OT - Bama hires Mario Cristobal as new OL coach
As if Saban needed anymore help in recruiting. Cristobal has extensive ties to Florida, which really makes his prowess as an OL coach secondary. Interesting thing to me is that he had been hired as the Assoc. HC/TE coach at his alma mater (Miami YTM) and left the post after about a month for this job. It's a cold world out there......
February 18th, 2013 at 10:06 PM ^
I don't think hiring a new line coach changes anything. Plus, Bama already recruits well in Florida.
February 19th, 2013 at 9:30 AM ^
Bama recruits well everywhere.. Not sure that this is going to make them be that much better..
February 18th, 2013 at 10:13 PM ^
This is sort of interesting...last month Cristobal was referenced as a potential candidate for the Temple job in Philly (ultimately given to former assistant Matt Rhule) so I heard a lot about him.
Given he took FIU to their only two bowl games and re-upped with them for five years after he had been offered the Rutgers job he seems like a pretty loyal guy. There are probably worse places to rehabilitate your coaching credentials than Alabama, right Bobby Williams?
February 18th, 2013 at 10:13 PM ^
February 18th, 2013 at 10:15 PM ^
Cold world? Did you see the NCAA presser today? Miami is going to be mess, not because of the penalty, but because this botched investigation took so long.
February 18th, 2013 at 10:31 PM ^
a NC ring too.
February 19th, 2013 at 1:59 AM ^
February 18th, 2013 at 10:32 PM ^
February 18th, 2013 at 10:52 PM ^
February 19th, 2013 at 9:11 AM ^
Not higher, hire. Eye level. Eye level.
Hugs, then we'll talk.
February 18th, 2013 at 10:57 PM ^
Saban likes unsuccessful head coaches to be his assistants. Bobby Williams is his RB coach.
February 19th, 2013 at 12:27 AM ^
he built FIU from ground up and became a relevant player at the state of Florida. They have been to a few bowl games which is impressive considering they moved up to D1A about 8 years ago. He won one conference title in the process. He'll be the head coach once next season is over.
February 19th, 2013 at 11:18 AM ^
I haven't followed the guy's career too much, but if he's as good as you're claiming, it's hard for me to understand why he'd want to go all the way down to being a position coach. Head coach to position coach is not a normal career trajectory. There wasn't even a coordinator gig out there?
February 19th, 2013 at 11:41 AM ^
Just because you are a succesful head coach doesn't mean you would be a good coordinator. Cristobal, like Hoke and several other coaches, has no coordinator experience.
February 19th, 2013 at 11:43 AM ^
after all of the HC positions were all filled up. FIU didn't like him for some reason and just decided to fire him without a cause. Mario is highly regarded down in Florida so I expect him to get a HC job after next season. FIU's replacement is Ron Turner which is a huge stepdown in terms of coaching hiring.
February 19th, 2013 at 11:56 AM ^
He was fired at the beginning of December. There were jobs out there if someone wanted him.
Even if his choices were limited, why not just sit the year out? If you're not working, you can interview anytime you want. When Saban's breathing down your neck, you may not be able to.
February 18th, 2013 at 10:58 PM ^
but at this point, does it really matter who's coaching that line?
February 18th, 2013 at 11:13 PM ^
February 19th, 2013 at 6:34 AM ^
February 19th, 2013 at 12:39 AM ^
Now Bama has a legitimate shot at the number 1 recruiting class
February 19th, 2013 at 6:06 AM ^
WIthout a coach leaving, does anyone see Michigan adding a coach to their staff like this in the future? It seems like Hoke is pretty comfortable with the guys he's got, and I'm sure he wouldn't want to disrupt the guys he's got, but as far as adding a bit extra, do you think he would consider bringing in a guy like this if it was the right situation?
February 19th, 2013 at 10:04 AM ^
It sounds like you are wondering if Hoke would fire someone on his staff just to make room for someone with a higher profile who is likely to only stay for a season or two. That seems highly improbable given what we know about our coach. Imo, if Hoke decides to replace someone on his staff it will because he is unhappy with their performance, not because someone like Cristobal is available.
February 19th, 2013 at 12:10 PM ^
I began my post with "without a coach leaving" so I don't know where you got the firing someone suggestion. I would think that they would add a guy and give him a position of a guy that has multiple roles (e.g. Coach Ferrigno coaches tight ends and special teams, so the guy might coach tight ends or coach special teams).
I like the staff the way it is constructed. I think they're good coaches, possibly great. They're obviously great recruiters. Saban's staff is great too and they're great recruiter. Adding a guy like Cristobal is a rich getting richer scenario. My question was more of a would they plug a guy in. I think your short-term hire part sort of answers that though. Hoke seems very set on having a very stable coaching staff and bringing in a guy like Cristobal would be disruptive to what he's doing here.
February 19th, 2013 at 12:24 PM ^
we can't hire another coach. There is an NCAA limit and we keep a full staff.
February 19th, 2013 at 6:09 AM ^
Although Cristobal's title of "Offensive Line Coach" at Alabama might not be as prestigious as what Miami had in mind, I can see how - for him - coaching an offensive line that seems to be a literal factory of potential high-round picks lately might still be a step upward all the same, or at least in his view. Interestingly, the man he replaces - Jeff Stoutland - also once coached at Miami, I believe.
February 19th, 2013 at 7:24 AM ^
Cristobal's wife had reservations about New Jersey when he almost jumped at the Rutgers HC job, ditto for Pitt.
I wonder how she will enjoy Alabama.
February 19th, 2013 at 8:28 AM ^
February 19th, 2013 at 10:37 AM ^
She was heavily involved in some sort of magazine about boats (yachts?) that necessitated her staying in the Miami area. Not so sure Tuscaloosa has many of those.
February 19th, 2013 at 8:35 AM ^
I believet due to the "blotched" NCAA investigation, there will be no sanctions for the canes.
February 19th, 2013 at 10:28 AM ^
this guy's name, I can't help but think of the infamous Family Guy episode...
February 19th, 2013 at 10:43 AM ^
February 19th, 2013 at 10:50 AM ^
February 19th, 2013 at 10:50 AM ^
February 19th, 2013 at 7:38 PM ^
Cristobal can lay low, get paid, and add a stint with Nick Saban to his resume. He did a great job at FIU, and should get serious consideration for another HC job in the next two years. In the meantime, his odds for adding an NC to his resume are a tad better at Bama then they would be at Miami.
Cristobal really seemed to love being at FIU, and was important to the Latin community there. Part of me wonders if he is laying low for a chance to return if AD Pete Garcia is fired anytime soon.