Details of Mario Cristobal's new contract, AD praises Cristobal

Mario Cristobal is set to enter his fifth year as the head coach at FIU and he’ll do so with a new contract.

FIU rewarded Cristobal with a 5-year contact on Tuesday.

Athletic director Pete Garcia explained the Miami Herald, “People don’t realize what a hard job he’s had the last four years, taking a program that was broken. He didn’t have a weight room, didn’t have a stadium, didn’t have full scholarships. The program had probably the worst APR in the country.”

Under Cristobal, the Golden Panthers have finished with records of 1-11, 5-7, 3-9, and 7-6.  After a rough start, Cristobal kept believing and led the Golden Panthers in 2010 to a place they never would have imagined.  (Dancing on the field to 1966 smash hit, "I Hear a Symphony.")

Here are the details of Mario Cristobal’s new contract:

The annual salary will be $453,183.  Cristobal received a $50,000 signing bonus and will receive another $50,000 on June 30, 2012 if he is still the FIU head coach.  After that, he’ll receive a $25,000 bonus each June 30 he is still the head coach. Cristobal also receives $10,000 bonuses for a bowl game, winning a bowl game, being conference coach of the year, and for the team grade point average being at least 2.5, and an Academic Progress Rate over 940.  The contract also allows for a $112,000 budgetary increase that can be used at Cristobal’s discretion for various costs, including assistant coach pay.

FIU opens the season by hosting North Texas.  The non-conference schedule includes at Louisville, UCF, Duke, and at Akron.