Oregon may be on a two-week hiatus from spring practice but Mario Cristobal and his coaching staff are on the road working in SEC country.
Cristobal brought the entire Oregon coaching staff to Tuscaloosa to attend Alabama’s practice and meet with the Crimson Tide coaching staff on Monday and then headed to Athens, Ga. to meet with Georgia’s coaching staff and attend the Bulldogs’ first spring practice, according to a source with knowledge of the staff’s trip.
Coaching staffs routinely visit other teams throughout the country during the offseason but what’s of particular note for Oregon’s staff is its visits are to the two biggest rivals of Auburn, its season-opening opponent.
Cristobal served on as offensive line coach for the Crimson Tide from 2013-16 and Oregon tight ends and special teams coach Bobby Williams also worked at Alabama from 2008-17. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart was Alabama’s defensive coordinator through 2015 and Oregon strength and conditioning coach Aaron Feld worked at UGA prior to joining the Ducks under Cristobal.
Several other former Alabama coaches were also in attendance on Monday, including Brian Daboll, Karl Dunbar and Jeff Stoutland, according to multiple reports, as well as Patriots coach Bill Belichick and Oakland Raider general manager Mike Mayock.