The Duke Blue Devils just made a huge move for their college football program. Recently, it was announced that head coach Mike Elko was leaving the Blue Devils to pursue the Texas A&M head coach position. Now, Duke has responded promptly with a big name of their own.
Duke Blue Devils Hire Manny Diaz
The Duke Blue Devils have announced that they are going to hire Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz to be their next head coach. The report comes from Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports. This comes after one of the best defensive seasons ever for Penn State. The Nittany Lions allowed the fewest yards per game in the nation.
This will not be Diaz’s first stint in the ACC. He was head coach of the Miami Hurricanes from 2019-2021. Before that, he was the defensive coordinator for Miami from 2016-2018.
The Penn State Nittany Lions had a great season in 2023 despite falling short of the College Football Playoff. They finished the year 10-2. Now, they are rewarded with a New Year’s Six bowl appearance. They get ready to take on the Ole Miss Rebels in the Peach Bowl.
Replacing Mike Elko
Diaz will have big shoes to fill with Elko departing to Texas A&M. He was only the head coach of the Duke Blue Devils for two seasons. However, he certainly left his stamp with the school.
The Duke Blue Devils have a combined record of 16-9 over the last two years. While that may not be the best in the country, it is extremely notable considering where the program was in the years prior. They had a 5-18 combined record in the two previous years.
Before Duke starts the next chapter of their football program, they will finish the 2023 season in the Birmingham Bowl against the Troy Trojans.
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