Mario Cristobal was officially introduced as the Miami Hurricanes head football coach Tuesday morning. Cristobal was poached Monday from Oregon, around the same time that Miami fired head coach Manny Diaz, who had just completed his third season with the Hurricanes. After days of uncertainty as the process played out through public news reports and leaks, Diaz took to Twitter with a statement Monday afternoon and expressed his disappointment with how things were handled since the Hurricanes’ 2021 season came to a close.
“I am disappointed in the University’s decision and the manner in which this played out the last few weeks,” he said in the tweet. “The uncertainty impacted our team, our staff and their families — these are real people that gave everything to this program. For that, for them, I hurt.
“Our players have proven their resiliency though, so I know they will re-group and move forward with class, toughness and unity; that is who they are, that what we’re about. I am thankful I had the honor to lead these young men and will cherish every minute of our time together.”
