Mario Cristobal Opens up on Decision to Leave Oregon for Miami

"The future's super bright and certainly painful to leave."

Author:
Dylan Mickanen
Publish date:
Dec 6, 2021 11:48 PM EST

Mario Cristobal's no longer the head coach of the Oregon Ducks.

The Miami native agreed to take over the Hurricanes program Monday morning and let his Oregon players know during a 7:45am meeting.

Hours later, Cristobal agreed to call into John Canzano's radio show The Bald Faced Truth and discuss his exit from the Ducks.

You can listen to the interview here but here's everything Cristobal said during the interview.

Mario Cristobal: "Well, you know, obviously very, very difficult 24, 36 hours but you know, as I'm running around trying to get things situated organized, just wanted to take the opportunity to just thank everybody because it was the best professional and personal experience of my life for my kids, for myself. Very, very just warm, loving people that accepted us and we dove in 100 miles per hour and 100% and you know, we feel very proud of these players, these people. The opportunity to team up with with Phil Knight, with Rob Mullens, the best mentor I've ever had."

Upon arrival being 4-8 and being able to leave and and say you know what, a couple of Pac-12 championships in there. there's a Rose Bowl Championship in there, a top five finish in there. And the best, the most talented players are young on the roster. The future's super bright and certainly painful to leave. Very difficult, very thankful. I get it, I get the profession. I get the backlash that comes with a departure but it's difficult. I'm gonna go coach where I played. And I just, nothing but gratitude, nothing but well wishes, just a very thankful heart, wishing everybody the best.

On if people will understand his decision to return home:

"At the end of the day, it's okay for people not to understand and it's okay for people to be upset. It's okay for people to be happy. I don't judge.

I just when granted an opportunity like I have for the past five years, it's just 100% in all in, every ounce. And you can look in the mirror every night when you do something like that. And it's hard. It's unexplainable. You can't put it in words the difficulty of moments like this, and players and coaches we are in a profession that is as wild and as crazy as untimely as you could ever imagine, because there is no structure as it relates to moves-- both players and coaches. You always hope and pray that you surround yourself with great people. And you're riding with them as hard as you can and as long as you can and are grateful for the memories and the opportunities and you just keep going. And so again, man just grateful beyond belief. You know, I'm glad I appreciate you giving me this opportunity just to express gratitude. Because it just, forever. Endless endless gratitude."

On what sticks out to Cristobal about his Oregon tenure and if narrowly missing out on the College Football Playoff will stick with him:

"Well, I mean, we were right there on the cusp. You know you love being 3-0 against Washington. You love being undefeated against USC, had chance to play UCLA three times [and] undefeated against them as well. And, you know, our record in the Pac-12 and overall for the past four years is the best of all the Pac-12 teams, by a wide margin, you know, so and the best players and the most talented players are returning and are freshmen and sophomores. So I think everyone's got to feel real good that the future is really, really set up well for whoever has the honor and the opportunity to come on in and coach those guys."

On what advice he would give to the Oregon program:

"Same advice that my Dad would give me you just go 100 miles per hour, 100% with everything you have and appreciate the absolute just, the people that surround the place, the professionalism, the administration, the fans. It's just a very unique place, as special as it gets, it's been the best experience of my professional career. And personally as well because my kids... they love it and will always love it. And so I would say understand the blessing that you have and work hard, as hard as you can to be a great blessing to all those around."

On if he found that being in Eugene was a detriment or that being in the Pac 12 was a detriment:

"I don't know what other coaches do or say, I just know that there's three top-10 classes sitting right there on the roster and they're all puppies. Okay. They're all young, I think their best football's over the next two and three years. It's revved up and ready to go."

On how difficult the decision was to leave Oregon:

"I mean, I really don't have a circle. I just, I just kind of work, you know, and whenever I get to see the kids and the wife I do. It's the most grueling, difficult, painful decision that that... and I'm glad it is. I would be disappointed in myself if it wasn't. If it wasn't that way, then it wasn't real. Every part about this thing was real. Every ounce of investment so but let it hurt, let it be painful. At the same time happy for those and for myself going forward and just will be always huge, huge fan cheering from afar man. Always. Appreciate you man."

On if there was anything Oregon could have done to keep him or if Miami was the one job:

"No I don't even get into that because now it's just forward thinking and you just move forward. You know, this was, I mean this is as unexpected of a thing as you can imagine. I think everyone will tell you I never saw any change in my life for the next several, several years. And in this profession, I guess we should never say never because things happen so but you know, people understand they're really happy for us. They understand how difficult it was. And they also understand that you know, there have been great relationships and friendships formed. And because of that, if they're real, you sustain those, no matter where you are, no matter what you're doing, so I certainly expect to have several friends and family members on the West Coast."

On how he psychologically approaches a rebuild at Miami:

"I think it's grueling if it's a job. This has never been a job. This has always been a vocation. And the members on our stuff have always been about this being a vocation and when that's the case, you're never truly working. You're just going and so that's just the way I operate. I've been blessed to just have a family that just raised me that way and that's just the way we roll."

Closing remark:

"Well, I appreciate you having me. I appreciate everyone and anything Oregon and God bless man, go crush it, keep being champions and take it to another level."

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