In one of the dumbest, most inexplicable coaching decisions of all-time, Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal refused to have the Canes take final knee in their game against Georgia Tech on Saturday.
Of course, you all know what happened … Instead of ending the game with a final kneel down, they handed the ball off and running back Donald Chaney Jr. and he naturally fumbled it away.
One of the worst losses in CFB history.
Part 1: Leading 20-17 with 35 seconds left, Miami had the ball. Georgia Tech did not have a time-out. One kneel down was all Miami needed to win the game.
Instead, the Hurricanes run a play. GT forces and recovers a fumble. pic.twitter.com/DTxSKolyX7
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) October 8, 2023
The Yellow Jackets took over, still needing a miracle to win – and a miracle they pulled off…
Part 2: Georgia Tech receiver Christian Leary gets behind the Miami defense. Quarterback Haynes King finds him for a 44-yard touchdown pass pic.twitter.com/QCMPoHEQ5C
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) October 8, 2023
Simply put, Cristobal cost his (previously undefeated) Canes the game … There’s absolutely no way around it.
Miami is completely distraught.
“What the f**k are we doing. What the f**k are we doing.” 😭
(h/t @jasrifootball) https://t.co/v1klL9JcRh pic.twitter.com/v1JyPOWTik
— uSTADIUM App (@uSTADIUM) October 8, 2023
Naturally, Cristobal was shredded to pieces from every corner of the college football world – and rightfully so.
ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum was quick to share his thoughts on Cristobal’s horrific decision.
“You can’t make a play that stupid. When all you have to do is kneel, there’s no upside. I understand the bully mentality of sometimes thinking, ‘Okay, let’s score one more.’ I hear a lot of theories out there that this was personal. It had to do with Brent Key. They were on the staff together. Clearly, Nick Saban made a call in favor of Brent Key over Cristobal,” Finebaum said.
“But even if that’s so, what difference does it make about one more play in a game that you’ve already won? … I think that will haunt Mario Cristobal. You just threw away a win against a terrible team.”
Finebaum continued: “It will transcend sports, the stupidity of Mario Cristobal … There are very few times in our industry when you see something so bone-headed and moronic as what we saw from Miami.”
Paul Finebaum on Miami's loss, Mario Cristobal:
“It will transcend sports, the stupidity of Mario Cristobal… There are very few times in our industry when you see something so bone-headed and moronic as what we saw from Miami."
More: https://t.co/3YvlfMhIyc pic.twitter.com/F5dWL0iPhr
— On3 (@On3sports) October 8, 2023
Finebaum wasn’t done…
“I had a coach text me this morning saying, ‘Have you ever seen a more egregious of a display of coaching malpractice as that?’ The answer is no,” he said.
Paul Finebaum on Mario Cristobal’s Canes inability to take a knee & win the game: “I had a coach text me this morning saying, ‘Have you ever seen a more egregious of a display of coaching malpractice as that?’ The answer is no.” https://t.co/es5glCZjxH
— Mike Lewis 1🕊️15🕊️41 (@Mikeysurf) October 8, 2023
Fellow ESPN college football analyst Greg McElory also weighed in on the debacle.
“It’s like gut-wrenching to watch,” McElroy said on his “Always College Football” podcast. “It’s so painful. Ultimately, I just still don’t understand what Mario Cristobal was doing. I can’t even fathom it.”
“That was egregious … It’s bad. I feel bad for the players. Ultimately, yeah you can’t fumble, I get that. But I feel terrible for them. Obviously Miami with that one loss in conference, it’s not going to be one that’s easy to overcome. That’s a season-ruiner there.”
What on Earth was Mario Cristobal doing?? 🤦♂️ #GoCanes pic.twitter.com/q4AD5wHrJ3
— Always College Football (@AlwaysCFB) October 9, 2023
It’ll be very interesting to see how the Hurricanes recover from this.
Unfortunately for them, they’ll have the tall task of traveling on the road to take on Heisman Trophy candidate Drake Maye and the #12 North Carolina Tar Heels.
If not this, what is the single WORST coaching decision you’ve ever seen???