Don't worry about Mario Cristobal, he'll be with the Miami Hurricanes for a while.
The 55-year-old coach has signed a long-term extension to coach Miami well into the next decade, according to reports from multiple sources. Cristobal has reached the halfway point of a 10-year deal he signed when he took the job in 2022. He previously coached at Oregon and FIU and won conference championships in the Pac-12 and Sun Belt.
Cristobal has the Hurricanes positioned to enter the 2026 season with a preseason top-10 ranking and as the clear favorites to win the program's first ACC football title.
READ MORE: Miami and Mario Cristobal facing enormous pressure with ACC media poll out
Source: Mario Cristobal is signing a long-term extension at Miami, @theathletic has confirmed. (On3 first reported)
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) August 4, 2026
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Cristobal has won 23 games in the past two seasons, leading Miami to consecutive 10-win seasons for the first time since the program's four-year run from 2000-2003 under Butch Davis and Larry Coker.
Mario Cristobal is committed to build a long-term winner in Miami
Cristobal, who played for the Hurricanes from 1989-92, was part of national championship teams in 1989 and 1991. When he left Oregon to come back to Miami, it was with the promise that he would return to the Hurricanes to prominence and be back among the top teams in college football.
If the last two seasons are any indication, Miami is well on its way. The Hurricanes advanced to the CFP Championship Game last season, earning playoff wins over Texas A&M on the road, Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl and Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl.
Cristobal has proven his value as an ace recruiter, building some monster high school classes for the Hurricanes. His success has begun to expand to the NFL after nine players were selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, with offensive lineman Franciss Mauigoa and defensive linemen Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor picked in the first round.
READ MORE: Mario Cristobal has delivered on his promise to bring 5-star talent to Miami
He has eliminated a lot of the flash around that's always been associated with the program and replaced it with a culture of work, leadership and accountability.
"For us, our culture, this will sum it up, it's everybody for everything every single day. There shouldn't be any misconception or misunderstanding as it relates to that," Cristobal said during ACC Kickoff. "All that means is nothing but your best will be good enough. So we feel strongly about it. It is led by them. They told themselves and their teammates to really, really high standards."
Cristobal's biggest challenges at Miami remain in front of him. Winning an ACC title would fill a home in the program's resume that has been visible for too long. A third 10-win season and a return to the CFP would show that the Hurricanes have staying power among the top programs in the sport. But, more than anything, Cristobal wants to lead the program to its sixth national championship and this new contract confirms that he is the right man to do it.
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