Mario is not even sure why this happened after sticking with FIU after getting offers from Rutgers and Pitt last year.
It was almost a year ago that we were watching FIU football play against Marshall at the Beef O’ Brady Bowl. No one was completely sure if the rumors about Mario Cristobal leaving FIU was true or not. I remember fans chanting Mario’s name and begging athletic director, Pete Garcia, to convince Coach Cristobal to stay with the Panthers.
Now we are here talking about Cristobal’s sudden firing from FIU. Was the firing due to the disappointing 3-9 season this year? Possibly. But is firing Mario really the answer? I am not sure about that.
I do think this firing was pretty shocking and came suddenly out of nowhere. Fans were expecting to see the defensive coordinator, Todd Orlando, get the boot after the defense under performed this year. Some fans feel indifferent about the decision made today. However, many are just confused.
It is believed that Garcia may have been making room to hire former UNC and UM head coach, Butch Davis. Garcia likes to make big hires, so this is possible. Now, would Davis stay on for more than a year if hired? There is only one way to find out.
In the end, there is nothing we can do but thank Coach Cristobal. Without him, FIU wouldn’t be what it is today.
