REPORT: Manny Diaz interviewed for ACC head coaching job this week

Manny Diaz interviewed for the Duke Blue Devils head coach position this week. The new report comes just days after the Penn State football defensive coordinator was linked to the opening in the ACC. Diaz has figured to be a hot commodity on the coaching market for months, and has led James Franklin and others to openly discuss what could be done to retain the Nittany Lions assistant coach.

New report says Manny Diaz met with Duke about head coach opening this week

On Wednesday night, The Athletic published a report detailing the progress of several prominent head coach searches around college football. According to the reporting of Nicole Auerbach, Bruce Feldman, and Chris Vannini, Penn State football defensive coordinator Manny Diaz is “in the mix” for the Duke opening after Mike Elko left to become the next head coach at Texas A&M.

Other candidates include Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and NC State defensive coordinator Tony Gibson. Sources tell The Athletic, “All three met with Duke on Wednesday, and the search is believed to be in the early stages.”

Earlier in the week, Bruce Feldman pegged Diaz as a likely candidate for the Duke job due to his deep ties to the ACC, including his time as the head coach of Miami. “He was 21-15 in three years at Miami and 16-9 in ACC play,” Feldman wrote. “The 49-year-old has also coached at FSU and NC State. Diaz is really bright and would probably fit in well at Duke, and like Elko, he’s regarded as one of the top defensive minds in college football.”

What can Penn State football do to retain Diaz?

The interest for Manny Diaz on the coaching carousel is not surprising. Diaz has figured to return to the head coaching ranks since he arrived in Happy Valley last year. This has only been expedited by the play of his defenses, which rank among the best in college football each of the previous two seasons.

But over the summer, Diaz expressed that he wouldn’t just jump at any head coaching job. Instead, the Penn State defensive coordinator is waiting for the right fit. “I love my job, and that’s the first thing,” Diaz said on the Next Up with Adam Breneman podcast. “…I also love being a head coach, though. But I think what you realize, and I’ve spoken with other head coaches, you realize it’s about being at the right place at the right time.”

Penn State football coach James Franklin hasn’t shied away from discussing the rumors about Diaz’s future, expressing that the program needs to do everything possible to retain him until the right head coaching job comes along.

“…Every offseason, that’s a challenge when you have good people and you have talented people,” Franklin said. “We got to do everything we possibly can to retain them and for them to feel good and appreciated, and that’s with the entire staff. No doubt about it…We like to create a situation here for Manny and his family that he wants to be here until he has an opportunity to get a really good head coaching job that’s going to allow him to flourish.”

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