Manny Diaz comments have slighted former Miami football Coach Mark Richt

Manny Diaz has made his presence known since being named the new Miami Football Coach. Diaz has made it clear he would like to create his own culture with the Miami football program. Have his comments gone too far and thrown his former boss Mark Richt under the bus?

Manny Diaz has routinely spoken openly about creating The New Miami. Diaz created the hashtag TNM on Twitter indicating The New Miami. Several of Diaz’s comments since he was hired to replace his former boss Mark Richt on December 30 have been about creating a new culture for the Miami football program.

There was no question that the Miami football program needed a new culture. Are the comments by Diaz throwing Richt under the bus? Diaz has made continual comments about the new attitude Miami needs. Diaz has not been diplomatic about what needs to be done to take the Miami football program to the next level.

Both in actions and comments, Diaz has been progressive and assertive. It began with firing the entire offensive coaching staff less than 24 hours after the former Miami Defensive Coordinator was hired. Included in those dismissals was Richt’s son Jon as Quarterbacks Coach.

Miami’s offense was anemic in 2018, particularly the passing game and quarterback play. Richt’s resignation as the Miami football coach was fueled mostly by his own stubbornness to not fire his son and Offensive Coordinator Thomas Brown. Brown played for Richt as a running back at Georgia.

Richt has long talked about the importance of loyalty. Diaz’s M.O. as the Miami Hurricanes Head Coach is doing what is best to put the program in position to win. Any coach should do that. Has it come of the expense of loyalty to his former boss?

Diaz appeared on Hurricane Hotline on WQAM on last week to discuss where Miami is at as a program in the offseason. Diaz told Miami play-by-play announcer Joe Zagacki and analyst Don Bailey Jr. that Miami has become a destination for college football players again.

The quotes were transcribed by the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson.

"“We’ve made this a place where our guys want to be again…If they do it out of obligation, you’re not going to get this extra bit out of them…We want an extraordinary standard of living. We want to be the envy of college football…We want all their friends (the players) to be jealous they’re not Miami Hurricanes. I want every other coach in the country to wish they could coach on this staff at the University of Miami.Hiring David Feeley as our strength and conditioning coach has done more to change our culture than anything.”"

Although Diaz would never say it directly, his comments and actions indicate that he did not agree with the culture that existed under Richt. Their personalities are very different. Richt is laid back, calm and gubernatorial. About as excited as Richt will get will be a hand pump. He did that after Miami’s touchdown to beat Florida State in 2017.

Diaz is more assertive, rah-rah and will mix it up with the players. In the first meeting and practice the team held after Diaz was hired to replace Richt, he mixed it up WWE style with his players.

Diaz made it a point of emphasis in his inaugural press conference as the Hurricanes Head Coach that the Miami football team will have fun.

"“We’re going to have fun, we’re going to play with passion. This is a tough city, this is a passionate city, the fans of the Miami Hurricanes, they want to see their teams play with toughness and they want to see their teams play with passion”"

Diaz also wanted his players to feel like they were transferring to a new school. That’s partially what precipitated the New Miami. While Diaz wants to create his own imprint on the Miami football program, it feels like another slight of Richt’s way of running the program.

In a preview of the Hurricanes spring practice commencing in less than two weeks, ESPN’s Andrea Adelson explained the thoughts behind Diaz wanting to create the New Miami.

"“As for Diaz, his main goal when he took over was for his players to feel like they were transferring to the new University of Miami, one with a greater sense of passion, purpose and, yes, swag.He revamped the strength and conditioning, too, hoping for better results. How quickly those results come will go a long way toward determining the mood around the program.”"

It has been a very eventful seven weeks since Diaz was hired. He has hired an entirely new offensive coaching staff plus Feeley as the Strength and Condition Coordinator. Next up will be an entirely new recruiting staff.

Recruiting Coordinator Matt Doherty and his staff were relieved of their jobs shortly after National Signing Day on February 6. With Spring Practice less than two weeks away, the roller coaster ride that has become the New Miami will continue.