The Ducks finally got ‘Bama. Sort of.
News broke on Friday morning that Oregon had finalized talks with Alabama assistant Mario Cristobal to become the Ducks’ co-offensive coordinator. The report was met with enthusiasm from Oregon fans as Cristobal was named the nation’s top recruiter in 2015 by 247Sports. Cristobal has spent the past three seasons as the Tide’s offensive line/tight ends coach.
Here’s a look at some of the social media reaction:
BREAKING: #Alabama TEs/tackles coach Mario Cristobal leaving to be the new co-Offensive Coordinator at #Oregon. https://t.co/UjGLfQCKDf pic.twitter.com/7jjmhKOABN
— Ryan Bartow (@RyanBartow) January 13, 2017
I can confirm 247 Sports report. Alabama OL coach Mario Cristobal expected to be Willie Taggart’s OC at Oregon.
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) January 13, 2017
Re: Mario Cristobal hire: Willie Taggart has put together one hell of a staff, pulling a few guys I didn’t think he could land at #Oregon.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) January 13, 2017
Willie Taggart (@CoachTaggart) isn’t messing around. This staff is full of very good coach and excellent recruiters. Well done, Sir!
— Tony DiFrancisco (@TonyDiFrancisco) January 13, 2017
Willie Taggart has said before that he’ll call the plays next season, just as he did at USF in recent seasons. But getting Cristobal is big.
— Andrew Greif (@AndrewGreif) January 13, 2017
Oregon verbal commit Thomas Graham Jr. chimed in:
We building something special up here 😈#dosomething💚💛🐣
— Thomas Graham Jr. (@_TG4__) January 13, 2017
Duck commit Nick Pickett called it “big time”:
what you think about the Mario Cristobal hire?? — Big time we needed that https://t.co/qGEwPs7hYp
— Pick6Pickett™ (@npickett1) January 13, 2017
The news caught the attention of Alabama commit VanDarius Cowan:
Oregon not playing lol 😂😭 big moves
— VanDarius Cowan (@vandarius98) January 13, 2017
Michigan commit Tarik Black agreed:
Huge moves https://t.co/vDURW2REJH
— Tarik Black (@LetmeRockk_) January 13, 2017
More national media reaction:
Taggart has put together an incredible coaching staff at Oregon. IMO, already has a better recruiting staff than several SEC programs.
— Derek Tyson (@DerekTysonESPN) January 13, 2017