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CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Head coach Manny Diaz announced staff hires and promotions for the University of Miami football program Thursday, covering the areas of recruiting, quality control and player development.
“We are thrilled to have our football staff in place as we approach the start of spring football,” Diaz said. “This is a group that firmly believes in our vision and culture and will help us achieve excellence in all facets of the program going forward.”
In the recruiting department, the Hurricanes have hired Andy Vaughn as director of player personnel and elevated David Cooney to director of recruiting and DeMarcus Van Dyke to assistant director of recruiting. In addition, Tyler Stevens has been promoted to coordinator / player personnel.
Vaughn comes to Coral Gables after serving the past season as senior director of recruiting and high school relations at the University of Arizona. Before his stint in Tucson, Vaughn was the director of football and recruiting operations at Nebraska for three years. He has also worked in football operations at Middle Tennessee State (2008-12) and Clemson (2003-06). Vaughn played tight end at North Greenville University and also holds a master’s degree from Florida State.
Cooney worked as a quality control assistant on offense for the Hurricanes the past two seasons. Before arriving at UM, he was the offensive coordinator at Miami Southridge High School, helping the Spartans capture the 2016 State 8A title.
Van Dyke, a UM graduate and four-year NFL veteran at cornerback, served as quality control analyst for the defense last season. Van Dyke was drafted in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. He also played for Pittsburgh and Minnesota. Van Dyke played four seasons (2007-2010) for the Hurricanes, starting 21 games and amassing 80 tackles, 10 passes defensed and three interceptions.
Stevens arrived at UM as a player personnel assistant in May 2017 and was promoted to on-campus recruiting coordinator in February 2018. He previously spent two seasons as a graduate assistant at Georgetown. Stevens graduated from Frostburg State, where he lettered in football as a wide receiver.
“We are excited to welcome Andy to the UM family,” Diaz said. “He has an extensive background in evaluating players and coordinating recruiting efforts, and will provide experienced leadership to the overall structure of our recruiting operation.
“The transition from coaching to recruiting has been seamless for David and DeMarcus. They both bring a tremendous amount of energy to talent acquisition and building those critical relationships with recruits, family members and high school coaches. Tyler will continue to be a great asset to our recruiting department.”
The Hurricanes have also finalized the quality control analysts and coaches on staff. Joel Rodriguez, who previously served as director of player development, is now Miami’s senior quality control analyst / offense. Rodriguez graduated from Miami in 2005 after playing offensive line for four seasons (2001-04). He previously coached at Fordham, where he was the run game coordinator for three seasons, and Bryant, where he was the offensive line coach for four seasons.
Mike Zuckerman has been promoted to senior quality control analyst / defense. Zuckerman enters his sixth season at Miami, having spent three years as a graduate assistant (2014-16) and two seasons as quality control analyst (2017-18). Zuckerman, who spent two years as a member of the coaching staff at Rutgers, graduated from Miami in 2012 and was a former student assistant.
Miami has hired three new quality control coaches – Jesse Stone and David Parker on offense, and Jesse Byrd on defense.
Stone spent the past three seasons as a graduate assistant for offense at Georgia. He is a 2015 graduate of Arkansas, where he served as a student assistant under Hurricanes offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Dan Enos. Parker spent the past two seasons as a defensive quality control coach at Minnesota. Prior to that, he was a defensive quality control coach for one season at Arkansas, where he graduated in 2015. Byrd is entering his third season at Miami after spending last season as a defensive assistant and the 2017 season as a player personnel assistant. He previously served as offensive graduate assistant at Lenoir-Rhyne and a volunteer assistant at California University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated in 2013.
“We are fortunate in that we have a group of quality control analysts and coaches who collectively bring a lot of knowledge and experience to the table,” Diaz said.
Jorge Baez, entering his sixth season at Miami, will serve as director of player development. Alex Devine, who spent the past three seasons as a Miami graduate assistant, is now assistant director of player development. Devine was a two-year student assistant at Mississippi State before coming to UM.
“Jorge has done a tremendous job in helping our players manage all of their responsibilities off the field and thrive as student-athletes,” Diaz said. “Alex knows our players well and will be a great addition to Jorge’s department.”
