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Mario Cristobal is coming home.
The former Miami Hurricanes offensive tackle has accepted the head coaching job at his alma mater as part of "a contract that could be worth more than $8 million a year," the Miami Herald reported Monday (December 6).
Cristobal's reported hiring comes hours after the University of Miami announced the firing of former head coach Manny Diaz.
Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens confirmed Cristobal informed the university of his departure in order to accept a head coaching position elsewhere, though not specifying the coach's plans, in a news release shared on the Ducks' official website.
"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, a member of the Hurricanes' 1989 and 1991 national championship teams, was promoted by Oregon from co-offensive coordinator to head coach after Willie Taggart's departure in January 2017.
The former offensive lineman went 35-13 (23-9 Pac-12) during five seasons as the Ducks' head coach, which included two Pac-12 championships and three Pac-12 North Division titles.
Cristobal had previously coached at Florida International University from 2007-12 and went 27-47 (20-26 Sun Belt), before joining Nick Saban's staff at Alabama as an assistant head coach/offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator from 2013-16.