Miami, FL

Cristobal enters Year 3 of the Miami rebuild, still driven by the pursuit of a return to prominence

Published

1 year ago

August 19, 2024

Cristobal enters Year 3 of the Miami rebuild, still driven by the pursuit of a return to prominence

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Mario Cristobal is not a jewelry guy. Doesn’t wear any. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t possess a bunch of shiny, sparkling things.

Inside Cristobal’s office at Miami, there are at least a dozen of his rings on display. Rings from when he was a player for the Hurricanes. Rings from when he was an assistant under Nick Saban at Alabama. Rings from his time as coach at Oregon. He’s one of only nine current head coaches with multiple conference titles at what until this year was called the Power Five level, after guiding Oregon to a pair of Pac-12 crowns before coming home to Miami.

He won’t wear the next ring that comes his way, either. But he wants it. Badly.

“It’s an unbelievable, addicting feeling that you crave every second while you work,” Cristobal said of those ring-worthy victories. “Not necessarily because of the actual hardware, because I don’t wear any. It’s because of the moments, the accomplishments, the goal setting, the benchmarks that just keep the program on a certain trajectory.”

Miami hasn’t had that moment yet under Cristobal. In Year 3 of his time as coach of the Hurricanes, he truly believes the program is getting closer. The Hurricanes open the season ranked No. 19 in the AP Top 25, were picked third in the Atlantic Coast Conference’s preseason poll, have the league’s preseason player of the year in transfer quarterback Cam Ward and have a roster transformed by tons of recruiting successes since Cristobal came back to his alma mater.

Now, it’s time to put pieces together.

“At our place we say how you do anything is how you do everything,” Cristobal said. “Whether it be the classroom, the community, how you are at home with your family, how you are in the community with people, how you are in a locker room, on the road, how you are when things are going well or when they’re not going so well and you face adversity. Greatness is being the absolute best you can be all the time. It’s a way of life.”

The rings show that he’s right. He led a turnaround at FIU, led a turnaround at Oregon, and — he believes — is in the midst of another at Miami.

“We have been working really hard to get to a point where our expectations for ourselves continue to grow,” Cristobal said. “We want those. We welcome those.”

Ward the leader

Ward has energized Miami without taking a snap yet. The Hurricanes still have Emory Williams, who played well in his opportunities at quarterback last season for Miami, but the offense is engineered to run through Ward.

Ward said he’s already clicked nicely with his new head coach.

“I’m already a confident person,” Ward said. “But we have a head coach like that who is going to instill that in not only yourself but the whole team, offense and defense. It’s going to help us later in the season.”

More transfer keys

A pair of big-time transfer portal additions to watch: former Oregon State running back Damien Martinez and former Washington safety Mishael Powell.

Martinez ran for 2,167 yards in two seasons with the Beavers. Powell was a starter for the Huskies. Probably isn’t a coincidence that those two players — and Ward, too — all came from some of Cristobal’s rival schools from his Pac-12 days at Oregon.

Restrepo chasing history

Xavier Restrepo enters this season 283 receiving yards away from 2,000 in his Miami career. If he gets there, he’d be the 10th Hurricane ever to do that — joining a list that includes Santana Moss, Reggie Wayne, Michael Irvin and Lamar Thomas.

Moss has the Miami record: 2,547. Restrepo needs 830 to tie him and finished last season with 1,092 yards.

Kicking game strong

Kicker Andres Borregales is back for his senior season and should continue his climb up Miami’s all-time scoring list.

Borregales was brilliant in 2023, connecting on 22 of 26 field-goal tries. He’s 56 for 67 on those in his Miami career and has 289 points through three seasons.

Michael Badgley (403) and Carlos Huerta (397) are Miami’s all-time leaders in points. Borregales might have a shot of chasing down their marks this season.

The schedule

There might be a real argument for a “state championship” in the Sunshine State this year, since 2024 will mark only the fourth time in the last 20 seasons that Miami, Florida and Florida State will all play one another; the Hurricanes open in Gainesville against the Gators on Aug. 31. Florida State comes to Miami Gardens on Oct. 26.

