Report: Duke finalizing deal to make Penn State's Manny Diaz next head coach

College football insider Ross Dellenger reports Thursday that Duke is finalizing a deal to make Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz the next head coach of the Blue Devils.

Diaz will be following in the footsteps of former Duke head coach Mike Elko, who took the job as Texas A&M‘s head coach this offseason following two seasons in Durham.

Diaz has spent the last two seasons as the Nittany Lions’ defensive playcaller, and now returns to the ACC after previously being the head coach at Miami from 2019-2021.

It’s clear the Blue Devils are continuing to prioritize the defensive side of the ball, with Elko being hired in 2021 following defensive coordinator stops at Texas A&M, Notre Dame, Wake Forest, and others before landing Duke’s head coaching gig.

Diaz brings a similar defensive prowess to the table, making various defensive coordinator stops at places like Miami, Mississippi State, and Texas to name a few. But unlike Elko, he does bring a level of head coaching experience to the table, leading Miami to a 21-15 record in his three seasons as the Hurricanes head coach before being fired in 2021.

Penn State hired Diaz very shortly after his tenure ended with Miami, which wound up being a massive success for the Nittany Lions. Diaz has helped lead one of the most dominant defenses in the country the past two seasons at State College, recently ranking first in the country allowing just 223.3 yards per game and ranking third in the nation in points allowed per game at 11.4 following the 2023 season.

Along with his defensive expertise, Diaz would also bring a ton of experience in the ACC with him to Duke. Diaz’s coaching beginnings actually started in the Atlantic Coast Conference, spending two seasons as a graduate assistant at Florida State followed by two more seasons in the same role for NC State.

He’d go on to work his way up to become the safeties coach and special teams coordinator in his last two seasons at NC State in 2004 and 2005, rounding out his experience in the ACC between his time with the Wolfpack and in the Sunshine State with the Hurricanes and Seminoles at 14 years.

Manny Diaz would be inheriting a Duke team that also notably just lost their biggest impact player to the transfer portal, with star quarterback Riley Leonard currently exploring his options elsewhere ahead of the 2024 season.