Miami football: 5 unrealistic options to replace Manny Diaz

The losses have piled up and the seat is getting warmer for Miami Hurricanes coach Manny Diaz. Fans are clamoring for a change but some of those options are just a bit unrealistic.

Miami football fans are clamoring for a head coaching change. Manny Diaz is on the hot seat in South Florida and the once-prestigious program is likely to move on.

Once arriving at Miami under then-head coach Mark Richt, Diaz’s defense was the talk of the town, potentially the country. In 2017 he was the mastermind behind a defense that led the nation in sacks and ranked inside the top 10 in turnovers and tackles for loss. In his final season as a coordinator, Diaz oversaw a top-five ranked defense.

Overall his record sits at 16-15 in Miami entering Week 8. As fans scream for a change, it is not just the record that bothers the Hurricane faithful. Diaz has struggled against the best teams. It is one thing getting toppled by ACC teams like North Carolina, or upset by a frisky Virginia Tech team. It is another to show that you do not belong among the nation’s best by getting embarrassed whenever they played.

This season’s opening loss to Alabama showed that, as did last year’s blowout against Clemson and so did the 2019 opener against Florida. Diaz’s team consistently struggled against the best.

With his tenure looking likely to meet an end soon, there will be realistic options to replace Diaz. However, Miami fans are looking to restore the glory the program once had. That is why there are fans looking outside of the box for a coaching hire, or to “make a splash”. Here are five unrealistic options that have been floated by Miami fans.

Could Miami turn to former Hurricanes players to be the next head coach?

5. Ed Reed

Ed Reed is many things. One of the best safeties of all time both in college and the NFL. A fantastic recruiter; just look at those freshman safeties currently starting in the secondary. A brand ambassador; he reps The U everywhere he goes. He is also a former coach in the NFL who is currently working for Miami.

With Diaz looking to be on his way out it is no surprise for the Miami fans to be chomping at the bit for Reed to take over. He reminds them of the glory days where the Hurricanes were a perennial powerhouse. He is currently working for the school in an official role as “Chief of Staff”.

Unfortunately for those fans, Reed as head coach would be a major stretch. He has only coached for one season in his entire life, as an assistant defensive backs coach under Rex Ryan for the Buffalo Bills. Even in his current role, he reportedly does not have any impact on the gameday planning.

Reed, in fact, took to Twitter to ensure everyone that he is currently the Chief of Staff and not the coach.

It makes a ton of sense to keep Reed on staff in some capacity. He certainly brings a lot of excitement to the program and can help with recruiting. In a coaching capacity, however, the experience will be needed to get this program resembling anything that could win the ACC, never mind competing for a national championship.