Mario Cristobal Highlights the Importance of Keeping his Star Coordinators

Mario Cristobal has been up and down with coordinators in his Miami Hurricanes tenure. However, there has been a consistent plus with offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson.

Since Dawson entered Coral Gables, the Hurricanes' offense has been one of the best in the country, and in 2024, the team had the No. 1 offense in the nation thanks to the talent around.

However, defensively, the Canes had to find other options. Ahead of last season, they landed a golden goose that will eventually get poached, but for now still wears the orange and green.

Defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman has been the engine that has changed the Hurricanes back into a national powerhouse, and Cristobal couldn't be happier to have them. Both coordinators are running the show while he mans the troops.

"They have been instrumental in the rise of our program, Cristobal said. "They were signed to multiple-year deals. They deserve that, and they have earned that. They love being in Miami. They've been awesome, and I think they also recognize the great situation they have in terms of players, in terms of the staff around them, opportunity. You can go in this coaching industry for a long, long time and not have a set of tools they have to work with.

"They are a blessing to us, a blessing to the players around them, we are blessed to have them, and it's a great marriage."

Miami's coordinators have been the biggest plus that the program has seen in recent memory, and due to them, they have been one of the best duos in the country.

Miami is competing at a level that hasn't been seen in 20 years, which is also a positive boost for many programs around the country.

Cristobal has set the blueprint with coordinators and NIL, changing the future of the Miami Hurricanes program that will also highlight the future of the sport.

If you have the right resources around you, then everything will work out in your program's favor, similar to Cristobal with Hetherman and Dawson.

It also takes years and moments of trust that allow everyone to understand what the future holds. Miami has the future with their talent, coaching, and development that continues to highlight what Crisotbal is building.

Having coordinators that are brought in as well continues the cause.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/miami as Mario Cristobal Highlights the Importance of Keeping his Star Coordinators.

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This story was originally published May 13, 2026 at 3:00 AM.