Following an encouraging 2023 and a 10-3 stretch in 2024, the Canes almost reached the ACC Championship and the College Football Playoff—before faltering at the final stage, losing two of their last three regular-season matches and then the bowl match. The transfer portal and recruiting trail are abuzz. Miami made a huge haul, led by former Georgia QB Carson Beck, who’s slated to take over and guide the offense even with issues about his elbow injury. On defense, Mario Cristobal understood that things needed to change.

The Canes’ defense was, at times, unrecognizable last season, surrendering big plays and letting them down in crucial moments. Enter new defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman, tasked with simplifying the scheme and getting Miami’s athletes in better positions to make plays. All eyes are on Cristobal as he enters his fourth year at the helm. This is the moment when the “fourth year curse” looms large for Miami coaches—the point where past leaders have faltered and the pressure to deliver reaches its peak.

Alex Donno and Bruce Warner talk about Miami’s chances, more specifically, Mario Cristobal’s chances in outlasting his fourth season on Locked on Canes. “You look at Miami coaches, head football coaches for the past, you know, 20 or so years, since Larry Coker (had a successful Miami career till he left in 2006),” Donno said. “Randy Shannon, in his fourth year as head coach at Miami, went 7 and 5. He was fired before the end of the season. Al Golden went 6 and 7, remember he got blown out by Clemson 59 nothing, he didn’t make it to the end of that season,” he added. Mario is in his fourth year, and everybody’s waiting to see if he can escape the fate of the one before him.

Randy Shannon was a hometown product, a Hurricane linebacker, and people wanted him to be a success. The first three years were up and down, but he had potential. Then 2010 happened, his fourth year. The team began strong but cooled quickly. They went 7-5, and while that may not sound like an all-out catastrophe, losses to conference foes such as Florida State and a drubbing of Virginia Tech made it feel worse.

Then there was Al Golden. He inherited the mess of NCAA sanctions and attempted to rebuild the program. His first three years were a rollercoaster ride, but he managed to keep things afloat. And then in 2014, his fourth year, everything collapsed. The Canes lost 6-7, which is not good enough, but how they lost is what lingered in the minds of the fans. That 59-0 defeat to Clemson? Yikes. It wasn’t a loss; it was an embarrassment in front of the whole country on national television.

Golden was let go midway through the season, as was Shannon. But in this case, after 19 years, the pundits are leaning slightly on their side that Mario can perhaps shatter this notorious jinx. Why? “I think this time around, I think the Hurricanes have the talent and the alignment when it comes to the athletic department on down to the coaching staff, and they’re investing in football um I think Mario Crystal is going to break that year four curse.” Mario is already causing waves with transfers such as Carson Beck, the former Georgia quarterback who’s going to be the focal point of the offense. And that’s why Warner described, “I think Beck is pretty darn good, so I’m much less concerned. I don’t think Mario’s concerned.”

Beck’s coming aboard is a biggie—this guy’s got NFL-quality talent and experience playing in major games, and he’s got a hungry, young core of receivers and an upgraded offensive line. But it’s not all about the players. The entire organization just seems to be in sync. The athletic program is spending money on football more than ever before, building new facilities and investing in recruiting and personnel. Cristobal has the total support of the administration, which is paramount. If you contrast this to the Randy Shannon or Al Golden days, it’s night and day.

And let’s not forget Cristobal himself. He’s a Miami boy, a Miami product, and he’s got that old-school frame of mind coupled with a new-age way of recruiting and developing players. He’s seen the highs and lows of Michigan, so he understands what it takes to construct a winner.

Why Miami’s new QB has the ACC on edge

Greg McElroy, one of the keenest voices to play the game, has delivered his opinion on Carson Beck, and it’s got the entire ACC on high alert. Carson Beck’s path to Miami has been anything short of linear. Following a rollercoaster at Georgia—taking the Bulldogs to the SEC Championship game in both 2023 and 2024, yet fighting through a dismal spell of interceptions, a slump in yardage, and some genuine head challenges—he required a reboot.

Come on into Miami, where Mario Cristobal’s coaching staff and a new beginning might just be the prescription. McElroy is on board with this transfer, stating, “I really don’t think you can ask for a better situation if you’re Carson Beck. Look at the other transfer quarterbacks this year and tell me who’s in a better spot. The only one that you can honestly make an argument on behalf of is what you’re getting with John Mateer at Oklahoma.” Beck’s got a system that will fit his strengths. Miami’s offense isn’t precisely what he did at Georgia, but it’s a setup that might give him more opportunities to air it out and reveal his arm.

And, of course, the Hurricanes do have a strong offensive line—Mario Cristobal’s forte—headed by stars Francis Mauigoa, James Brockermeyer, and Anez Cooper. It’s not all X’s and O’s, however. This is also a story of redemption, according to McElroy. Beck had a rough time last season, on and off the field, and Miami is providing him with a platform and the staff to redeem himself. With a $4 million NIL contract and the complete support of the coaching staff, the coaching staff positions Beck to be the offensive leader.