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Penn State

Pete Thamel: Manny Diaz 'has emerged as the focus' of Duke head coach search

Screen Shot 2024-05-28 at 9.09.17 AMby:Kaiden Smith•12/07/23•

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Penn State DC Manny Diaz. (© Matthew OHaren)

ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Thursday that Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz could be in line to be the next head coach of the Duke Blue Devils.

Thamel reports that Diaz has emerged as the focus of Duke’s head coaching search following head coach Mike Elko leaving the program after two seasons with the team to become Texas A&M‘s next head coach, with a decision regarding Diaz to Duke expected to be made in the next 24 hours.

Diaz has spent the last two seasons as the Nittany Lions’ defensive playcaller, helping lead a unit that’s been regarded as one of college football’s best the past two seasons.

Penn State boasted a top-10 scoring defense in their first season under Diaz in 2022, holding opponents to just 18 points per game. But in 2023 they improved even more, ending the regular season as the nation’s top defense in yards allowed (223.3) and ranking No. 3 in the country in points allowed (11.4).

Penn State ended the regular season as the No. 10 ranked team in the College Football Playoff Rankings, set to face No. 11 Ole Miss in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on December 30. But it appears that while preparing to face the Rebels’ offense, Diaz could also be preparing for a potential return to head coaching.

Diaz’s one and only head coaching job of his career came in the ACC as the head coach of Miami, leading the Hurricanes to a 21-15 record in his three seasons at the helm before being fired in 2021. Before that Diaz made stops at various programs as a defensive coordinator including at Miami, Mississippi State, and Texas.

Similarly, Elko also had multiple years of defensive coordinator experience before being named Duke’s head coach in 2021 making stops Texas A&M, Notre Dame, Wake Forest, and others.

Elko helped lead Duke to their first 9-win season since 2014 in his first season with the Blue Devils. Their record dropped to 7-5 this past season following a 4-0 start to the year in a season riddled with injuries, but Elko still managed to send Duke to a second straight bowl game while boasting the ACC’s third-best scoring defense that held opponents to just 19.8 points per game.

While Duke looks to land their next head coach, they’re also preparing to face Troy in the Military Bowl on December 23 led by interim head coach Trooper Taylor.