Miami AD Blake James addresses future of Manny Diaz: 'We need to win games'

University of Miami athletic director Blake James gave an update on Miami Hurricanes football head coach Manny Diaz and it wasn’t exactly a ringing endorsement. As a matter of fact, quite the opposite. James told Susan Miller Degnan of the Miami Herald that Diaz “knows we need to win football games,” but declined to say if Diaz will have a job for the rest of the season.

James was asked if Diaz would definitely finish the season as a head coach and he did not give a clear answer.

“I can’t look into the future,” James said. “I think it’s a situation where Manny is our head coach and he’s getting the guys ready to play a game tomorrow.

“Manny is our head coach. Obviously this has been a disappointing season. Manny would acknowledge that. Our guys would acknowledge that. And I understand the fans acknowledge that.”

Miami is currently 2-4 and lost star quarterback D’Eriq King for the season.

“We need to win games. Manny knows we need to win games. And he and his coaching staff are doing everything they can to put our guys in position to win games,” James said.

Manny Diaz record at Miami

The heat under the Manny Diaz hot seat has continued to get warmer and warmer as the 2021 season has progressed. Miami finished 8-3 overall in 2020, but got absolutely destroyed by UNC 62-26 in the Hurricanes final regular season game.

They also lost their bowl game to Oklahoma State in the Cheez-It Bowl. The ‘Canes have dropped their last six games against opponents from Power Five conferences. They’ve also lost six of their last eight games.

Two close losses

Miami’s back-to-back devastating losses to Virginia and North Carolina have not made things any better for him, his players or the Miami fan base. Those two games were lost by a combined total of five points. Both games could have gone either way, but big time college football is not a game of shoulda, coulda, woulda. The expectation for Diaz is to win and win much more than he has at Miami.

Injuries piling up

One thing that’s certainly not helping Diaz’s job security is the fact that his prized quarterback that he landed in the transfer portal, D’Eriq King is out for the season after undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery.

Earlier this week the Miami head coach also had to be dealt the news that his starting tailback, Cam’Ron Harris, suffered a season-ending injury. Early in the third quarter of Miami’s loss to North Carolina, Harris suffered the injury and did not return to the contest.

In Harris’ place, speedster Jaylon Knighton will take over at running back for the ‘Canes.

On3’s Simon Gibbs also contributed to this report.