On a muted National Signing Day, Miami Hurricanes head coach Manny Diaz took to the podium to instead discuss the many changes that he’s made to the Canes’ defensive staff recently. In the past month, Diaz has added DB coach Travaris Robinson, DL coach Jess Simpson, CB coach DeMarcus Van Dyke, inside LB coach Travis Williams, and defensive QC coach Bob Shoop.
“We have some great experience on the staff,” Diaz said. “But it’s still important that at the core, (we preach) attack-first principles. It’s not fantasy football, everyone has to be on the same page, together, and I think we have great unity with our staff. They are all really good teachers, great defensive minds. They have great ability to connect with the players.”
Miami took advantage of the early signing period in December, inking 21 recruits in the 2021 class plus three transfers, which led to a lack of fireworks on Wednesday and has had the staff focusing on the 2022 class for a few weeks now.
"It is national signing day and we’re sitting here and don’t have anyone to talk about as new signees,” Diaz said. “The three transfers already on campus, 10 or 12 of the ’21 class that will join us in the summer. It’s important to note we are not full at 85 (scholarships). This is an issue in college football. ... That’s taking away the opportunity for someone to go to school somewhere. If we’re one of the schools and 25 doesn’t get us to 85, that’s opportunities being taken away from young men. We did not have a lot of attrition, but after a full class last year and this year still not at 85.”
Yesterday, UM and Diaz hired Shoop in an off-field role as a defensive analyst, a notable addition in that Shoop is a veteran defensive coordinator that has run the defenses at Penn State, Tennessee and Mississippi State in the past.
“Bob and I have been really good friends going back to when I was at Middle Tennessee and Bob was at William & Mary,” Diaz said. “Philosophically we’re aligned a lot the same way, the way we want to attack up front, coverage concepts… Bob is going to help us through his experience being able to look at us from that 30,000 foot viewpoint. Another set of eyes in terms of what we’re doing. Self-scout in how others see us week in and week out, and Bob will be able to work a week ahead of us as well, game planning… That puts you so far ahead on any given week.”
Although Diaz had previously announced he would call plays as UM’s de facto defensive coordinator in 2021, with Shoop now on board as an experienced defensive playcaller, does Diaz foresee him assisting in calling plays on gameday for Miami?
“That will sort itself out between now and gameday… I’m going to be the defensive coordinator,” Diaz said. “I have guys on the staff I can delegate things to. But for this to work out, I have to go all in. I feel good about the fact I can because we have a very experienced football team, a team that knows me very well. So there’s not a concern of an offense-defense divide where `You’re only the head coach for those guys’ which I think would have been the case if I’d done this from the jump. A guy like Rhett Lashlee has done a great job with our offense, handling that side of the ball, leading them.
“Our offensive leadership with D’Eriq (King), we have a team that understands. A key move for me is Todd Stroud as a senior assistant and his expertise, being able to handle administrative things, making sure the program is up and running well.”
Diaz also gave his thoughts about officially running the defense and calling plays again for the first time since 2018.
“I’m fired up to do it,” Diaz said. “As we told them this morning, great defense is about great trust. That starts by having that great trust on staff, attention to detail and accountability.. Off these first two or three weeks of our offseason plan, the team really feels it, that we have earned nothing.”
The bottom line on the defense?
“I’m going to fix it,” he said.
At CB coach, Diaz said that Mike Rumph and Van Dyke have essentially “switched spots” with Rumph moving into an off-field role in the recruiting department.
“The name of the game is recruiting,” Diaz said. “What we felt DVD could do, with the nuances of closing in recruiting - because that’s obviously been a factor. That’s just a different skillset, it is. It’s not an indictment vs. one person or the other. Mike Rumph knows he’s valuable in this program, should be for what he’s done as a player and coach. From where I was evaluating the people I had in my building, DeMarcus Van Dyke showed his value could be maximized as one of the on-field coaches and we could still get a lot from Mike off the field, working the phones and being an important figure when recruits are on campus. With DVD working with Travaris, that will have a profound impact on our secondary.”
In regards to the transfer portal, Miami added three players including DE Deandre Johnson from Tennessee, WR Charleston Rambo from Oklahoma, and CB Tyrique Stevenson from Georgia. Is Diaz open to adding more transfers over the summer and counting them towards the 2022 class?