Other games of note: home against Virginia Tech on Sept. 27, the return of former coach Manny Diaz when Duke visits on Nov. 2, and a finale at Syracuse on Nov. 30.

___

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Miami, FL

Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins Game Predictions | Week 10

Published

14 hours ago

November 8, 2025

Press Room

Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins Game Predictions | Week 10

What we’re hearing on the Bills: QB Josh Allen will look to continue his historic commanding performances against the Dolphins. In 15 games with Allen starting against Miami, the Bills have averaged 32.5 points per game, the fifth-highest team mark by a starting QB against a single opponent in the Super Bowl Era (since 1966). This is also a prime game for Allen to score another rushing touchdown (has had two in each of the past two games) as Miami has allowed four rushing touchdowns to QBs, second most in the league. — Alaina Getzenberg

What we’re hearing on the Dolphins: QB Tua Tagovailoa took responsibility for his play this season — which he said falls well below the standard he has set in previous seasons — but, when asked, he stopped short of saying he’s playing for his job. Coach Mike McDaniel said earlier this week that the team is “certain” Tagovailoa is the best option against the Bills, but he left things relatively open-ended after this week: “We play the players that give us the best chance to win, and when that changes or if that changes or if somebody else gives us a better shot, then we adjust there.” — Marcel Louis-Jacques

Stat to know: Tagovailoa’s 11 interceptions so far is tied for the most in the NFL with the Raiders’ Geno Smith. With another pick, Tagovailoa would be first Dolphins QB since Chad Henne in 2010 (12) with 12 or more interceptions in his first 10 games of a season. — ESPN Research

Bold prediction: The Bills will keep running back De’von Achane from picking up long gains in the passing game. Buffalo is second in DVOA against running backs as receivers, and it kept Achane to just 29 yards on seven catches when these teams met in Week 3. — Schatz

Fantasy nugget: Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid has averaged 16.0 fantasy points in the four games this season in which he has seen at least six targets. Even though he splits snaps with two other TEs (Dawson Knox and Jackson Hawes), Kincaid leads the group in routes run, which is what matters most for fantasy production. He’s in an excellent spot against a defense that allows the fifth-most fantasy points per game to TEs. See Week 10 rankings. — Moody

Betting nugget: The Bills are 1-4 ATS in their past five games as favorites. Read more. — ESPN Research

Maldonado’s pick: Bills 27, Dolphins 10

Moody’s pick: Bills 38, Dolphins 17

Schatz’s pick: Bills 27, Dolphins 16

FPI prediction: BUF, 69.6 (by an average of 7.5 points)

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Miami, FL

Veterans Day 2025 events in South Florida: When and where ceremonies are happening in Miami and Broward

Published

1 day ago

November 7, 2025

Press Room

Veterans Day 2025 events in South Florida: When and where ceremonies are happening in Miami and Broward

Cities across Broward and Miami-Dade counties will pay tribute to military veterans with a series of ceremonies, barbecues and community gatherings on Veterans Day, Tuesday, Nov. 11.

Events will include speeches, color guard presentations, live entertainment and moments of reflection to honor the courage and sacrifice of those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Each city’s event is free and open to the public, offering residents an opportunity to come together in gratitude for those who have served in defense of the country.

Below is a list of Veterans Day events, organized alphabetically by city:

Coral Springs

Veterans Day Ceremony

Veterans Park, 8601 Royal Palm Blvd., Coral Springs, FL 33065
Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025 | 10:45 a.m.

The Veterans Coalition of Coral Springs and the City of Coral Springs will host their annual ceremony honoring service members. Seating begins at 10:30 a.m., followed by the call to order at 10:45 a.m. In case of rain, the event will move indoors to the Coral Springs Gymnasium at 2501 Coral Springs Drive.

Davie

Veterans Day Ceremony

Davie Veterans Park, 5750 SW 39th St., Davie, FL 33314
Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025 | 10 a.m.

