Manny Diaz settles in as Penn State’s defensive coordinator
Diaz wants his defense to get into the opposing backfield more -- sacks and other tackles for a loss are a priority.
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It’s only been a few months since Manny Diaz was officially named as Penn State’s defensive coordinator. With turnover throughout much of the defensive roster, the former University of Miami head coach certainly has a lot of work to do.
Just a handful of practices into his tenure, Diaz is still getting acquainted with the team, but according to James Franklin “he’s growing” more comfortable with the squad.
“He’s done a really good job in meetings,” Franklin said following Wednesday’s practice. “He’s got a presence to him. I like how he views the game of football and how he leads.”
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Diaz is also the linebackers coach, and while he may have lost the likes of Brandon Smith and Ellis Brooks, he’s still got Curtis Jacobs, who had 52 total tackles during his sophomore campaign.
Although he joked that he initially expected Diaz to be taller, Jacobs noted the “fiery” new defensive coordinator has been focusing a lot on the fundamentals with his group.
“He’s been emphasizing big on tackling, big on stopping the run,” Jacobs said. “The main thing to take from him is just be aggressive.”
On the defensive line, Diaz said getting pressure is the best kind of pass coverage, noting Penn State wants to see an increase in its sacks and tackles for loss.
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What Diaz adds to the program following Brent Pry won’t be fully apparent until Penn State kicks off against Purdue on Sept. 1. Franklin mentioned “tweaks” to the defense that players and coaches see as “beneficial.”
One tweak Diaz did mention was slotting Jacobs in at the Will (or weak-side) linebacker spot.
“He’s at home at the Will, I think he’s made for the spot,” Diaz said. “When you’re looking for what you want a Will linebacker to be, he ticks all those boxes.”
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There are still plenty of holes in the Penn State defense, but to Diaz that’s just a part of the game now.
“[Players leave] but what doesn’t change is the standard,” Diaz said. “The names aren’t the same but the expectation of how they need to play does not change. Our guys are excited about that and want to step up.”