If this was indeed the final game that Oregon Ducks head coach Mario Cristobal will experience with an ‘O’ on his chest, it certainly was one to forget.
The final score was ugly. A 38-10 win for Utah in the Pac-12 Championship Game conjured up dark memories of just two weeks ago. ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit called it an embarrassment several times on the telecast, and the Ducks were once again left watching from the sideline as Utah celebrated on the field.
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With growing rumors that Cristobal could be days away from potentially accepting a head coaching position with the Miami Hurricanes, we are now left wondering about the future of this Oregon team.
If this was the last chapter of the Mario Cristobal era, it sure left a pretty awful taste in everyone’s mouth.
The Ducks got outcoached on Friday. They got out-played. They got out-hustled and were overmatched in every facet of the game. A lot of that is on Cristobal for not having his players ready, but it also falls on OC Joe Moorhead, and DC Tim DeRuyter, and every coach and player on the roster.
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The season still isn’t over for the Ducks, who will now likely play in the Alamo Bowl on December 29th in San Antonio, Texas. But as far as meaningful football goes, this is pretty much a wrap on 2021. There will be no Rose Bowl or College Football Playoff. There may not be a Cristobal going forward either.
Make what you will about the Miami rumors. Where there is smoke, there is fire, and a billow came up from South Beach on Friday afternoon. Regardless of whether or not Cristobal stays or goes, though, this taste is going to be hard to get rid of for Duck fans.
Yet again, the Ducks were mismatched on a huge stage and embarrassed on national television. Cristobal once again had blunders as a coach, with poor time management, play calling, and situational football.
Any Oregon fan who watched this game and is okay with Cristobal potentially darting for Miami, I am here to tell you that’s not the right opinion. He is still an elite recruiter and someone who Oregon would hate to lose.
He’s not perfect, though, and that showed once again on Friday night in the conference championship game.
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