Miami football and Manny Diaz adjust for different contingencies

Manny Diaz and the Miami football program are adjusting to the many different contingencies that 2020 college football season could entail.

In an extensive interview on Hochman and Crowder on WQAM on Thursday Miami football head coach Manny Diaz discussed the preparation he and his staff and the school administration are going through. Diaz has been able to rely on University of Miami President Julio Frenk who is a world-renowned expert on pandemics.

Before coming to Miami, Frenk has held multiple jobs in health. Frenk was the health minister of Mexico from 2000-2006. Diaz told hosts Marc Hochman and Channing Crowder that he has learned from Frenk that big decisions do not need to be made until the big decisions need to be made.

Diaz has been guiding the Miami football team by keeping the team on a daily schedule that includes zoom meetings by position groups to begin each day. The players have had to work out on their own and largely be accountable to each other with the majority scattered across the country back at their homes.

Keeping his players and staff on a daily routine has been critical in keeping everyone on a similar schedule to get ready for the 2020 season whenever it commences. A lot of information and scenarios have been discussed publically. Diaz previously stated he is keeping the players focused on what they can control.

"“I’m actually kind of amazed how quickly the days go by. I can’t believe we’re already in May. We’ve actually fallen into a pretty good routine that’s taken us through, basically, our spring semester. He’s (Frenk) a great leader.Gather all the data, don’t worry about making the big decisions until the big decisions need to be made, plan for all different types of variants that can come up, but I would say, again, from his standpoint that there is an optimism, but it all along it still all depends on everybody doing the right thing.”"

Getting the staff and players ready for the Miami football season is a difficult task with many different unknown scenarios that could occur. Diaz stressed the importance of playing a full football season and that that is what the players and staff want. Diaz knows the potential of not starting the season on-time.

"“What we do understand is the importance of playing a full season. I think that’s what the players want. For sure, I know that’s what the coaches want.We want to play a full season and obviously we want to start on time, but the people who are making the big decisions are aware of all the contingencies that we may have to adjust to make that happen.“What we are working on is different scenarios of ready to play, so if the season starts on this date and we’re allowed to report back on that date, what does our practice look like if we’ve got this many weeks, if we have that many weeks to prepare?That’s what we’re all trying to be uniform on is that everybody is starting at the same time and on a level playing field."

Adjusting to the 2020 season with a largely new offensive coaching staff and a graduate transfer quarterback D’Eriq King is a difficult adjustment in normal circumstances. King has been in contact with the other Miami offensive players and quickly shown the leadership Diaz wants out of his QB.

New offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee is having to adjust to a new home, new staff including he and Diaz hiring Garin Justice as offensive line coach and Rob Likens as wide receivers coach and getting to know the players. With the unknown the prevailing factor at this point, Diaz is keeping everyone focused.