Was dual role of head coach/defensive coordinator too much for Miami’s Manny Diaz?
As the Hurricanes began to prepare for the Virginia Tech Hokies earlier this week, Miami coach Manny Diaz faced a question he has heard previously this season, but this time with more games behind him to reflect on numbers and situations.
“With the benefit of hindsight, do you think in some ways taking on the dual role of head coach plus defensive coordinator was maybe more challenging than you thought it might be?”
Diaz, whose Canes (5-5, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) kick off against the Hokies (5-5, 3-3) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium, explained that you could say that “if you were assuming that would be the reason why the numbers are the way the numbers are.”
“We’ve had our challenges this year defensively,’’ the coach said. “We’re in Week 11, and it’s been hard for us to get settled in our secondary. We’ve had guys in and out of the lineup and then we finally kind of get James [Williams] going and then James is out,’’ Diaz said of the freshman safety, now ailing with a “soft tissue issue’’ believed to be a hip injury he sustained Saturday at FSU.
Fellow freshman safety Avantae Williams replaced Williams in the second half, “playing 54 snaps in Tallahassee in his fourth ever college game,’’ Diaz said. “And [freshman safety] Kam [Kinchens] back there playing 77 snaps. Those guys are competing and fighting their tails off. Getting our best four, getting our best five and eventually our best six... That’s been a part of our inconsistency this year.
“So yeah, it’s always hard to say, ‘Here’s the reason why we’re having the issues we’re having. But at this point we’re just trying to get better every week and trying to find ways to play winning defense.’’
Diaz pointed to FSU’s one-play, 12-yard touchdown run immediately after an interception thrown by Tyler Van Dyke. It was FSU’s only touchdown until the one that led to the 1-yard game-winning plunge after the fourth-and-14 play in which FSU got a 24-yard completion on the play that “will haunt me forever.’’
‘Hard pill’
“Generally speaking, the Miami-Florida State game, that’s probably an improvement on performance from where we’ve been over the past few weeks,’’ Diaz said. “That’s what makes not finishing the game such a hard pill to swallow.”
Diaz went on to say he is “blessed” to have “a phenomenal defensive staff.’’
“There would be a greater concern if the team wasn’t playing. To me, the fight, the energy, the motivation, the emotional toughness of the football team reflects what our program is all about. That’s the foundation for everything we do successfully going forward. The part as coaches is we need to get our guys to continue to execute better than what we saw on Saturday in crucial moments so that we can function when you’re in highly stressful situations.”
Comparing numbers
Comparatively, when Blake Baker was the defensive coordinator last season, UM finished 67th of 127 FBS teams nationally in total defense, allowing 408.1 yards a game. Now, after 10 games, UM also is allowing 408 yards a game (87th of 130 teams).
In run defense, UM finished 76th last season, allowing 174.5 yards a game. Now the Canes have improved to 52nd, allowing 137.9.
In passing yards allowed, the Canes were 65th last year, allowing 233.9 yards a game. Now they’re 115th, allowing 270.2.
And in scoring defense, Miami allowed 27 points a game at the end of the season. Now they’re allowing 30 — 95th nationally.
Hokies’ offense
Offensively, the Hokies are ranked 98th in total offense, averaging 359.5 yards a game. They’re 59th in rushing offense, with 173.1 yards a game.
Virginia Tech, led by quarterback Braxton Burmeister, is 110th in passing offense (186.4 yards a game) and 99th in scoring (21.3 points a game).
▪ Note that defensively, the Hokies are 15th nationally in passing yards allowed. UM quarterback Tyler Van Dyke is 18th in passing yards per game, with 274.1.
▪ As of Friday, Miami was a 7 1/2-to-8-point favorite over Virginia Tech.
