As we begin to move closer to the start of a new college football season in Happy Valley, the staff at Nittnay Lions Wire is spending some time sounding off on some big questions facing the Nittany Lions this fall. Today’s focus is on the new defensive coordinator, Manny Diaz.
Diaz, most recently the head coach of the Miami Hurricanes, replaces Brent Pry, now the head coach at Virginia Tech. He brings with him a respected defensive coordinator profile. What are your expectations for the Penn State defense under Diaz in 2022, and how long do you think Diaz sticks around as a member of the Penn State coaching staff?
Sam Dehring, Contributor
@sam_dehring68
The Manny Diaz hire might be one of the biggest wins for Penn State this offseason. This hire came just 11 days after Brent Pry left to be the next head coach at Virginia Tech. Diaz was with Miami for six seasons, where he went 7-5 in 2021 with an abysmal 77th ranking in the country in total defense. However, let’s not forget the success Diaz has had as a defensive coordinator.
First, Diaz was a defensive coordinator at Middle Tennessee State for four years, where he led the conference in sacks and tackles for a loss twice.
Diaz also spent 13 seasons, including MTSU, as a defensive coordinator and 12 as a linebackers coach. Let me repeat that last part. Manny Diaz is coming to “Linebacker U” with 12 seasons of productiveness at other schools. His experience at Florida State, NC State, Middle Tennessee State, Temple Louisiana Tech, Texas, and Miami.
Diaz doesn’t have great experience as a head coach. However, I don’t think it will take long for Diaz to land another head coaching job, especially if he does well at Penn State, given the productive talent that they have.
Despite the struggles Diaz had as a head coach, I still think that his expectations as Penn State’s defensive coordinator will be somewhat high if he does want another head coaching job in the future. However, I do think Diaz is one of those coaches that isn’t a good head coach but an elite defensive coordinator. Diaz is in a perfect position to succeed at Penn State, given the amount of defensive talent that they have.
However, it is possible Diaz only lasts around 2-3 years before someone hires him as a head coach if he does well at Penn State.
Penn State has lost a good amount of talent the past two seasons on their defense. However, they do still have a talented class of 2022 recruits coming in for next season, and they do still have a few veterans returning, including Nick Tarburton, Jonathan Sutherland, and Curtis Jacobs.
Andrew Harbaugh, Contributor
@MandrewNFL
My expectations are honestly through the roof. This Penn State defense is full of playmakers and it has the depth to provide a rotation to keep players fresh. Diaz thrives with his coaching of defensive backs so guys like Ja’Ayir Brown and Joey Porter Jr. should see big-time roles and success this year. On the note of success, I would be shocked if Diaz is around for longer than two years. He got a raw deal down in Miami with how the school handled everything, his track record speaks for itself, and success at Penn State will fast-track that for him.
Kevin McGuire, Editor
@KevinOnCFB
While I believe the standard has been raised for what is expected from a Penn State defense, I do not think Diaz will have much trouble clearing the bar. It helps that Diaz is taking over a defense that is still in a solid position with depth at many of the key positions with players opting to return for another year or returning from injury, not to mention the injection of good talent through recruiting the past couple of recruiting cycles.
Penn State’s defense doesn’t have much it needs to improve under Diaz, but I am encouraged by hearing some of the younger players say it has been a pretty easy transition to Diaz’s system. Earlier in the spring, sophomore linebacker Kobe King suggested it was easier to pick up Diaz’s style than it was his predecessor’s, Brent Pry. Perhaps that is partly because another year of college experience helps a younger player, or maybe Diaz’s system just gels well with the roster.
I still fully expect Penn State to have one of the top defensive units in the Big Ten this season despite some notable losses to the NFL like Jaquan Brisker and Arnold Ebiketie. A defense allowing fewer than 20 points a game under Diaz with consistent pressure in the backfield is exactly what I expect to see out of this team under his leadership at defensive coordinator. Anything else would be ominous for the chances of success this season.
Simply put, I’m not counting on Diaz and the defense to be a major concern this season.
That said, I do not anticipate seeing Diaz sticking around Happy Valley for too long. I think this is a two-year working relationship at the most, and I suspect that is the expectation for James Franklin. Diaz may not have been the answer at Miami the program hoped he would be, but that’s a program that has been trying to figure out the answer at head coach ever since Butch Davis left for the NFL. Diaz still has a head coaching career in front of him, and he could be in a position where he can wait for the right opportunity to come along instead of rushing out of here to accept the first offer he receives. A one-year stay in Happy Valley would not be shocking to me if things go well this season, but I think Penn State can get two years out of Diaz to make some things happen.
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