COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS

Oregon promotes Cristobal to head coach

The Sports Xchange

December 08, 2017 at 11:10 am.

Nov 25, 2017; Eugene, OR, USA;  Mario Cristobal co-offensive coordinator and run-game coordinator for the Oregon Ducks walks onto the field before the game against the Oregon State Beavers at Autzen Stadium. Photo Credit: Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports

Nov 25, 2017; Eugene, OR, USA; Mario Cristobal co-offensive coordinator and run-game coordinator for the Oregon Ducks walks onto the field before the game against the Oregon State Beavers at Autzen Stadium. Photo Credit: Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports

The deal with the 47-year-old Cristobal was being finalized Friday morning, a source told ESPN.

Cristobal also was the team’s run-game coordinator and offensive line coach. He was named interim head coach for the Ducks’ bowl game after Willie Taggart left after one season to accept the job at Florida State on Tuesday.

The Ducks went 7-5 this season and will face Boise State in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 16.

On Thursday night, Oregon senior left tackle Tyrell Crosby, a first-team All-Pac-12 selection, tweeted: “Had an 70+ players signed petition to keep Cristobal as head coach. We are all fighting so hard for him to be HC, because we all know he’d fight just as hard for us.”

Cristobal joined the Ducks a year ago with Taggart after spending four seasons at Alabama, where he was an assistant head coach and the Crimson Tide’s recruiting coordinator.

Cristobal was head coach at Florida International from 2007-12, compiling a 27-47 record in six seasons and taking the Panthers to their first two bowl games.