Mario Cristobal peered into a crystal ball and still couldn’t see his future in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. This rhyme probably should be the byline for Mario Cristobal in the 2024 season. And here’s why. The 2024 season started for the Canes and Mario Cristobal with flying colors. They went on a 9-win streak starting from their win on the road against the Florida Gators. And saw the demolition of some very renowned names like FSU (pun intended), Louisville Cardinals, and Duke Blue Devils. The season was looking to be a table-thumping success until…

Until they met Georgia Tech on the road and lost in a 28-23 thriller. Their next 3 games would see them losing 2. Including their unfortunate loss against Iowa State that ended 42-41, a nailbiter undoubtedly. And mind you. They didn’t face the likes of Clemson or SMU at all. The reason for their late-season slump? Well, their offense was one of the most prolific in their conference. But their defense was touching rock bottom in rankings. However, Cristobal is out to correct the same with his recent hirings.

Corey Hetherman joined the Canes as their new defensive coordinator after departing from the Minnesota Golden Gophers. This is the same man who led the Golden Gophers and saw them ranked 10th in the country in total defense, conceding just 285 yards per game. Minnesota’s defense was so formidable that they gave fewer than 20 points in their eight games played. Compare that to the Canes, who ranked 68th in the country in scoring defense and allowed 25 points per game with Lance Guidry as DC. Corey Hetherman looks like a real game-changer now, right? Well, if that news fails to cheer you, then there’s another highly promising hire in the pipeline for Cristobal to help Hetherman achieve his goals.

Yes, it’s none other than the recent hire, Damione Lewis, who will be responsible for coaching the Canes’ defensive line. Lewis is a former Canes player who bagged All-Big East Honors two times during his 4 seasons with the team till 2000. In terms of his coaching prowess, he has coached the D-line of the Seattle Seahawks for three years. Furthermore, he spent his last season as a D-line analyst at Deion Sanders camp in Colorado. However, there are still some concerns regarding him.

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Coach Coop, who runs a renowned college football YouTube community, has some concerns regarding Mario Cristobal‘s hire. “It’s exactly what I said with Hetherman when they brought him in as defensive coordinator, and everything can’t be perfect and good right away; we just have to wait and see. But, I feel like when it comes to the hirers, Mario Cristobal has not had the best track record. We all know that“. Well, that statement in itself sounds kind of loaded, right? But there may be some truth to it, and here’s why.

Mario Cristobal’s hiring process stuck in an infinite loop?

Mario Cristobal hired Kevin Steele as DC and another Coach, Josh Gattis, as OC when he joined the Canes. Initially, the move was praised since both people had a lot to offer, with Steele having almost 40 years’ worth of experience. But we all know how the next seasons turned out. The hype faded, criticism started coming in, and it all ended with the firing of Gattis. Steele, on the other hand, moved to Alabama. Then again, the cycle began.

The hiring of Guidry as DC was done. Shannon Dawson became the new OC. The defense started to struggle, criticism started to come, and then it’s the same old routine. Firing, then hiring anew, then firing again. It’s a vicious cycle. No wonder the supporters are skeptical about Damione Lewis’ hiring. But wait, there’s a silver lining.

First and foremost, he is a former Cane that adds some emotional quotient to the process. Add to that, he is very capable of stopping rushing offenses, too. Coach Coop expanded on Lewis’ abilities. “I understand why people would be excited about him (Damione Lewis), and again, it’s a guy who is very vocal, in your face, hands-on. And I’ve heard that he puts a huge emphasis on stopping the run, which is, you know, something that we definitely have needed to work on“. So, it seems this time, maybe, just maybe, Cristobal’s hiring will work with Damione Lewis as he gears up for the 2025 season.