"All those 0s for 7-6" "Scamming them": CFB fans react as reports of Miami paying HC Mario Cristobal over $22M in salary surface

Mario Cristobal has put Miami Hurricanes fans in utter shock after reports surfaced Wednesday claiming the coach was paid $22.7 million in salary for the 2022 calendar year.

The eye-popping figure includes a hefty base pay of nearly $8 million, coupled with additional compensation labeled as "other reportable compensation." The apparent salary was reported by Brent Schrotenboer of USA Today.

“This is the largest-ever, single-year amount for an athletics department employee on a tax form by a private university, according to USA TODAY Sports research,” Schrotenboer reported.

The unprecedented sum has sparked a meme contest among fans, particularly considering the team's below-par and mediocre 7-6 record under Cristobal's leadership.

Memes and social media posts have flooded the internet, highlighting the apparent incongruity between compensation and performance. Let’s have a look at some of them:

"All those 0s for 7-6."

"Scamming them."

"$4.54 million per win is wild," tweeted a fan (@SeminoleKJ).

Another X user wrote, "Money "not well spent"!! 🔥🔥".

@jsapp12 commented on Miami's bad investment in Cristobal:

"Not a very good ROI."

Another fan (@TyreekMVP) posted, "Don’t be shy, how much went to his buy out"

X user @ServiceRevealed tweeted, "Is there a more overpaid and underperforming coach in all of college football?"

@therentfreeshow wrote, "48% win percentage and his fans will tell you he's cooking. Unbelievable."

The breakdown of Cristobal's compensation also included a portion allocated to cover buyout obligations owed to his former employer, the University of Oregon. As Cristobal heads into the 2024 season with a lukewarm 12-13 record at Miami, questions will linger about the rationale behind such exorbitant payouts.

Mario Cristobal and Miami look toward transfer portal for help

The Miami coach is gearing up for his make-or-break season, eyeing upgrades via the transfer portal. The Hurricanes remain in need of depth and experience in critical areas such as tailback, receiver, defensive back, linebacker and edge.

With ambitions of clinching their first Atlantic Coast Conference championship, Cristobal has already made some moves, securing impact transfers like quarterback Cam Ward and defensive tackle C.J. Clark.

However, the spring game exposed glaring gaps in key positions, prompting a strategic reassessment of needs and priorities. In an interview, Mario Cristobal discussed the importance of continually bolstering the roster to stay relevant in the evolving landscape of college football.

"As this portal thing goes on there are things we can add to the roster that can benefit the University of Miami," Cristobal said. "At the end, the only thing that matters is the University of Miami winning, right? Bring people here that have the guts and willingness to work their butts off to win."

As the transfer market evolves and opportunities arise, Miami remains steadfast in its pursuit of top-tier talent.