Penn State head coach James Franklin talked on Monday afternoon about defensive coordinator Manny Diaz and the objectives of staff retention not far from the eventual start of the offseason.
While Diaz has not been officially linked to any head coach opportunities just yet, it stands to reason that the former Miami head coach and Broyles Award semifinalist will be sought after commodity in the coming months. Like always, Franklin noted that losing an assistant to a head coaching job is a far different thing than losing an assistant to a lateral move.
“I think as you guys know, every offseason that’s a challenge when you have good people and you have talented people,” Franklin said. We got to do everything we possibly can to retain them and for them to feel good and appreciated, and that’s with the entire staff. That’s with the entire staff. No doubt about it.”
If it comes down to simply the dollars and cents Penn State might only be able to do so much to keep Diaz on campus if other programs come calling. This season and last Diaz was receiving a share of a reported $6.5 to $8 million dollars Miami owed Diaz from his contract buyout with the Hurricanes, a figure which decreases by the amount Penn State is paying him. Diaz’s actual salary is unknown, but the most recent benchmark showed that former defensive coordinator Brent Pry made an upwards of $1.6 million per year according to the university’s mandatory list of top earners at the time.
Nevertheless with Miami’s buyout money set to expire heading into 2024, Diaz will effectively be taking a pay cut to stay at Penn State rather than pursue a head coaching job that would almost certainly pay him significantly higher than whatever Penn State could reasonably justify for an assistant coach salary. Franklin did not address the dynamic directly but he did reiterate the desire to continue to retain coaches who might depart for lateral moves. Effectively – if Diaz can go, and wants to go, Penn State isn’t going to stand in his way, or necessarily try to be unreasonably aggressive with any potential counter offers.
But if Diaz doesn’t find a job that fits his fancy, Franklin wants to make staying worth his while. Diaz has articulated a desire to be a head coach again, but has also alluded to making sure that move was the right fit.
“I think what we talked about in the past is what can we do and what do we need to do here at Penn State to make sure that guys don’t leave for lateral moves,” Franklin said. “To me, that’s really the main focus. We’ve got to make sure that assistants don’t leave for assistant positions and coordinators don’t leave to be coordinators. If guys have a chance for a clear, obvious promotion, we want that for him. We’d like to create a situation here for Manny and his family that he wants to be here until he has an opportunity to get a really good head coaching job that’s going to allow him to flourish. I think Brent [Pry] handled it probably as well as any. He had a great job, turned down a bunch of jobs waiting for the right one.”
“What happens is I think the older and the longer you’re in this profession you recognize that, right? It’s assistant coaches not leaving for titles. If the assistant coaches have an opportunity to go be the coordinator and call the offense or defense or special teams, then they should do that if that’s what they want to do professionally. But for myself and [Athletic Director] Pat Kraft and [Deputy AD for Internal Operations] Vinnie James, we’re going to try and go everything we possibly can to make sure that guys aren’t leaving for lateral moves. And to me, that’s the focus. The other opportunities, I think that’s in their best interest if it’s the right job, and it’s also I think a complement to what we’re doing here.”
In either case Diaz’s future with Penn State will be a key moment for the Nittany Lions’ future, especially as Franklin looks to replace offensive coordinate Mike Yurcich ahead of the Big Ten’s expansion and a pivotal 2024 Nittany Lion campaign.
