Miami Hurricanes turnovers in 2017 were by design not luck

Contrary to what many detractors of the Miami Hurricanes 2017 season have said the turnovers produced last season were by design and not luck. One Florida State blog, in particular, cannot accept the Miami success of 2017

The Miami Hurricanes turnover chain was a brilliant concept developed by Defensive Coordinator Manny Diaz. The chain was created with the idea to give his defensive players a goal to work towards when a turnover is forced.

After struggling to force turnovers in 2016, Diaz and Head Coach Mark Richt made it a point of emphasis for the Miami Hurricanes defense to force turnovers in 2017. In Diaz’s first season Miami was 67th Nationally in forcing turnovers overall, 100th in interceptions and 51st in fumble recoveries.

Diaz and Richt worked with the players last summer on being more aggressive in an attempt to force more turnovers last season. It worked. The Miami Hurricanes defense was third in the nation in forcing turnovers in 2017, 14th in interceptions and eighth in fumble recoveries.

Live Feed

Victory Bell Rings

The detractors will say that is proof that Diaz and his defense were lucky. That view merely proved ignorance and is not at all based in fact. These bloggers that are constantly bashing the 2017 Hurricanes as being lucky are akin to opening one’s mouth without thinking.

All you have to do is take a look at Diaz’s extensive history as a Defensive Coordinator to see that his teams historically ranked among the best in the country at forcing turnovers. Diaz began his career as a Defensive Coordinator and Position Coach at Middle Tennessee State from 2006-09.

Diaz’s first two years as a Coordinator for the Blue Raiders he also coached the safeties. In his final two years as the Defensive Coordinator in Murfreesboro, he also coached the linebackers.