I mean who knows but it does seem like the Oregon option is a hard one to go back to the way this has dragged out.
From the article:
Last week, per a source, Knight signed off on a 10-year, $85 million extension that was offered by the University of Oregon to football coach Mario Cristobal. Year No. 1 would double Cristobal’s base salary and put it in excess of $7 million a year. It escalated from there and was easily the most lucrative deal ever offered to a football coach in Eugene.
Phil and Penny have subsidized a number of powerful football-related projects at UO over the years. They’ve built buildings, expanded Autzen Stadium, helped increase the recruiting footprint and even pitched in when Cristobal said he needed to retain assistants.
However, by kickoff there was trouble.
Cristobal didn’t sign Oregon’s contract extension before the title game. He instead made plans to talk with his agent the following day. Then, his team got blown off the field by the Utes: 38-10. The Ducks’ coach took the loss hard. He spoke in the post-game news conference for only six minutes. Then, on Saturday Cristobal boarded the private plane owned by long-time Oregon booster Ed Maletis and embarked on a whirlwind recruiting trip that would include multiple states, more than 25 recruits and span 14 days.
Cristobal may be a few hours away from ending two days of wild speculation. He may be poised to take the head coach job at Miami. Or he may be scrambling back to Eugene to try and salvage a clunky couple of days and a booster relationship that appears to be teetering. Right now I’m not sure what Cristobal has left to come back to at Oregon because I suspect he may have lost the only donor he ever needed.
That 10-year contract extension?
“It was pulled off the table when Mario didn’t sign it and got on the plane,” said a source close to the situation.
Athletic department officials at Oregon and Cristobal’s representatives would not confirm that detail. It may be a matter of semantics (did he turn it down or was it pulled when he didn’t sign it?) Knight isn’t speaking, either. But those who know the booster well tell me he doesn’t like to be played and doesn’t appreciate those who view the job of head football coach in Eugene as a stepping stone.
It doesn’t appear that Oregon wants to be used a second time. Either that or the Ducks expected Cristobal to fall over and kick his feet at the ceiling at the thought of a decade-long extension and when he didn’t they were annoyed. Knight couldn’t have been thrilled with the no-show performance on the field by Oregon vs. Utah, either.
From the article:
Last week, per a source, Knight signed off on a 10-year, $85 million extension that was offered by the University of Oregon to football coach Mario Cristobal. Year No. 1 would double Cristobal’s base salary and put it in excess of $7 million a year. It escalated from there and was easily the most lucrative deal ever offered to a football coach in Eugene.
Phil and Penny have subsidized a number of powerful football-related projects at UO over the years. They’ve built buildings, expanded Autzen Stadium, helped increase the recruiting footprint and even pitched in when Cristobal said he needed to retain assistants.
However, by kickoff there was trouble.
Cristobal didn’t sign Oregon’s contract extension before the title game. He instead made plans to talk with his agent the following day. Then, his team got blown off the field by the Utes: 38-10. The Ducks’ coach took the loss hard. He spoke in the post-game news conference for only six minutes. Then, on Saturday Cristobal boarded the private plane owned by long-time Oregon booster Ed Maletis and embarked on a whirlwind recruiting trip that would include multiple states, more than 25 recruits and span 14 days.
Cristobal may be a few hours away from ending two days of wild speculation. He may be poised to take the head coach job at Miami. Or he may be scrambling back to Eugene to try and salvage a clunky couple of days and a booster relationship that appears to be teetering. Right now I’m not sure what Cristobal has left to come back to at Oregon because I suspect he may have lost the only donor he ever needed.
That 10-year contract extension?
“It was pulled off the table when Mario didn’t sign it and got on the plane,” said a source close to the situation.
Athletic department officials at Oregon and Cristobal’s representatives would not confirm that detail. It may be a matter of semantics (did he turn it down or was it pulled when he didn’t sign it?) Knight isn’t speaking, either. But those who know the booster well tell me he doesn’t like to be played and doesn’t appreciate those who view the job of head football coach in Eugene as a stepping stone.
It doesn’t appear that Oregon wants to be used a second time. Either that or the Ducks expected Cristobal to fall over and kick his feet at the ceiling at the thought of a decade-long extension and when he didn’t they were annoyed. Knight couldn’t have been thrilled with the no-show performance on the field by Oregon vs. Utah, either.
Canzano: Mario Cristobal’s slow play with Oregon-Miami may have alienated the only booster he’s ever needed
Ducks coach in limbo? Or gone to Miami?
www.oregonlive.com
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