MIAMI, Dec. 6 (UPI) -- The University of Miami fired head football coach Manny Diaz on Monday, the school announced. The Hurricanes are expected to hire Oregon coach Mario Cristobal as his replacement.
Sources told ESPN, the Register-Guard and The Athletic that Cristobal met with Ducks players Monday morning and told them he was leaving to take the job in Miami.
A source told the Miami Herald late Sunday that Cristobal agreed to terms with the Hurricanes on a contract worth more than $8 million per season.
Miami said Monday an announcement regarding "new leadership" for the football program will be "forthcoming."
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"We are grateful to coach Diaz for his many contributions to our campus community and to his native South Florida, and for the strong leadership and exemplary character he exhibited during his tenure at the university," Miami president Julio Frenk said in a news release.
"We wish him and his family the very best as they move forward."
Diaz, 47, was 21-15 in three seasons at Miami. The Miami native led the Hurricanes to a 7-5 record in 2021. The Hurricanes started the season with on ly two wins in their first six games, but finished strong with wins in five of their final six.
Despite those efforts, the Hurricanes fired Diaz on Monday after parting ways with athletic director Blake James in November.
Cristobal posted a 35-13 record in five seasons at Oregon. He led the team to two bowl victories. The Miami native played offensive tackle for the Hurricanes from 1989 through 1992. He started his collegiate coaching career in 1998 as a graduate assistant for the Hurricanes.
Cristobal, 51, also served as a tight ends coach from 2004 through 2005 at Miami. He was the Hurricanes' offensive line coach in 2006. Cristobal was head coach from 2007 through 2012 at Miami's Florida International University.
Diaz started his coaching career in 1998 as a graduate assistant at Florida State. He held the same role at NC State from 2000 through 2001. He worked as a linebackers coach and special teams coach at NC State for the next four seasons.
Diaz served as as defensive coordinator at Middle Tennessee, Mississippi State, Texas and Louisiana Tech from 2006 through 2015. He worked as a defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from 2016 through 2018 at Miami.
The Hurricanes battle Washington State in the Sun Bowl at noon EST Dec. 31 at the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas.
