Manny Diaz 58th in Power 5 coaching rankings

Miami football head coach Manny Diaz is ranked 58th out of 65 in the rankings for Power Five head coaches by CBS Sports. Diaz moved down one spot from last season.

Miami football head coach Manny Diaz slipped one spot to 58th out of 65 Power Five head coaches in CBS Sports Power Rankings. Coming off of a 6-7 season there is a lot of doubt about the future of the Hurricanes. Diaz made widespread changes on offense and upgraded the roster in the transfer portal.

Those changes have to work out this season or at the very least Diaz will be on the hot seat in 2021. The Miami defense that Manny Diaz oversaw as defensive coordinator from 2016-18 continues to be one of the best in the country under his successors, Blake Baker and Ephraim Banda. That has to continue in 2020.

One of the biggest additions for Miami entering the 2020 season is Temple graduate transfer defensive end, Quincy Roche. Roche tied for seventh in the nation in 2019 with 13 sacks. His new teammate who he will play opposite from in 2020, rising redshirt sophomore Greg Rousseau was second with 15.5 sacks.

The additions of Roche and graduate transfers, quarterback D’Eriq King and kicker Jose Borregales are expected to make immediate impacts on the field. Diaz overhauled the offensive coaching staff for Miami. Offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee, WR coach Rob Likens and OL coach Garin Justice are new to Miami.

"58 Miami (Fla.)Manny Diaz: He entered the rankings for the first time at No. 57 last year and dropped only a spot after a 6-7 season at Miami. Of course, I’m not sure that’s much comfort considering five of the seven coaches below Diaz weren’t in the Power Five last season.With a retooled coaching staff and D’Eriq King coming in, let’s see where he sits next year. 2019 rank: 57 (-1)"

Diaz will have a chance to move up that list when Miami plays at Michigan State on September 26. New Spartans coach Mel Tucker is 55th after moving up three spots from 2019. Tucker was 5-7 in his only season leading Colorado in 2019 and his first season as a college head coach. Tucker was 2-3 an NFL interim head coach.

Michigan State is further away from winning than Miami is. The Spartans have had off the field troubles over the past few years. Former coach Mark Dantonio did not leave a lot of talent for Tucker. Michigan State finished 7-6 in 2019 after a Pinstripe Bowl victory. Dantonio did not resign until February 4.

Dantonio resigned one day before National Signing Day. Diaz at least had over a month before the traditional National Signing Day when he was hired in December 2018. The only two returning coaches who are ranked lower than Diaz are Mike Locksley of Maryland and Geoff Collins of Georgia Tech.

Miami lost to the Yellow Jackets in 2019. Georgia Tech faces more of a rebuilding job than Miami and defeated the Hurricanes in 2019. Collins was a proven winner at Temple. Ironically, Diaz was hired to succeed Collins with the Owls before returning to Coral Gables less than three weeks later to succeed Mark Richt.