Another Nick Saban assistant has been called to higher ground.
Per Ryan Bartow of 247Sports (Ducks Territory), the University of Oregon has hired Alabama’s offensive tackles/tight ends coach Mario Cristobal as its co-offensive coordinator. He joins former South Florida assistant David Reaves on Willie Taggart’s staff, who replaced Mark Helfrich as the Ducks’ head coach.
A native of Miami, Fla., Cristobal’s tenure has been spent serving as an offensive line technician and developing tight ends. He did, however, ink out a head coaching role at Florida International University from 2007-12.
During his four seasons with the Crimson Tide (2013-16), Cristobal mentored an offensive front that blocked for 37.3 points per game and cleared the way Heisman-winning running back Derrick Henry in 2015.
He’s a primary component behind three Southeastern Conference championships and a College Football Playoff national title during the 2015 season. With all due respect to him as a coach, the 46-year-old is an even better recruiter. Cristobal garnered National Recruiter of the Year honors in 2015, following his efforts in helping the Tide sign the nation’s top-ranked class. Alabama’s 2015 group featured defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick, wide receiver Calvin Ridley, defensive tackle Da’Ron Payne and offensive lineman Lester Cotton.
He also was the main guy to lock in offensive tackles Cam Robinson (2014) Jonah Williams (2016), while getting receiver Jerry Jeudy to sign for 2017. A source close to Touchdown Alabama Magazine talked about the passion and intensity Cristobal spoke with during Monday’s national championship game versus Clemson. Though he was not able to come out on top, he gets another opportunity to carve out success for a school in a power five conference.
Stephen M. Smith is a senior analyst and columnist for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @Smsmith_TDALMag.
