There was a good article in the Athletic on new Miami OC Shannon Dawson (Air Raid guy via Holgorsen). It demonstrates how the coordinators and the HC are better off if they're in sync in philosophy. I think Cristobal is actually a tough run the ball hard nosed coach but may have come around lately after his failure with Gattis.
I've always thought HCs may give suggestions from a 1000 foot level (run the ball more, kill time, be aggressive etc.. ) but they don't get down into the nitty gritty of calls, especially if it' not on their side of the ball.
From the article:
Miami led No. 23 Texas A&M 41-33 with 5:02 left in the game. The
Aggies had just made the contest a one-score game, and they had two timeouts remaining.
“What’s your mentality right now?” Mario Cristobal asked his new offensive coordinator, Shannon Dawson.
What happens over a headset in the heat of a tight game often is much different from what gets kicked around in coaching interviews. Dawson had noted how hands-off his new boss was as Miami battled back from a 10-0 hole to light up an Aggies defense stacked with four- and five-star recruits. Dawson had been at places where he and the head coach liked and respected each other but, when it really mattered, the fit of what each man wanted was just “off.” That’s how it was when he was the offensive coordinator for Mark Stoops at Kentucky.
And now, with the Canes clinging to a lead against a big SEC squad, it was crunchtime. And Dawson knew what he wanted.
“I don’t think we can run the clock out,” Cristobal said. “Stay aggressive.”
“Run the clock out?” Dawson replied. “I’m trying to end this motherf—– right here. If they match up, we’re gonna throw the vertical.”
Cristobal loved what he heard.
Dawson called a GT counter run to get the clock moved. It hit for 13 yards. Dawson called it again out of a different offensive look, but it got stuffed for a 3-yard loss. The Canes threw an option route to slot receiver
Xavier Restrepo to get it to third-and-7. Then, for Van Dyke, it was go time. The veteran quarterback looked over the defense and saw the Texas A&M corners were in man coverage. Dawson got the matchup he was hoping for.
George, who already had two touchdown receptions in the game, beat his man off the line, breaking outside, leaving the Aggies corner trailing. Van Dyke lofted a perfect ball 30 yards downfield. The Canes wideout caught it in stride, got bumped by the A&M safety and raced into the end zone. Game over.