The Miami Hurricanes have always been a program defined by passion, but a recent internal “civil war” is threatening to overshadow their progress on the field. On the latest episode of The Coach JB Show, guest Steve Kim and Coach JB dived deep into the escalating “beef” between former NFL star Asante Samuel and the legendary Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell—a conflict that has divided the Hurricanes’ alumni and fan base.
The friction began when Uncle Luke took to social media and public platforms to “castigate” Miami’s wide receiver coach, Kevin Beard. Luke has been vocal in his criticism, specifically regarding the lack of playing time for players like Ray Ray Joseph (who has since transferred to East Carolina). However, Samuel and other former Hurricanes, including first-round pick Philip Dorsett, have had enough. They are calling out Luke for what they perceive as an “agenda-driven” campaign that hurts the program more than it helps.
“Luke rails against the program,” Steve Kim noted. “I’m asking now publicly: ripping our wide receiver coach—does that help the program today?” Kim even pointed to a historical precedent from 1995, where Luke allegedly threatened to reveal “where the bodies are buried” to the NCAA if the team didn’t start his preferred quarterback. The consensus among the NFL alumni is clear: Beard is a respected South Florida native, and Luke’s public attacks are “an absolute joke.”
Beyond the alumni beef, the show addressed the swirling rumors linking head coach Mario Cristobal to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite Cristobal’s boyhood connection to the Steelers, Kim remains convinced that Cristobal isn’t going anywhere. “This is his last job,” Kim stated firmly. “He’ll take his last breath as a coach with the orange and green.”
The panel argued that Cristobal is fundamentally a “college coach” whose style—defined by physical, “black and blue” practices and relentless recruiting—would not translate to the modern NFL. “I don’t think he can run those practices in the NFL with the CBA,” Kim explained, referencing the restrictions on padded practices and “two-a-days” in the professional ranks. Much like Nick Saban’s tenure in the NFL, Cristobal’s intensity and management style are seen as a perfect fit for the “U,” but a potential disaster for the pros.
As the Hurricanes navigate the challenges of the transfer portal and NIL, the unity of their alumni remains crucial. For now, the message from the “U” veterans to the critics is loud and clear: protect the program, support the coaches, and keep the personal agendas off the field.
