Manny Diaz was named the 23rd head football coach at Duke University on December 7, 2023, marking the start of a new chapter in Durham. In his first season leading the Blue Devils, Diaz guided the program to a 9-4 record, including a 5-3 mark in ACC play and victories over in-state rivals such as North Carolina, NC State and Wake Forest. The 9 wins represented the second-most in a single season in program history and included a bowl appearance in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. Among his defensive metrics, Duke ranked second nationally in tackles for loss per game (8.9) and second in fumbles recovered (14) under his leadership.
Before arriving at Duke, Diaz built a resume of defensive prowess and leadership at several major programs. He served as the defensive coordinator at the University of Penn State from 2022-23, where his unit was among the nation’s best in multiple categories. Prior to that, Diaz was head coach at the University of Miami (2019-21) and held key defensive coordinator roles at Miami, Mississippi State, Texas, Middle Tennessee and NC State. Diaz, a native of Miami, graduated from Florida State University in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in communications.
