Miami's Manny Diaz Reportedly Has 'Good Chance' to Keep Job Amid Struggles

Miami head coach Manny Diaz may not fall victim to college football's frenzied coaching carousel.

Matt Zenitz of On3.com reported the indications are "there’s a good chance" Diaz remains in his current post with the Hurricanes.

His job security has been a topic of discussion throughout the 2021 season as Miami opened the year at 2-4 before winning five of its final six regular-season games.

Assuming he is back, Diaz may not have a ton of runway in 2022.

CBSSports.com's Jerry Palm projects Miami to play in the Sun Bowl on Dec. 31. Despite the team's strong finish, seven wins and an invitation to a mid-tier bowl probably doesn't qualify as a success in Coral Gables, Florida.

Diaz didn't build a ton of equity in his first two years, either, as the Hurricanes went 14-10.

More than anything, a major coaching change can often follow the arrival of a new athletic director. Miami fired athletic director Blake James, with deputy athletic director Jenn Strawley replacing him on an interim basis.

A new AD may not feel all that invested in Diaz since he or she wasn't responsible for hiring him in the first place. Another middling season may be all James' successor needs to see before pivoting in a new direction.

And if the current hiring cycle has shown anything, it's that poaching prominent head coaches may be easier than some thought. Almost nobody foresaw Lincoln Riley ditching Oklahoma for USC or Brian Kelly leaving Notre Dame behind for LSU.

The heyday of "The U" under Jimmy Johnson and Dennis Erickson was 30 years ago, and Miami's last national title was 20 years ago. The Hurricanes aren't LSU or even USC.

But a savvy athletic director could sell a coach on Miami by pointing to a talent-rich recruiting area and a reasonably easy path to the College Football Playoff.

Outside of Clemson, there isn't another consistent contender in the ACC, and the Tigers' performance this year raised some questions about whether their dominance in the conference will continue.

The idea of returning Miami to relevance could be a tantalizing prospect, though it's one that has largely failed as a sales pitch of late—the hiring of Mark Richt aside.

Of course, Jim Harbaugh is an example of how quickly the narrative can turn on a head coach. Entering the 2021 season, Harbaugh's tenure at Michigan looked to be shaky at best. One Big Ten East title and win over Ohio State later, the 57-year-old looks rejuvenated in Ann Arbor.

Maybe Diaz can enjoy a similar breakthrough next year, which would make life a lot easier for Miami's administration.