When the big names show up at Miami games, it tends to be a pretty good indicator of what’s happening on the field. Getting the alumni — particularly the Miami greats — more involved was a priority for Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal when he came home in 2021, and he’s seeing the payoff.

“Some of those guys look like they can still play, and probably can,” said Cristobal, a Miami alum and national champion as a player himself. “Look at the old games, back in the ’80s and ’90s, look at that sideline and how littered it was with real-deal dudes. Like, into it, passionate, love Miami, bleed orange and green, dudes and how much of an attraction it was. I used to kill to get over here to watch these guys go at it.”