The Auburn Tigers decided Gus Malzahn was not the answer at head coach and fired him after their loss to Mississippi State, Saturday. Rumors are already flying about who may fill that vacancy. One name out the Pac-12 that has legs is Oregon Ducks’ Head Coach Mario Cristobal.
Cristobal’s fast rise to Pac-12 prominence was capped off by a 12-2 record and Rose Bowl win over Wisconsin last season. But Cristobal’s greatest value is recruiting. The ducks ranked No.5 in the country on many recruiting sites, and 2021 is starting to look similar with several five-star players already committing.
Compensation will play an important factor in Cristobal’s decision. The Ducks’ head coach signed a $2.5 million per season contract in June of last year. That makes him just the 11th highest paid coach in the conference. It’s also important to note his contract is heavy with incentives. Cristobal earned $1.175 million in bonuses last season, second nationally only behind LSU's Ed Orgeron.
The Oregonian’s John Canzano reports that Oregon tried to develop a new extension with Cristobal before the pandemic, but budgetary restrictions held back the amount of money that could be spent.
If you’re a Duck fan this has to be a gut punch. After the Willie Taggart debacle of 2018, many fans fear Oregon is becoming a stepping stone job to other national opportunities. Auburn will have a lot of money to offer, that’s for sure. But it seems Cristobal and the University share a common sense of culture. Will it translate into a bigger extension? Only time will tell.