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Penn State football players react to Manny Diaz exit

In the last 72 hours, several prominent Penn State football players have responded to the news of Manny Diaz’s departure.

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1 year ago

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Penn State football, Manny Diaz
Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz grins as his unit comes to the sideline after creating a turnover late in the the second half of an NCAA football game against Indiana at Beaver Stadium Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023, in State College, Pa.

On Thursday, it was announced that Manny Diaz was leaving the Penn State football program to become the next head coach at Duke. Since then, messages from the Penn State community have come pouring in, expressing both gratitude for what Diaz accomplished in Happy Valley and sadness to see him leave. But what about those closest to the now ex-Nittany Lions defensive coordinator? In the days since Diaz’s announced departure, several of Penn State’s biggest names have taken to social media to share their thoughts on the decision.

Penn State football players react to departure of Manny Diaz

Manny Diaz proved to be one of the best defensive minds in college football over the last two seasons in Happy Valley. So, while it wasn’t a shock, it was still a significant blow for the Penn State football program when it was announced Thursday night that Diaz had been hired as the next head coach at Duke.

Diaz undoubtedly meant a great deal to the Nittany Lions on the field. But perhaps his most significant contributions come from the impact he had on his players’ lives off of it. Since the announcement of Diaz’s departure, several Penn State defenders have taken to social media to react to the news.

DEs Adisa Isaac and Dani Dennis-Sutton congratulated their former coach on Twitter Thursday night. Both Isaac and Dennis-Sutton benefitted from the relentless amounts of pressure Diaz brought on defense. Isaac led the team this season with 15 tackles for loss, while Dennis-Sutton had six tackles behind the line of scrimmage this year.

Even star pass rusher Chop Robinson, who recently announced his own departure from Penn State to enter the NFL Draft, got in on the action.

On the flip side, Tony Rojas expressed his dismay over Diaz’s move. If there’s anyone who would’ve benefitted from another year under Diaz, it would have been the highly-touted true freshman LB.

James Franklin thanks Diaz for contributions to Nittany Lions program

Penn State football coach James Franklin also took to the internet to respond to the Manny Diaz news. On Friday, Franklin released a statement thanking the new Duke head coach for his contributions to the program over the last two years.

“Our team and staff have nothing but respect for Manny and the leadership he brought to our program,” Franklin’s statement read, in part. “He was a tremendous teacher, mentor, and friend while in Happy Valley.”

Franklin now embarks on his second coordinator search of the young offseason while also gearing up for bowl prep. Penn State football takes on Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl on December 30.

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Matt is a co-owner and Editor of Basic Blues Nation. Launched in 2022, Basic Blues Nation is one of the fastest-growing websites covering all Penn State athletics. Matt is also a credentialed member of the Penn State football beat, and is a member of the Football Writers Association of America.

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