Oregon provides update on head coaching position

Oregon has officially began its search for a new head football coach, announcing Monday that Mario Cristobal had informed Ducks’ administration that he had accepted a head coaching position at another school.

In a statement from Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens, he thanked Cristobal for what he accomplished while at the helm of the Ducks’ program and said the search for his replacement has began.

“We appreciate all of Mario’s accomplishments and hard work here at Oregon, and we wish him and his family all the best in their next chapter,” Mullens said. “The University of Oregon is a prestigious academic institution with a football program that is well-positioned for continued success in the future, and the search is underway to find another excellent football coach to lead and support our student-athletes moving forward.”

Cristobal compiled a 35-13 overall record in four seasons as Oregon’s head coach. He won two Pac-12 championships in 2019 and 2020 and a pair of bowl games.

Miami will hire Mario Cristobal, replacing Manny Diaz

Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal is officially leaving Eugene for Miami, according to On3’s Matt Zenitz.

Zenitz reported Monday that Cristobal informed the Oregon Ducks team that he will be accepting the head coaching job at Miami.

Cristobal will replace Manny Diaz, who was fired on Monday morning. It appeared as though Miami was waiting for Cristobal to give an official word before parting ways with Diaz.

Cristobal has been linked to Miami for most of the past week, despite Oregon playing in the Pac-12 Championship game Saturday with a bowl game still left on schedule. A previous report from Barry Jackson said that as of Sunday morning, Cristobal and Miami negotiations for a deal that pays around $8 million per year, with the duration set for “longer than five years.” Plus, as Jackson noted, Cristobal is not expected to come alone. Reports said that Miami was set to replace athletic director Blake James with Clemson’s Dan Radakovich, and Jackson said that he would come to Miami with Cristobal unless “somebody gets cold feet.”

Cristobal is a Miami native who played for the Hurricanes from 1989-92 before starting his coaching career in 1998 as a graduate assistant. The 51-year old coach spent time on staff from 1998-2000, then again as the tight end coach and offensive line coach from 2004-2006.

The whole time that Miami was reportedly pursuing Cristobal, the university did so without a sitting athletic director. All the while, Diaz, Miami’s sitting head coach, had not yet been fired. Reports said that Diaz was still on the recruiting trail over the last week, despite the Hurricanes seeking to replace him with Cristobal. Diaz was fired on Monday morning.

On3’s Simon Gibbs contributed to this report.