CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The Miami Hurricanes have named Manny Diaz as their next defensive coordinator.
Diaz is no stranger to South Florida. He grew up in Miami and is the son of former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz.
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"I'm very excited about Manny Diaz becoming our defensive coordinator," Miami head coach Mark Richt said in a statement Saturday. "I've known him for over 20 years and I've watched him become one of the best defensive minds in the business. He and our defensive staff will implement a 4-3 attacking style defense."
Diaz has spent the past 18 seasons as an assistant coach, including stints at Texas and Mississippi State.
In 2015, Diaz served as defensive coordinator at Mississippi State. He previously served in the same capacity with the Bulldogs under Dan Mullen in 2010.
"We knew it would take a very unique opportunity for us to consider leaving," Diaz said in a statement. "God blessed me with a chance to return home, to coach in my hometown and to reunite with family. It is the kind of opportunity that comes along rarely in this business. It was simply too good to pass up. I can’t wait to help coach Richt build a championship program at Miami."
Diaz spent the 2014 season as defensive coordinator at Louisiana Tech after three seasons at Texas. Diaz joined the Longhorns in 2011 but was fired after the second game of the 2013 season, one day after the Longhorns surrendered 40 points and 550 rushing yards -- the most in school history -- in a loss to BYU.
Prior to his first stint at Mississippi State, Diaz spent four seasons as defensive coordinator at Middle Tennessee State.
Diaz graduated from Florida State in 1995 and got his start as a graduate assistant with the Seminoles. During his two seasons in Tallahassee, Florida State won a national championship in 1999 and played for another in 1998.
Richt was offensive coordinator for the Seminoles when Diaz was on the coaching staff.
Diaz then went on to coach at North Carolina State, serving as a graduate assistant for two seasons before coaching the linebackers in 2002 and switching to safeties and special teams in 2004.