“If you don’t get a new initial scholarship (count), you can’t add another player,” Diaz said. “That’s where everyone is going to be tapped out - without having to count them forward. It puts you in a spot where it’s difficult to add players. If we’re not at 85, I know there are some other programs way below the 85 number because they’ve had massive attrition. And you’ll never be able to get back to 85. You lose 20 seniors, are below 85, that’ll never get you back whole.”
Diaz also mentioned that spring football will begin the week of March 13, but no decisions have been made on if a spring game will be held for fans to attend.
“We’re still waiting to see if the dead period is lifted April 15,” Diaz said. “We’re going to take our time. Fans, media (at practices), I don’t know.”
As for the injury status of players, Diaz shared some updates.
On QB D’Eriq King: “He’s so eager to get back, anything he’s allowed to do he’s doing. He’s working hard in rehab, everything encouraging so far. It’s about him meeting his benchmarks.”
On S Avantae Williams: “We’re still waiting, has an appointment coming up the next few weeks.”
Diaz added CB Al Blades was in the same boat as Williams, that RB Jaylan Knighton should be able to compete in spring drills off injury, and that OL Issiah Walker will be available in spring as well.
Miami will have 12 players on scholarship at WR for the 2021, a comparatively high number at the spot when looking at recent years in the program, and Diaz was asked how he expected to balance the sheer volume of players at the spot.
“You can play with 12 at wide receiver, that’s what we want,” Diaz said. “For us to go the tempo we want to play at, we want guys we can roll in. We’re excited about having depth. The whole football team should think we’re in great competition this spring, because we have so much depth back.”
Diaz also touched on the 8 new freshmen from the 2021 class that have enrolled for spring ball and will participate in their first college camp next month.
“All they’re doing is lifting weights, going to class, the training table and those kind of things. We’re just happy they’re here,” Diaz said.
From Diaz’s perspective, he believes one of the biggest differences in the recruiting world now compared to a few years ago is how early you have to get on prospects and start building relationships.
“The biggest change is the speed in which the evaluations come, how early the recruiting process starts. Recruiting used to be you go out in May of the junior year and find out who the players were,” Diaz said. “There are times now that if you haven’t offered a sophomore, you’re last to the offering party. You’re offering off a lot less information at times. As a result, the recruiting process takes a lot longer.”
“We have some great experience on the staff,” Diaz said. “But it’s still important that at the core, (we preach) attack-first principles. It’s not fantasy football, everyone has to be on the same page, together, and I think we have great unity with our staff. They are all really good teachers, great defensive minds. They have great ability to connect with the players.”
Miami took advantage of the early signing period in December, inking 21 recruits in the 2021 class plus three transfers, which led to a lack of fireworks on Wednesday and has had the staff focusing on the 2022 class for a few weeks now.
"It is national signing day and we’re sitting here and don’t have anyone to talk about as new signees,” Diaz said. “The three transfers already on campus, 10 or 12 of the ’21 class that will join us in the summer. It’s important to note we are not full at 85 (scholarships). This is an issue in college football. ... That’s taking away the opportunity for someone to go to school somewhere. If we’re one of the schools and 25 doesn’t get us to 85, that’s opportunities being taken away from young men. We did not have a lot of attrition, but after a full class last year and this year still not at 85.”
Yesterday, UM and Diaz hired Shoop in an off-field role as a defensive analyst, a notable addition in that Shoop is a veteran defensive coordinator that has run the defenses at Penn State, Tennessee and Mississippi State in the past.
“Bob and I have been really good friends going back to when I was at Middle Tennessee and Bob was at William & Mary,” Diaz said. “Philosophically we’re aligned a lot the same way, the way we want to attack up front, coverage concepts… Bob is going to help us through his experience being able to look at us from that 30,000 foot viewpoint. Another set of eyes in terms of what we’re doing. Self-scout in how others see us week in and week out, and Bob will be able to work a week ahead of us as well, game planning… That puts you so far ahead on any given week.”
Although Diaz had previously announced he would call plays as UM’s de facto defensive coordinator in 2021, with Shoop now on board as an experienced defensive playcaller, does Diaz foresee him assisting in calling plays on gameday for Miami?
