Miami football likely to hire Ephraim Banda’s replacement from outside program
The departure of co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Ephraim Banda to Utah State created an opening on the coaching staff for the Miami football team on Sunday.
The hiring of co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Ephraim Banda at Utah State has created an opening on the Miami football staff. Banda is expected to take the assistant director of recruiting Demarcus VanDyke with him as the cornerbacks’ coach for the Aggies. Van Dyke was a potential candidate to succeed Banda.
Van Dyke was a defensive back for Miami from 2007-10 who was a third-round pick of the New York Jets in 2011. Van Dyke was in his first season in his current position. Prior to that, Van Dyke was a defensive quality control analyst for the Miami football program. Banda’s replacement will likely come from outside the Hurricanes.
David Furones of the Sun-Sentinel reported on Sunday that Miami senior defensive analyst Mike Zuckerman will be inside linebackers coach at Utah State, assistant recruiting director and assistant director of player development Alex Devine will be a senior analyst to join Banda and Van Dyke in Logan, Utah.
That will create several openings for Miami head coach Manny Diaz to fill. Safeties coach is obviously the most important of those roles. Diaz doe not have to fill Banda’s role as co-defensive coordinator. If Diaz chooses to hire a new defensive coordinator at this point that would be to replace Blake Baker.
Baker is the most polarizing person in the Miami football program with the majority of Hurricanes fans wanting him to be replaced. Banda and the staff he is taking with him to Utah State are all joining the new coaches under Aggies head coach Blake Anderson. Anderson was hired from Arkansas State.
Next. Co-DC Ephraim Banda leaving creates change for Miami staff. dark
Miami could also be looking for a new defensive line coach. Todd Stroud who has been exceptional working for Miami could decide to step away with health issues that would be made worse by COVID. January has been a busy month for the Miami football program since Diaz took over in December 2018, which should continue.