Miami defensive coordinator Manny Diaz is attending his final few practices on Greentree this week before he leaves to become the head coach at Temple. Diaz described leaving Miami as “bittersweet” and said that Mark Richt and Blake James made efforts to keep him in Coral Gables.
“I mean, Mark and I, and Blake James and I, we had very honest conversations,” Diaz said. “Our relationship extends far beyond professionally. We have a personal relationship. So part of that is factored in. But at the same time, in this profession, everybody understands people have individual goals. And sometimes there is a fit, and there is a timing element.
“But that works both ways and that is why these things can be bittersweet, at times. But I think everybody is excited at the outcome, and how it turned out. And the only thing that matters, is what always matters: is what happens next?”
In an attempt to keep the #2 defense in the nation status quo, Miami promoted from within to replace Diaz, choosing Diaz proteges Jon Patke and Ephraim Banda as the new co-defensive coordinators. Patke and Banda both came over from Mississippi State with Diaz and know exactly how to run the system that has been so successful at UM these past three seasons.
“One of the neat things about being in this profession is the ability to create your own coaching tree and to train people,” Diaz said. “To me any good head coach should train all of his coaches to be a head coach one day. Any good coordinator should train all of his coaches to want to be a coordinator one day. All assistant coaches should train their GAs and QCs to be an assistant coach one day. That is how you give back to the profession.”
The main reason for keeping the continuity on the defensive staff is about making it simple on the players said Diaz.
“Everything in this game is about the players. The players are the ones that play, the players have made all the tackles the last three years, they have done all the great things,” Diaz said. “So what is best for them? Well, what is best for them is to not have them come in and realize the world has changed. Not have them come in and realize that there is a different way of doing things, or a different defensive scheme, or anything in place.
“They can all rest easy, because they know what works, they know what it takes to play great defense and they know coach Banda, coach Patke, coach Jess Simpson, coach Mike Rumph, they know those guys know the formula that works for Miami. So to me, I am very proud for those two guys personally, and also for UM. Because I want to see this defense succeed for the long term.”
What will Miami be getting in Banda and Patke as the new co-DC’s?
“They are awesome… calling plays is the least important thing. What is the most important thing, is creating a culture, creating habits,” Diaz said. “Instilling the things, the core values that allow us to play great defense. If you do that, I always say, the guy who calls the plays on Saturday, is generally speaking overrated. It is not that hard, just because there is no good play call that can overcome a bad culture.
“We made a big deal that three years ago we were going to get really good at Miami because we were going to run to the ball and tackle really, really well. And everyone kind of rolled their eyes and like no, whatever, it is going to be about other things. And we really pride ourselves because we run to the ball really hard and we tackle really, really well and often violently. That sounded like a political tag line our first year here, and we made it a reality those three years. And those guys believe in that. They know that, our players believe I that, and that is why they [Patke and Banda] are ready for that next step.”
Diaz will coach his final game at UM in the Pinstripe Bowl against Wisconsin next week and felt that he owed it to his players to finish what they started.
“I just feel like that is my duty, that’s my obligation,” Diaz said. “We embarked on something this year. And as the year went on and we realized that we had something really, really special on defense and we did not want that to end. Because even when we were going through bad times…the guys in our room and the relationships that we had on defense. It was special.
“To me, that is what I owe those guys. We have a chance to put a defense through 13 games that can stand as being one of the tops in a long time. There are a lot of things that we are proud of. So, I was just hoping they would have me back.”
Making that next step up in your profession can be challenging, but Diaz says being prepared for all situations will help him succeed as a head coach.
“I don’t know if you ever fully know (that you’re ready). You prepare yourself,” Diaz said. “I read a quote recently that said, ‘God prepares the call, he doesn’t call the prepared.’ I think you just have to rely on your training. I have been so fortunate with the head coaches that I have worked for and some of the programs I have been able to work at. So you take a lot of what’s worked, and you rely on others. But again, the same thing, whether you are being a successful coordinator or any other profession.”
“I mean, Mark and I, and Blake James and I, we had very honest conversations,” Diaz said. “Our relationship extends far beyond professionally. We have a personal relationship. So part of that is factored in. But at the same time, in this profession, everybody understands people have individual goals. And sometimes there is a fit, and there is a timing element.
“But that works both ways and that is why these things can be bittersweet, at times. But I think everybody is excited at the outcome, and how it turned out. And the only thing that matters, is what always matters: is what happens next?”
In an attempt to keep the #2 defense in the nation status quo, Miami promoted from within to replace Diaz, choosing Diaz proteges Jon Patke and Ephraim Banda as the new co-defensive coordinators. Patke and Banda both came over from Mississippi State with Diaz and know exactly how to run the system that has been so successful at UM these past three seasons.
“One of the neat things about being in this profession is the ability to create your own coaching tree and to train people,” Diaz said. “To me any good head coach should train all of his coaches to be a head coach one day. Any good coordinator should train all of his coaches to want to be a coordinator one day. All assistant coaches should train their GAs and QCs to be an assistant coach one day. That is how you give back to the profession.”
The main reason for keeping the continuity on the defensive staff is about making it simple on the players said Diaz.
“Everything in this game is about the players. The players are the ones that play, the players have made all the tackles the last three years, they have done all the great things,” Diaz said. “So what is best for them? Well, what is best for them is to not have them come in and realize the world has changed. Not have them come in and realize that there is a different way of doing things, or a different defensive scheme, or anything in place.
“They can all rest easy, because they know what works, they know what it takes to play great defense and they know coach Banda, coach Patke, coach Jess Simpson, coach Mike Rumph, they know those guys know the formula that works for Miami. So to me, I am very proud for those two guys personally, and also for UM. Because I want to see this defense succeed for the long term.”
What will Miami be getting in Banda and Patke as the new co-DC’s?
“They are awesome… calling plays is the least important thing. What is the most important thing, is creating a culture, creating habits,” Diaz said. “Instilling the things, the core values that allow us to play great defense. If you do that, I always say, the guy who calls the plays on Saturday, is generally speaking overrated. It is not that hard, just because there is no good play call that can overcome a bad culture.
“We made a big deal that three years ago we were going to get really good at Miami because we were going to run to the ball and tackle really, really well. And everyone kind of rolled their eyes and like no, whatever, it is going to be about other things. And we really pride ourselves because we run to the ball really hard and we tackle really, really well and often violently. That sounded like a political tag line our first year here, and we made it a reality those three years. And those guys believe in that. They know that, our players believe I that, and that is why they [Patke and Banda] are ready for that next step.”
Diaz will coach his final game at UM in the Pinstripe Bowl against Wisconsin next week and felt that he owed it to his players to finish what they started.
“I just feel like that is my duty, that’s my obligation,” Diaz said. “We embarked on something this year. And as the year went on and we realized that we had something really, really special on defense and we did not want that to end. Because even when we were going through bad times…the guys in our room and the relationships that we had on defense. It was special.
“To me, that is what I owe those guys. We have a chance to put a defense through 13 games that can stand as being one of the tops in a long time. There are a lot of things that we are proud of. So, I was just hoping they would have me back.”
Making that next step up in your profession can be challenging, but Diaz says being prepared for all situations will help him succeed as a head coach.
“I don’t know if you ever fully know (that you’re ready). You prepare yourself,” Diaz said. “I read a quote recently that said, ‘God prepares the call, he doesn’t call the prepared.’ I think you just have to rely on your training. I have been so fortunate with the head coaches that I have worked for and some of the programs I have been able to work at. So you take a lot of what’s worked, and you rely on others. But again, the same thing, whether you are being a successful coordinator or any other profession.”