The Town of Davie invites residents to celebrate and remember the brave men and women who served in the Armed Forces. For more information, call 954-797-1181.

Fort Lauderdale

Veterans Day Ceremony

Sandy Nininger Statue along Riverwalk, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025 | 11 a.m.

The City of Fort Lauderdale’s annual ceremony will pay tribute to service members and veterans, honoring their dedication and sacrifice.

Hollywood

Centennial Celebration: Veterans Day Barbecue

TY Park, Corporate Pavilion #12, 3300 N. Park Rd., Hollywood, FL 33021
Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025

Hollywood’s mayor and city commissioners will host a Veterans Day barbecue featuring traditional fare, live music, entertainment by “Pirate Larry,” a banner plane flyover and a veterans recognition ceremony. Veterans must present valid military ID, veteran driver’s license or DD-214. Admission is free for veterans and one guest; others will pay the park’s $1.50 gate fee. Attendance is capped at 400.

Hialeah

Veterans Day Ceremony

Senator Roberto Casas Park, 290 Palm Ave., Hialeah, FL 33010
Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025 | 11 a.m.–12 p.m.

The City of Hialeah will host a ceremony to honor the courage and sacrifice of men and women who have defended the nation.

Lauderdale Lakes

Veterans Day Brunch

Educational and Cultural Center, 3580 W. Oakland Park Blvd., Lauderdale Lakes, FL 33311
Friday, Nov. 8, 2025 | 10 a.m.

The City of Lauderdale Lakes’ Military Affairs Board presents its annual brunch honoring all who have served, with guest speaker Sgt. Lester Johnson of the U.S. Army. The event’s theme is “Together We Stand, Divided We Fall.”

Miami Springs

Veterans Day Celebration

War Memorial at Curtiss Parkway, Miami Springs, FL
Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025 | 9 a.m.

Hosted by the City of Miami Springs Parks and Recreation Department, this annual celebration will include tributes to veterans and appearances by local officials.

Miramar

Veterans Day Ceremony

Veterans Memorial Park, 6405 Arbor Dr., Miramar, FL 33023
Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025 | 11 a.m.

The City of Miramar will host a ceremony featuring guest speakers, an Honor Guard presentation of the colors, and refreshments. Registration is available at MiramarVeteransDay2025.eventbrite.com.

North Miami Beach

Veterans Day Ceremony

Corporal B. Hinson Park for Fallen War Heroes, 160th St. and NE 14th Ave., North Miami Beach, FL 33162
Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025 | 10 a.m.

The City of North Miami Beach will commemorate Veterans Day with a ceremony recognizing fallen heroes and honoring all who served.

Pembroke Pines

Veterans Day Ceremony

Charles F. Dodge City Center Memorial Park, 601 City Center Way, Pembroke Pines, FL 33025
Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025 | 12 p.m.

The City of Pembroke Pines invites the public to its annual ceremony to honor veterans’ service and sacrifice.

Weston

11th Annual Veterans Day Salute and Breakfast

Bonaventure Town Center Club, 16690 Saddle Club Rd., Weston, FL 33326
Friday, Nov. 7, 2025 | 8:30–11 a.m.

The YMCA of South Florida and the City of Weston will host a Veterans Day breakfast featuring keynote speaker Robert O’Neill, retired Navy SEAL and decorated combat veteran. The event honors veterans for their bravery and dedication to the nation.

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Miami, FL

11 charged in Airbnb call‑center scam bust in Southwest Miami‑Dade

Published

2 days ago

November 7, 2025

Press Room

11 charged in Airbnb call‑center scam bust in Southwest Miami‑Dade

Authorities say 11 people are facing charges after allegedly using an Airbnb on Southwest 162nd Street as a base for a fake call‑center scam. Gang units from multiple agencies executed a warrant and found laptops, phones, a TV playing call‑center sounds to trick victims, along with four guns, marijuana, narcotics, and stolen licenses. Several suspects have already appeared in court.

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