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Yes, we’re talking about this again…
No matter what Oregon Ducks’ head coach Mario Cristobal says or does on the field, he seems to always find his way back into end-of-season coaching rumors, through no fault of his own. In a sense, he could take it as a compliment, seeing as a handful of teams would obviously love to have a chance to hire him to fill their potential coaching vacancies.
It’s pretty clear that they won’t get the chance, at least this year. Earlier in the season when USC fired Clay Helton, Cristobal was mentioned as a top candidate for that job, but he shut down the rumors as succinctly as possible.
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Despite his curtness about not wanting to leave Eugene, Cristobal is still being mentioned for other openings, some of which have connections to Mario and his past. Here is what ESPN has to say about Oregon’s head coach and how he could play a role in the college football coaching carousel this year:
One of the most interesting coaches to watch in the upcoming cycle might not be going anywhere. Cristobal has Oregon right in the CFP mix, ranked No. 4 entering the second committee rankings. The Ducks continue to surge in recruiting and should have an even better team in 2022. Oregon also has arguably college football’s top booster, Nike co-founder Phil Knight, in its corner.
But Cristobal could be in the mix for both LSU and USC, as well as Florida if it opens. While Miami coach Manny Diaz appears safe after three consecutive wins, there’s still some motivation around the program for some type of change, whether it’s Diaz and/or athletic director Blake James. Cristobal, a Miami native and former Hurricanes offensive lineman and assistant, undoubtedly would be a top target. But Miami’s ability to finance an expensive transaction, which includes Cristobal’s $9 million buyout at Oregon, is very much in question.
Still, Cristobal’s continued success, appetite for recruiting and strong ties to Florida, the Southeast and now the West Coast, make him extremely appealing for almost any major job in the cycle.
As long as the Ducks continue to win, both on and off the field, it gets harder and harder to see a scenario where Cristobal ends up leaving Eugene. The national media can talk about it all that they want, but those who know the Ducks, and know how much Mario means to this program, can feel comfortable in the fact that they have their man, and he isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
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