A lesson from Saban: Miami will have to deal with the praise he called ‘rat poison’

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Miami coach Mario Cristobal worked at Alabama under Nick Saban, so he’s fully aware of what his former boss considers to be one of the biggest threats to a good football team.

Saban called it “rat poison” - his term for praise from the outside world, the type that is so highly heaped it can distract a team from doing its job.

And Cristobal knows it’s coming.

Miami (1-0) moved up seven spots to No. 12 in the AP Top 25 on Tuesday, voters obviously having been impressed by the Hurricanes’ 41-17 road romp over Florida in the season opener for both teams this past weekend. That win, combined with Florida State’s 0-2 start that sent the Seminoles from No. 10 to unranked, left the Hurricanes as the only Top 25 team in the Sunshine State after one full week.

“Miami has gotten off to a good start this season,” said Cristobal, who spent four seasons - 2013 through 2016 - on Saban’s staff at Alabama. “We’re 1-0.”

He’d like to keep the narrative that simple. He knows that’s not going to happen, at least not from the outside world.

And to be fair, there’s a ton to like from the Miami perspective. Quarterback Cam Ward, who dazzled with 385 yards - the most by anyone in the country against a Power 4 opponent so far this season - and three touchdown passes in the opener, vaulted deeper into the way-too-early Heisman Trophy conversation. The Hurricanes’ biggest rivals in the state, Florida State and Florida, are now a combined 0-3. There were recruits at Florida Field making “The U” with their hands as the Hurricanes were walking into the locker room once the 24-point win was in the books.

“We’re nowhere near what we’re capable of,” Miami receiver Xavier Restrepo said Tuesday. “We did have a decent day on Saturday and it just shows you a little bit of how dangerous we are as an offense. But we’re nowhere near where we need to be. … We have a long way to go.”

That’s exactly what Cristobal wants the Hurricanes to be saying, thinking and believing.

It’s just one game, but the Hurricanes haven’t been ranked this highly in the AP poll since reaching No. 9 on Dec. 6, 2020. The trick is staying there: Miami hasn’t finished a season ranked 12th or better nationally since 2004.

And on that front, like Restrepo said, there’s a long way to go.

“They have an extremely athletic, big-time offensive line. Very, very good on the defensive line. Obviously very, very good at some of their skill positions,” said Florida A&M coach James Colzie, whose Rattlers (2-0) will visit the Hurricanes on Saturday in Miami’s home opener. “So, we have our work cut out for us.”

Saban’s approach and preaching about the perils of rat poison worked wonders for him at Alabama. Miami teams haven’t always listened to such talk; Cristobal thinks this year’s group understands what he means when he talks about blocking out such noise.

“You go right at it. You don’t sugarcoat it,” Cristobal said. “The best part about this team is you can look them right in the eye and give it to them, like right between the teeth, man. No holding back and they appreciate that.”

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football