Mario Cristobal likely to take Miami job?

The Miami Hurricanes might be the latest team set to lure a big-name coach away from another program.

Miami is targeting Oregon coach Mario Cristobal to replace current coach Manny Diaz, and high-ranking officials appear to think the Hurricanes will be successful. Hurricanes officials are “optimistic” about bringing Cristobal to Miami, according to Susan Miller Degnan, Barry Jackson and Michelle Kaufman of the Miami Herald.

In fact, Miami officials are confident enough that the Herald says an announcement on Cristobal is expected before Tuesday.

The first word on Miami making a run at Cristobal came earlier Friday, so this has come together quickly. The timing is incredibly awkward as well, as Cristobal is set to coach Oregon in the Pac-12 Championship later Friday night.

Cristobal was all all-conference offensive lineman for Miami from 1989 to 1992, and spent time as an assistant at the school from 2004 to 2006. He’s also a Miami native. It certainly looks like the allure of returning home to coach his alma mater might prove too much for him to resist.