Manny Diaz praises Penn State players & staff during Duke presser

Manny Diaz has officially moved on as the Duke football head coach. Earlier today he was introduced in his new role, but before he spoke about the future Diaz discussed the past. Diaz is such a genuine person, you could say this was not an easy decision to make because of all of the relationships he made while he was with the Penn State football team. He built friendships and learned things from James Franklin and his staff, but it was the players that Diaz felt deeply connected to. In his introductory statement as the head coach for Duke football, he made sure to thank his former peers.

Manny Diaz praises Penn State players & staff during Duke presser

This week has been difficult for the Penn State football fans, coaches, and players. Losing Manny Diaz to Duke was not an easy pill to swallow. His impact went beyond the product he helped produce on the field. Diaz re-established himself in his career and put the country on notice that he was one of the best defensive minds in the sport. Today, he spoke to the media regarding the relationships he built at Penn State.

Diaz said, “I’ve got to take a pause right here,” Diaz told the crowd at Duke’s Pascal Field House. “I’ve got to thank first the players who I had a chance to say goodbye to Thursday night at Penn State. Anyone who teaches knows that you get taught by the young men the same way you teach them. They taught me so much. They aspired to be great. They viewed pressure as a privilege. They made it their abject purpose to be the No. 1 defense in the country, and that’s a big statement. But somebody has to finish first, and they decided they wanted it to be them. So I’m thankful for them.”

James Franklin says goodbye to Manny Diaz

Yesterday, James Franklin took his time to deliver a heartfelt thank you to Manny Diaz on social media. The hire was phenomenal by Franklin. Moving on from Brent Pry who was by his side for years, Franklin decided to hire Manny Diaz as defensive coordinator and his aggressive style was such a joy to watch.

Franklin’s message about Diaz said, “We truly appreciate everything Manny and his family contributed to Penn State the past two seasons,” Franklin said. “Our team and staff have nothing but respect for Manny and the leadership he brought to our program. He was a tremendous teacher, mentor, and friend while in Happy Valley. We wish him and his family all the best at Duke!”

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