University of Alabama head coach Nick Saban announced the hiring of Mario Cristobal as Alabama’s offensive line coach and assistant head coach Wednesday.
Cristobal takes over for Jeff Stoutland, who was hired by the Philadelphia Eagles on Feb. 8.
“We are very pleased to announce the addition of Mario Cristobal to our staff,” Saban said in a statement. “He has an outstanding reputation as both a coach and a recruiter. He will be a great fit in our organization, and I think our players will respond to his positive attitude and energy. This is a very important hire in terms of working with our offensive line, and we feel fortunate that we were able to hire a coach of Mario’s caliber. We want to welcome Mario and his family to The University of Alabama, and we are excited to have them here.”
Cristobal spent the last six seasons (2007-12) as head coach at Florida International University. He led the Panthers to the 2010 Sun Belt Conference title and their first bowl appearance – a victory in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl over Toledo. He was the 2010 Sun Belt Coach of the Year and also guided FIU to a bowl appearance in 2011 (Beef O’Brady’s St. Petersburg Bowl). He most recently joined Miami’s staff on Jan. 10, where he served as associate head coach and tight ends coach.
“I want to thank Coach Saban and everyone here at The University of Alabama for this incredible opportunity,” Cristobal said.
Before taking over as the head coach at FIU, Cristobal was an assistant at Miami for three seasons (2004-06). He was the tight ends’ coach the first two seasons and offensive line coach in 2006. His first full-time coaching position was as an assistant at Rutgers, where he coached tight ends and offensive line from 2001-03. From 1998-2000, Cristobal was a graduate assistant on the Miami Hurricanes staff.
Cristobal was a four-year letterwinner for the University of Miami from 1988-92, and after his college playing career, he signed a free agent contract with the Denver Broncos in 1994.
Cristobal and his wife Jessica were married in June of 2006 and have two sons, Mario Jr. and Rocco.
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