PPG: FIU coach 'a front-runner' for Pitt coaching job

[PonyPride]

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Pitt Coaching Search: Florida International coach a front-runner

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

By Paul Zeise, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Florida International coach Mario Cristobal emerged from the weekend as the leading candidate to become the next coach at Pitt, but there is still a long way to go before that comes to fruition.

Cristobal interviewed with Pitt last week -- and he also interviewed with the school a year ago in the search after Dave Wannstedt was fired -- but asked the school to hold off on any further discussions until after his team finishes the season tonight with an appearance in the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl against Marshall in St. Petersburg, Fla.

That means nothing is likely to happen until at least Wednesday.

But all of that hinges on one important question -- does Cristobal, a Miami native and graduate of the University of Miami, want to leave Miami?

That is very much in question, according to sources around Cristobal, but a move to Pitt would at least triple his salary -- he makes a little less than $500,000 with all of his incentives -- and represent a raise of at least $1 million per year.

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