Just to be the contrarian to everyone's Manny is trash fiesta, but a big part of everything that went down this season was due to expectations. We were expected to have a great season and fell flat on our faces early which led to the embarrassing call-outs. Keep in mind, those expectations were set based on last year's results under Manny. We just didn't live up to them.
This is not to say Manny didn't deserve to get fired, just that not everything has been doom and gloom under Manny. Unfortunately, he was just in over his head to meet the expectations of this job on a consistent basis.
When Alabama put up 41 points in the first 38 minutes of a football game to open the season, it wasn't fan expectations that got UM blown out.
When we nearly lose our home opener to App State, but miraculously manage to come from behind in the second half to win by 2 points thanks to a gifted safety off a terrible long snap, it wasn't fan expectations that took two TDs off the board for UM (because of penalties) and made it much too close for comfort.
When we got beaten to a bloody pulp by MSU, it wasn't fan expectations that caused us to miss those 30 tackles or fan expectations that allowed Walker to run for 172 yards.
When we came out flat and were trailing UVA in the 4th quarter at home, but meekly went for a field goal to win (and miss), it wasn't fan expectations that put us in that terrible spot.
When, coming off a bye week, UNC ran for over 225 yards against us (an improvement, I guess, over 2020), it wasn't fan expectations that made the defense vulnerable and porous against the run (or made them one of those worst tackling teams in the history of UM).
When Manny's defense couldn't get off the field on 4th and 14 against a putrid Forfeit State team that lost to Jacksonville State this season, it wasn't fan expectations that had our secondary unprepared to execute the play.
It was Manny Diaz. He was the HC responsible for the team's performance at every stage. Plain and simple.
Fan expectations? GTFOH with that cherry jell-o, soft serve, excuse-machine-created, hyper-apologetic bull****.