Manny Diaz favors comparably to other second-year ACC Coaches
Manny Diaz is one of four ACC football coaches entering their second season in 2020. As the Miami football program enters the 2020 football season they are in a similar position to the other schools entering the second season with a new head coach.
The Hurricanes went 1-2 in 2019 against Georgia Tech, Louisville and North Carolina who were also under new head coaches. Geoff Collins with the Yellow Jackets, Scott Satterwhite with the Cardinals and Mack Brown and Manny Diaz of Miami are all entering their second seasons in 2020.
Brown is in his second tenure in Chapel Hill. In 11 seasons with the Tar Heels, Brown is 76-52-1 in including 7-6 in 2019. Louisville finished 8-5 in 2019 and Georgia Tech was 3-9. Apropo of the 2019 Miami football season the Hurricanes defeated Louisville and lost to Georgia Tech and North Carolina.
Miami is in a similar place with the Cardinals and Tar Heels entering the 2020 ACC Football season. Louisville is projected to be the best team in the ACC Atlantic other than Clemson. Miami and North Carolina will be the likely favorites with Virginia Tech to win the Coastal in 2020. Georgia Tech is facing a massive rebuild.
All of Miami and North Carolina’s losses were by 10 points or less. Only the Hurricanes loss to Duke in the final regular-season game of 2019 in Durham prevented both teams from having all their losses by single digits. Miami’s lost 28-25 at North Carolina and 28-21 at home to Georgia Tech.
Both of those losses were preventable. The Hurricanes allowed North Carolina to convert a fourth and 17 from their own 40 yard-line on what was eventually the game-winning drive with under three minutes remaining. A 49-yard field goal attempt by the since transferred
missed wide with five seconds left.
The Miami loss to Georgia Tech was far more troubling against a Yellow Jackets team Miami should have defeated easily at home. Manny Diaz was set to succeed Collins at Temple after he left for Georgia Tech. Eighteen days after being named as Collins’ successor with the Owls, Diaz returned to Miami to replace Mark Richt who retired.
A breakdown in coverage during a fake punt by Georgia Tech cost Miami a touchdown. Three missed field goal attempts cost the Hurricanes a chance to win in regulation and Georgia Tech won 28-21 in overtime. Going forward Miami appears to be in a better place long term than Georgia Tech, UNC and Louisville.
Miami Hurricanes Football
Miami signed the 13th best class in the nation in 2020, North Carolina the 19th best class, Georgia Tech 26th and Louisville 42nd. The Hurricanes and Tar Heels appear to be poised to have the best seasons in 2020. Miami will be led by transfer quarterback D’Eriq King and UNC has sophomore Sam Howell returning at QB.
The Louisville offense improved significantly under Satterfield in 2019. Georgia Tech is in the middle of a massive overhaul on offense transforming from the triple-option of Collins’ successor Paul Johnson to a more traditional and modern offense. Miami crushed Louisville 52-27 at Hard Rock Stadium in November.
Miami replaces Louisville with Wake Forest as their second ACC crossover game in 2020. The Hurricanes will travel to Winston-Salem on October 9. The Wake Forest offense led by returning QB Sam Hartman will be a challenge for the Miami defense. Wake was 15th in the country in total offense in 2019 and UNC was 12th.
Georgia Tech finished the 2019 season 127th nationally on offense. After Miami sputtered a chance to win a game they were expected to last season, the Hurricanes have to travel to Atlanta in 2020. The loss was part of a disturbing trend Miami had in 2019 losing three games as a double-digit favorite.
Next. Manny Diaz thoroughly examined what makes Miami successful. dark
Based on the talent Miami has returning this season and who they added as freshmen the Hurricanes should be the best team led by a coach in the second year of his tenure. The game between Miami and North Carolina at Hard Rock Stadium October 24 could decide the winner of the ACC Coastal and which program is better.