The third Oregon head coach to abandon the football program was Mario Cristobal. Momentarily, Duck fans were devastated, and slightly traumatized, as Cristobal left Eugene for his alma mater, the Miami Hurricanes.
That was until fans realized just how good Oregon could be under current head coach, and Cristobal's replacement, Dan Lanning.
In a recent press conference, Cristobal continued to reassure the Ducks that they have the correct man in charge when he made an outlandish statement about the current condition of the ACC, the Hurricanes' conference.
"You see some heavy talent at the quarterback position, in the trenches... and then you see some of the explosive playmakers on both sides of the ball," Cristobal said of the conference. "The league is having a strong year."
Canes HC Mario Cristobal, on the ACC right now:
— Christy Chirinos (@ChristyChirinos) October 28, 2024
"You see some heavy talent at the quarterback position, in the trenches...and then you see some of the explosive playmakers on both sides of the ball. The league is having a strong year..."
To put it into perspective, the ACC has just four teams in the AP Top 25. Meanwhile, the Big Ten has three teams in the top four spots, the SEC has four teams in the top 10, and even the Big 12 has four teams in the top 25.
Miami is joined by Clemson Tigers in the top 11 spots in the country – the Hurricanes are currently ranked No. 5 and the Tigers are currently tied with Iowa State at No. 11. Up next are the Pitt Panthers at No. 20 The SMU Mustangs, one of the ACC newcomers, are the fourth team in the conference to earn a spot in the AP Top 25 at No. 20 in the country.
To say the ACC is having a strong year is a dramatically incorrect sentiment. Many thought that the Big 12 would be the worst power conference in the land but the implosion of Florida State and the lackluster seasons for the rest of the ACC has shown otherwise.
The moral of the story is, Oregon fans, be glad Lanning is your man and be, at least slightly, grateful that Cristobal is gone.