CORAL GABLES, Fla. _ It's official _ the Miami Hurricanes need a new defensive coordinator.
Manny Diaz, who for three seasons helped reshape Miami's defense after joining Mark Richt's staff in 2016, was formally announced as the new head coach at Temple on Thursday, just days after he reportedly interviewed with the Owls for the job left open by Geoff Collins' departure for Georgia Tech.
"(Thursday) morning defensive coordinator Manny Diaz informed me that he has accepted the head coach position at Temple University," Hurricanes coach Mark Richt said in a statement. "Throughout the process, Manny had been very transparent about the opportunity with both myself and Blake James.
"In his three years in Coral Gables, Manny proved to be one of the top assistant coaches in the country and did an unbelievable job leading our defense. I have no doubt that he will experience great success as a head coach and we wish him, Steph, Colin, Gavin and Manny all of the best."
It is the first head-coaching job for the 44-year-old Diaz, a Miami native who before joining Richt's staff, served as defensive coordinator at multiple schools, including Mississippi State, Louisiana Tech, Texas and Middle Tennessee State.
"We have launched a national search for a new defensive coordinator and we have already received great interest from around the country," said Richt. "Our football program, our university and our facilities are among the best in the country, and coaches want to be a part of something special. Our coaches are on the road recruiting the next generation of Canes and I am excited about the young men scheduled to sign with us next week. Together, we are building champions!"
While the Hurricanes endured a four-game losing streak year and finished with a disappointing 7-5 regular-season record, Diaz's defense was one of Miami's bright spots.
The unit finished the regular season ranked No. 2 in the nation in total defense, allowing opponents an average of just 268.3 yards per game and 4.16 yards per play, which ranks third in the nation. With Diaz at the helm, the Hurricanes also had the nation's top-rated passing defense, with opponents managing an average of just 140.8 yards per game, and were the national leader in opponent third-down conversion percentage, allowing teams to convert just 41 of their 173 opportunities.
Now, though, the Hurricanes must find someone to continue that success _ and, produce on the recruiting trail.
With the early signing period less now less than a week away, news of Diaz's departure has already had an impact on several Miami recruits, with two 2019 prospects _ three-star cornerback Jarvis Brownlee of Carol City and three-star linebacker Samuel Brooks _ both announcing via Twitter in the last 24 hours that they were backing away from their verbal commitments to the Hurricanes and exploring other options.
Two more 2020 UM recruits _ three-star safety Jaiden Francois and four-star linebacker Keshawn Washington _ have also backed away from their verbal commitments.
Still, some prospects have said they intend to stick with Miami, despite not yet knowing who their defensive coordinator will be.
"I am still solid with the University of Miami. I trust coach Richt to hire a great defensive coordinator and I wish Manny Diaz the best at Temple," four-star defensive end Jahfari Harvey told Canesport.com.
