After serving as Alabama’s offensive line coach from 2013 to 2016, Mario Cristobal left for Oregon, where he served on Willie Taggart’s staff in 2017.

However, when Taggart left to take the Florida State job, Cristobal became the interim coach, and then eventually shed the interim label.

During an appearance on ESPNU Radio on SiriusXM on Sunday, the new Oregon head coach discussed his relationship with Alabama coach Nick Saban and what he learned from his time in Tuscaloosa:

“He’s a consummate professional — organized, detailed, just a wealth of knowledge,” he said. “There are so many things you learn from your time there. You get a chance to kind of get your PhD in football, is what it is.”

Cristobal was also quick to recognize his high school coach and also former Miami coach Jimmy Johnson as major influences on his career.

Cristobal has learned from a lot of top coaches, so it’ll be interesting to see how he takes what he learned and applies it in Eugene in 2018 and beyond.