“That will sort itself out between now and gameday… I’m going to be the defensive coordinator,” Diaz said. “I have guys on the staff I can delegate things to. But for this to work out, I have to go all in. I feel good about the fact I can because we have a very experienced football team, a team that knows me very well. So there’s not a concern of an offense-defense divide where `You’re only the head coach for those guys’ which I think would have been the case if I’d done this from the jump. A guy like Rhett Lashlee has done a great job with our offense, handling that side of the ball, leading them.
“Our offensive leadership with D’Eriq (King), we have a team that understands. A key move for me is Todd Stroud as a senior assistant and his expertise, being able to handle administrative things, making sure the program is up and running well.”
Diaz also gave his thoughts about officially running the defense and calling plays again for the first time since 2018.
“I’m fired up to do it,” Diaz said. “As we told them this morning, great defense is about great trust. That starts by having that great trust on staff, attention to detail and accountability.. Off these first two or three weeks of our offseason plan, the team really feels it, that we have earned nothing.”
The bottom line on the defense?
“I’m going to fix it,” he said.
At CB coach, Diaz said that Mike Rumph and Van Dyke have essentially “switched spots” with Rumph moving into an off-field role in the recruiting department.
“The name of the game is recruiting,” Diaz said. “What we felt DVD could do, with the nuances of closing in recruiting - because that’s obviously been a factor. That’s just a different skillset, it is. It’s not an indictment vs. one person or the other. Mike Rumph knows he’s valuable in this program, should be for what he’s done as a player and coach. From where I was evaluating the people I had in my building, DeMarcus Van Dyke showed his value could be maximized as one of the on-field coaches and we could still get a lot from Mike off the field, working the phones and being an important figure when recruits are on campus. With DVD working with Travaris, that will have a profound impact on our secondary.”
In regards to the transfer portal, Miami added three players including DE Deandre Johnson from Tennessee, WR Charleston Rambo from Oklahoma, and CB Tyrique Stevenson from Georgia. Is Diaz open to adding more transfers over the summer and counting them towards the 2022 class?
“If you don’t get a new initial scholarship (count), you can’t add another player,” Diaz said. “That’s where everyone is going to be tapped out - without having to count them forward. It puts you in a spot where it’s difficult to add players. If we’re not at 85, I know there are some other programs way below the 85 number because they’ve had massive attrition. And you’ll never be able to get back to 85. You lose 20 seniors, are below 85, that’ll never get you back whole.”
Diaz also mentioned that spring football will begin the week of March 13, but no decisions have been made on if a spring game will be held for fans to attend.
“We’re still waiting to see if the dead period is lifted April 15,” Diaz said. “We’re going to take our time. Fans, media (at practices), I don’t know.”
As for the injury status of players, Diaz shared some updates.
On QB D’Eriq King: “He’s so eager to get back, anything he’s allowed to do he’s doing. He’s working hard in rehab, everything encouraging so far. It’s about him meeting his benchmarks.”
On S Avantae Williams: “We’re still waiting, has an appointment coming up the next few weeks.”
Diaz added CB Al Blades was in the same boat as Williams, that RB Jaylan Knighton should be able to compete in spring drills off injury, and that OL Issiah Walker will be available in spring as well.
Miami will have 12 players on scholarship at WR for the 2021, a comparatively high number at the spot when looking at recent years in the program, and Diaz was asked how he expected to balance the sheer volume of players at the spot.
“You can play with 12 at wide receiver, that’s what we want,” Diaz said. “For us to go the tempo we want to play at, we want guys we can roll in. We’re excited about having depth. The whole football team should think we’re in great competition this spring, because we have so much depth back.”
Diaz also touched on the 8 new freshmen from the 2021 class that have enrolled for spring ball and will participate in their first college camp next month.
“All they’re doing is lifting weights, going to class, the training table and those kind of things. We’re just happy they’re here,” Diaz said.
From Diaz’s perspective, he believes one of the biggest differences in the recruiting world now compared to a few years ago is how early you have to get on prospects and start building relationships.
“The biggest change is the speed in which the evaluations come, how early the recruiting process starts. Recruiting used to be you go out in May of the junior year and find out who the players were,” Diaz said. “There are times now that if you haven’t offered a sophomore, you’re last to the offering party. You’re offering off a lot less information at times. As a result, the recruiting process takes a lot longer.”
Brutally polite way of saying his confidence in Baker (now gone) and Rumph (staying for now) has greatly diminished. 
