Miami football has hard deadline for Mario Cristobal decision
By John Buhler
Mario Cristobal needs to decide if he wants to leave the Oregon Ducks behind to lead the Miami football program or not.
Of course, the Miami football program’s head-coaching search when they still have a head coach is getting weirder by the nanosecond.
The cards are all on the table for Miami alum and Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal. He has offers from his current place of employment and his alma mater. Should he accept Miami’s offer, that would likely indicate fellow Miami alum Dan Radakovich leaves his post as the Clemson athletic director to come join him in Coral Gables. If not, head coach Manny Diaz will keep his job.
Cristobal has reportedly until midday on Monday to decide his, and Diaz’s, fate at Miami.
Mario Cristobal has a deadline of midday Monday to accept the UM job, sources tell @SInow. If he declines, Manny Diaz will be retained, as @flasportsbuzz reported.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) December 5, 2021
Final decision on AD - where Dan Radakovich is top candidate - will be made after the coach situation is resolved.
It should be noted that the expectation is for Cristobal to accept Miami’s final contract offer and leave Eugene for Coral Gables. While this is great for Cristobal, this is such a raw deal for Diaz.
Just told that Cristobal camp and UM have worked out final contract details, but let's be clear: He has NOT signed it. UM expects him to sign him and is being respectful to his timetable to announce. So if he agrees formally to join UM, a contract has been worked out.
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) December 5, 2021
Miami football’s crystal ball says Mario Cristobal will be their next head coach
While Cristobal could be the panacea to whatever ails Miami football, people tend to forget the last time they hired one of their own to lead them. Mark Richt had just been fired by Georgia and immediately resurfaced at Miami. Though he had one good year leading the Canes, the former Miami quarterback had simply run out of gas to lead a blue-blood program by year three there.
With Cristobal still very much in his coaching prime, he should be bursting with energy to get his alma mater back in good graces. However, he is leaving behind all that Phil Knight Nike money at Oregon. Presently, leading the Ducks is a better job over the Canes. With that in mind, you can never put a price on the power one’s alma mater has on a coach. When momma calls, you answer.
Miami may win big with Cristobal eventually, but man, the university is doing Diaz dirty big time.
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