Duke football head coach Manny Diaz has been nothing short of spectacular through his first season and a half in Durham, as he looks to bring the first ACC Championship to Duke since 1989 this year. However, the growing buzz between Diaz and the Penn State head coaching vacancy will definitely cause some unease for the Blue Devil faithful. Diaz has ties to Penn State, as he spent two seasons under former Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin as a defensive coordinator. With PSU, Diaz put together one of the top defensive units the nation had to offer, and he's been one of the top defensive minds in college football throughout his coaching career. The latest news linking Diaz to University Park is not something Duke fans want to hear.
Buzz continues to grow linking Manny Diaz to Penn State HC opening
In recent weeks, both Matt Rhule and Urban Meyer, two of the hottest names linked to the opening, were essentially crossed off the list. Rhule signed an extension with Nebraska, and it was reported that talks with Meyer fell through. With the list getting shorter, Diaz's name pops up more and more.
In 2023, Diaz built Penn State to have the No. 1-ranked defense in the nation and has a relationship with PSU Athletic Director Pat Kraft. And now, this recent prediction from YardBarker will make Duke fans anxious.
"From a program-identity standpoint, hiring Diaz doubles down on the part of Penn State that already travels in November, or at least jaded to. He’s commanded defenses that dictate games. His PSU units were built on pressure, havoc, and depth; that’s exactly how you survive a Big Ten landscape that just added more heavyweights—and how you level the Michigan/Ohio State gap while you modernize the offense with your next OC hire."
Diaz has built elite defenses wherever he's had control, and that's continued through his time with Duke. In 2024, Duke ranked second in the nation in tackles for loss (116), fourth in the nation in sacks (43), and 26th nationally in third-down conversion percentage (33.8). The Blue Devils haven't been as elite defensively in 2025, yet still rank 11th in the nation in tackles for loss (61.0) and sixth in the ACC in sacks (18).
Additionally, Diaz delivered the fourth season of nine or more wins in the history of the Duke program in 2024, leading the program to a 9-4 campaign. In 2025, the Blue Devils are 5-3 and are now the betting favorites to win the 2025 ACC Championship.
When the Penn State job first opened up, Diaz was asked about it. His response didn't exactly give confidence to Duke fans.
“I’ve already been through it," Diaz told reporters. "Look, there’s three things you go through when you’re a coach. You’re in the honeymoon phase, you’re in the please don’t leave phase, and you’re in the please leave now phase, right? And, what I just told you is it can change in three weeks,” Diaz said. “You have got to be present of where you are. And, the second you start thinking about what’s next, you’re about to get it.”
Duke would love to keep Diaz around, but with the hierarchy in today's landscape of college football, the Blue Devil faithful should certainly feel a bit of unease.