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