'We trust him': Penn State linebackers offer early impressions of Manny Diaz
Recruited primarily by former defensive coordinator Brent Pry, Penn State linebacker Tyler Elsdon said he harbored some natural skepticism when Pry left to become Virginia Tech’s head coach and was replaced by Manny Diaz.
Just over two months into his tenure, Diaz has alleviated whatever concerns Elsdon had.
“I trust in Coach [James] Franklin, and spending time with [Diaz], he’s awesome,” Elsdon said. “He’s a players’ coach. He cares about us. He’s met with all of us. He’s called my family. I think he’s called everyone’s family. He’s very personable, very smart when it comes to football. And he has a great plan. So I know all the guys in the defensive room have taken a liking to him. We trust him.”
Diaz, who spent the last three seasons as the head coach at Miami, has extensive experience as a defensive coordinator.
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At four of his six previous stops as a DC, Diaz improved that defense in his first season.
That will be difficult to replicate in Happy Valley, with the Nittany Lions finishing tied for sixth nationally in scoring defense in 2021 under Pry.
Regardless of the challenge he faces, the early returns regarding Diaz have been positive.
“It’s been great,” linebacker Curtis Jacobs said. “I can tell we’re going to have a really good connection. I’ve been getting extra time with him because as a linebacker, I have to be able to relay his message. I have to be a guy that can really be on the same wavelength as him all the time. I’m still trying to feel that out.
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“It’s definitely been great, I’ve learned a lot of stuff.”
Jacobs said that, while he wouldn’t necessarily describe Diaz as laid back, the defense coordinator gives his players enough space to do their thing.
He also brings an intensity to the facility that Elsdon appreciates.
“He’s a high-energy guy,” Elsdon said. “There’s no going around it, you’re going to work. You gotta finish. Finishing is huge with him. You gotta strain and just be intense. We play defense, you gotta be intense, and he has that, that’s his persona. He’s very intense. So he’s a great fit for our defense.”
It’s clear to Elsdon, too, that Penn State’s new DC owns a high-level football IQ.
“It comes in a lot of different ways,” Elsdon said. “But when he gets on the board, he just talks football, talks schematics, talks philosophies and you can tell he knows the game, you can tell he’s been around. He has a lot of different viewpoints.
“He’s very good at putting in perspectives that ensure that everybody knows what he’s saying, and when you have a complete understanding of the game you can do that. So I have complete trust in him, I just know he’s the right guy right now.”
