Manny Diaz Says He’s Happy at Duke Amid FSU Speculation
Duke coach Manny Diaz said on November 2 that he is content in Durham and focused on his team, as Florida State searches for a new head coach.
On November 2, Duke coach Manny Diaz addressed speculation that he could return to Florida State, his alma mater, to replace Mike Norvell. Diaz said he enjoys his job at Duke and had already told players and staff to concentrate on their work, including preparations for NC State. He also recalled similar rumors linking him to Penn State last year, adding that speculation tends to accompany success.
Florida State president Richard McCullough said on November 1 that Parker Executive Search would assist the university in hiring both an athletic director and a football coach. Diaz, who graduated from Florida State in 1995, started his coaching career as a Seminoles graduate assistant in 1998 and 1999, including a role on Bobby Bowden’s national championship staff in 1999.
Diaz has led Duke to a 6-2 record in his third season, following consecutive nine-win campaigns and the program’s first outright Atlantic Coast Conference title since 1962. His record at Duke is 24-11. Before joining Penn State as defensive coordinator and then taking the Duke job, he coached Miami, which dismissed him in 2021 after three seasons and a 21-15 record. Florida State’s search is expected to move quickly as the transfer window opens for winter and the early signing period approaches.