Manny Diaz Is Everything That Richt Wasn’t in His Final Year at Miami

This offseason has been turbulent and unpredictable, similar to Miami’s 2018 season. However, ‘Cane fans can now see the light at the end of the tunnel — unlike the regular season.

Mark Richt’s retirement was shocking — but it proved to be the right move for Miami. Richt proved that he didn’t have the willpower to put his own pride aside, which hindered the team in 2018. Modern offenses had clearly passed him by, yet he still remained stubborn and stuck in his outdated ways. Regardless, Mark Richt brought some great things to Miami, but he couldn’t handle the adversity and adjust when things went wrong.

Re-enter Manny Diaz: passionate, aggressive, and hungry — all of which are things that Richt didn’t express on Miami’s sideline.

In just 2 weeks, Diaz has transformed The U from drab to a potential ACC powerhouse. His determination to make Miami great was shown instantly — reliving all offensive assistants of their duties, and hiring hopeful coordinators on both offense and defense. While Miami’s 2019 recruiting class still ranks outside the top-30 (247), the ‘Canes have recently become a popular destination to transfer to — something that could save Miami in ‘19. With rumors of transfer-quarterbacks Jalen Hurts and Tate Martell swirling, Miami could quickly build an offense to match their championship-caliber defense.

The changes that occurred in the past month were abrupt, but they’re for the right reasons. Miami needed to revamp their offense, bring in more talented players, and solidify the defensive coaching staff. Aside from having a fully-complete offensive staff, all of the tasks mentioned have been completed. If Richt was still Miami’s coach, the same could not have been said.

Looking forward, it’ll be interesting to see how Miami’s new coaches perform on the recruiting trail as they try to beat the signing day deadline. The new faces on the offensive staff may hold the key, however, as Miami’s offense in 2018 was the opposite of attractive. Former ‘Canes Jeff Thomas and Sam Bruce have both expressed interest in returning to Miami, which can be credited to the new offensive mindset.

The U is buzzing, and Manny Diaz deserves credit for reinstating the hope and eagerness that the ‘Canes lost in 2018.