“We are thrilled to have our football staff in place as we approach the start of spring football,” Diaz said. “This is a group that firmly believes in our vision and culture and will help us achieve excellence in all facets of the program going forward.”
In the recruiting department, the Hurricanes have hired Andy Vaughn as director of player personnel and elevated David Cooney to director of recruiting and DeMarcus Van Dyke to assistant director of recruiting. In addition, Tyler Stevens has been promoted to coordinator / player personnel.
Vaughn comes to Coral Gables after serving the past season as senior director of recruiting and high school relations at the University of Arizona. Before his stint in Tucson, Vaughn was the director of football and recruiting operations at Nebraska for three years. He has also worked in football operations at Middle Tennessee State (2008-12) and Clemson (2003-06). Vaughn played tight end at North Greenville University and also holds a master’s degree from Florida State.
Cooney worked as a quality control assistant on offense for the Hurricanes the past two seasons. Before arriving at UM, he was the offensive coordinator at Miami Southridge High School, helping the Spartans capture the 2016 State 8A title.
Van Dyke, a UM graduate and four-year NFL veteran at cornerback, served as quality control analyst for the defense last season. Van Dyke was drafted in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. He also played for Pittsburgh and Minnesota. Van Dyke played four seasons (2007-2010) for the Hurricanes, starting 21 games and amassing 80 tackles, 10 passes defensed and three interceptions.
Stevens arrived at UM as a player personnel assistant in May 2017 and was promoted to on-campus recruiting coordinator in February 2018. He previously spent two seasons as a graduate assistant at Georgetown. Stevens graduated from Frostburg State, where he lettered in football as a wide receiver.
“We are excited to welcome Andy to the UM family,” Diaz said. “He has an extensive background in evaluating players and coordinating recruiting efforts, and will provide experienced leadership to the overall structure of our recruiting operation.
“The transition from coaching to recruiting has been seamless for David and DeMarcus. They both bring a tremendous amount of energy to talent acquisition and building those critical relationships with recruits, family members and high school coaches. Tyler will continue to be a great asset to our recruiting department.”
The Hurricanes have also finalized the quality control analysts and coaches on staff. Joel Rodriguez, who previously served as director of player development, is now Miami’s senior quality control analyst / offense. Rodriguez graduated from Miami in 2005 after playing offensive line for four seasons (2001-04). He previously coached at Fordham, where he was the run game coordinator for three seasons, and Bryant, where he was the offensive line coach for four seasons.
Mike Zuckerman has been promoted to senior quality control analyst / defense. Zuckerman enters his sixth season at Miami, having spent three years as a graduate assistant (2014-16) and two seasons as quality control analyst (2017-18). Zuckerman, who spent two years as a member of the coaching staff at Rutgers, graduated from Miami in 2012 and was a former student assistant.
Miami has hired three new quality control coaches – Jesse Stone and David Parker on offense, and Jesse Byrd on defense.
Stone spent the past three seasons as a graduate assistant for offense at Georgia. He is a 2015 graduate of Arkansas, where he served as a student assistant under Hurricanes offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Dan Enos. Parker spent the past two seasons as a defensive quality control coach at Minnesota. Prior to that, he was a defensive quality control coach for one season at Arkansas, where he graduated in 2015. Byrd is entering his third season at Miami after spending last season as a defensive assistant and the 2017 season as a player personnel assistant. He previously served as offensive graduate assistant at Lenoir-Rhyne and a volunteer assistant at California University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated in 2013.
“We are fortunate in that we have a group of quality control analysts and coaches who collectively bring a lot of knowledge and experience to the table,” Diaz said.
Jorge Baez, entering his sixth season at Miami, will serve as director of player development. Alex Devine, who spent the past three seasons as a Miami graduate assistant, is now assistant director of player development. Devine was a two-year student assistant at Mississippi State before coming to UM.
“Jorge has done a tremendous job in helping our players manage all of their responsibilities off the field and thrive as student-athletes,” Diaz said. “Alex knows our players well and will be a great addition to Jorge’s department.”
