Manny Diaz’s First Moves as Head Coach Are Challenging but Necessary

The ‘overhaul’ that Miami’s staff has experienced in the past two days is nerve-wracking — but it’s entirely necessary.

Less than a day after being hired as head coach of the ‘Canes, Manny Diaz dismissed all of Miami’s offensive assistants. The names included are wide receivers coach Ron Dugans, running back Thomas Brown, tight end coach Todd Hartley, quarterbacks coach Jon Richt, and offensive line coach Stacy Searels.

Saying that Miami had issues on offense in 2018 is an understatement — it was a full-blown nightmare to watch. Aside from play calling and execution, it was Mark Richt’s ignorance that added fuel to the fire. 2018 exposed Richt’s offense, but Richt didn’t believe that Miami needed an offensive coordinator. However, through an unexpected turn of events, Richt retired, and Diaz became Miami’s 25th head coach.

While Dugans, Hartley, and Brown may be missed — the same can’t be said for Jon Richt, or Stacy Searels. Miami’s quarterback situation in 2018 was a confused one, as both of Miami’s starting quarterbacks regressed throughout the year — most of the blame resting on Mark Richt’s indecision on who to start. Ultimately, the offense won’t be handled the same in 2019 — a dream come true for most Hurricane fans.

The changes made thus far are rattling for Miami’s players, but a clean sweep on the offensive side of the ball is better for them. Frankly, an ‘overhaul’ is just what Miami needs in order to improve, regardless of their initial feelings. With Diaz stating that many impressive names are interested in the offensive coordinator job, we can assume that Miami’s offense will look completely different in 2019. The ‘Canes can’t continue to suffer from Richt’s complacency — Diaz is successfully ushering it out of the program.