Mario Cristobal’s Miami had a season filled with promise, but late stumbles cost them everything. Dropping 2 of their last 3 games shattered their playoff hopes, exposing their struggles in crunch time. But the most intriguing fact? Despite a strong defensive unit, the Hurricanes couldn’t finish when it mattered most. And now, Cristobal faces another gut punch—a key defensive staffer is out the door, leaving a crucial void in what had been one of Miami’s biggest strengths.

Marc St. Felix, a former defensive analyst for the Hurricanes, is going to LSU, according to Gaby Urrutia of Miami 247 Sports. Reunited with former Miami DC Lance Guidry, who also signed the Tigers’ staff, he will work with DBs coach Corey Raymond. You know, Felix was instrumental in building the secondary after arriving in Miami in May 2023. On top of that, he honed his abilities as a DBs coach at North Alabama prior to that. And now, he’s off to Baton Rouge, leaving Cristobal with another gap to fill.

In 2024, Mario Cristobal’s Hurricanes flexed their defensive muscle, shutting down Florida State in a statement win. And the unit held the Seminoles to just 115 passing yards and a lone, late-game touchdown—proving they could dominate when it mattered. But now, that same defense takes a hit as key analyst Marc St. Felix heads to LSU. It’s a major loss for Miami and a massive win for the Tigers, who land Felix as their new co-DC.

Let’s be real—LSU just landed a serious upgrade with Marc St. Felix now in Baton Rouge. The Tigers’ defense was a liability in 2024, and their season opener against USC proved it. Holding a 17-13 lead with six minutes left, they collapsed, giving up two late TDs and losing 27-20. And Brian Kelly didn’t hide his frustration, admitting his team couldn’t close out games and needed better coaching. So now, with Felix stepping in, LSU has a golden opportunity to turn its defense around. And if they can lock things down on that side of the ball, the Tigers might finally be ready to make some noise.

But looks like Mario Cristobal’s losses keep piling up—just three weeks ago, he lost another key asset.

Mario Cristobal’s losing streak persists

Mario Cristobal just took another tough hit. One of his most trusted insiders, a key figure in Miami’s recruiting machine since 2017, is moving on. You know, after years of shaping the Canes’ talent pipeline, he climbed the ranks to a WRs analyst. But now, he’s taking the next step and Matt Zenitz broke the news, writing, “Miami analyst David Cooney is expected to be hired as the new wide receivers coach at Bowling Green.”

Though a major step up for Cooney, Cristobal is disappointed by the loss of his top aide to a program outside of the Power Five. However, David Cooney was a rising star long before he arrived in Coral Gables. As the OC at Miami Southridge, he helped lead the Spartans to a 2016 8A state championship, learning under the legendary Billy Rolle. At Miami, he started as a quality control analyst but quickly proved he was more than just a recruiter—his football IQ shaped the Hurricanes’ passing attack from day one. Now, he’s ready for the next level with Bowling Green.

At this point, Cristobal must take a bold step to secure his firepower coaches and staff before more pieces slip away.