Game Coverage

Diaz’s ‘presence’ inspires defense for Penn State

By Neil Rudel

nrudel@altoonamirror.com

Manny Diaz's father, Manny Sr., is the former mayor of Miami (2001-09) who remains a statewide leader in Florida politics.

Both are used to addressing groups -- whether it's a city or a group of constituents or a football team.

"When my father was mayor, I was already in coaching," Penn State's defensive coordinator was saying Thursday as the Nittany Lions prepared for today's unbeaten battle at Michigan (noon, Fox). "It's not like I was the politician's kid growing up. That being said, I've been able to use him as a resource in a lot of ways - what it takes to lead a city, as opposed to a defense or a football program.

"We've had a lot of conversions about leadership -- dealing with the press and when you're getting criticism or praise. I've been fortunate to learn from his experience, and we still communicate a lot."

Diaz's communication will be vital today.

If the Nittany Lions are to upset the Wolverines, it almost certainly will not be in an offensive shootout with Sean Clifford throwing the ball 40 times, and you would also expect both teams, with historically tough defenses, to keep each other's running game in reasonable check.

"This is going to be a physical game -- big-boy ball on both sides of the ball," James Franklin said. "I think for the most part we've played that way this year."

So one of the many intriguing subplots of this season-shaper centers around Diaz's ability to match wits with Michigan's offense, which leads the nation in completion percentage at 74.1.

Penn State leads the Big Ten in turnover margin, and Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy has been picked off just once (Clifford only has two interceptions.)

The Nittany Lions' defensive strength has been their secondary. Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. leads the nation in pass breakups with 10, and Kalen King, on the opposite side, has the second-highest rating in single-coverage in the country, per Pro Football Focus. Ji'Ayir Brown is among the nation's top safeties.

"We want to get our pass defenders on the field," Diaz said. "We are blessed with depth in our secondary."

In addition to pressuring McCarthy and holding up on the back end, Penn State's linebackers -- a team doubt entering the season -- will get their biggest test trying to contain Blake Corum and the UM rushing attack.

"People were questioning them (LBs) in the offseason as to whether they could or could not," Diaz said. "I think with all of them, the real key now is, we always say, 'greatness is being consistently good. Can you do it down after down, and can you do it every game?' Certainly, when you play a team like Michigan, they're going to ask you that question down after down."

After losing his longtime right-hand man, Brent Pry, to Virginia Tech, Franklin was fortunate to land Diaz, who had been let go prematurely after three seasons and a 21-15 record as Miami's head coach.

Franklin called Diaz "the head coach of our defense, similar to what Brent was."

Penn State is Diaz's sixth stop as a DC, and in each case his head coach, like Franklin, had an offensive background.

"Manny's got a presence when he addresses the defense," Franklin said, "but I think it's been good for our offense to hear some of the things (he says) as well."

As to where his career is headed, Diaz is looking no further than today and this season. He was actually hired in 2018 by current PSU athletic director Pat Kraft as Temple's head coach (prior to Kraft going to Boston College) but regretfully changed gears two weeks later to take the job with his hometown Hurricanes.

"You just don't think about it," Diaz said of future plans. "In this profession, when you start to look in the future, bad things happen in the present. I'm fortunate to be the defensive coordinator at Penn State."

A big part of being a head coach today is the enormous role it includes as club spokesman - to players, recruits, parents, boosters, media and fans.

As Diaz spoke Thursday, he combined thoughtful remarks with a personality that almost certainly will bring him another head-coaching opportunity sooner than later.

Such as:

"Better teams will punish your mistakes. Our responsibility is do not create mistakes, and for the first five games, we've been pretty good there."

Or: "Right now, my focus is to hold the score down against Michigan."

Or: "Bloom where you're planted, and usually good things happen for you."

In other words, around 4 p.m. today, we'll be able to tell the outcome by the condition of the Big House garden.

Rudel can be reached at 814-946-7527 or nrudel@altoonamirror.com. You can also follow him on Twitter@neilrudel.