Tag Archives: Miami Hurricanes

Manny Diaz Named Defensive Coordinator & Linebackers Coach at Penn State

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Manny Diaz is going on the defensive…

Penn State has announced the hiring of the 47-year-old Cuban American college football coach, the former Miami Hurricanes coach, as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.

Manny DiazDiaz replaces Brent Pry, who was announced as Virginia Tech‘s new head coach on November 30 after eight seasons at Penn State, including six as defensive coordinator.

“We are thrilled to add Manny Diaz as our defensive coordinator,” Penn State coach James Franklin said in a statement. “Manny is a veteran defensive play caller whose head coaching experience will bring tremendous value to our organization. … Manny’s defensive philosophy is in line with our scheme and will help in the transition with our current team.”

Diaz was fired by Miami on Monday after three years on the job. After weeks of speculation, he was replaced by Oregon Ducks coach Mario Cristobal, who played for the Hurricanes and served as an assistant under Larry Coker.

“The opportunity to lead Linebacker U is an honor and I will work every day to uphold that tradition,” Diaz said in a statement. “Penn State’s defense has been among the nation’s best, both historically and under Coach Franklin. I will continue to pursue excellence with our defensive unit on a daily basis. I can’t wait to get on the field with this talented group, to get to know them, and to ultimately develop them as football players, students and young men.”

Diaz was 21-15 in his three seasons at Miami after serving as the team’s defensive coordinator under Mark Richt.

He also has served on staffs at Mississippi State, Louisiana Tech, Texas, Middle Tennessee, NC State and Florida State during his 24 years of college coaching.

Mario Cristobal Returning to South Florida to Become University of Miami’s Head Football Coach

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Mario Cristobal is returning home…

The 51-year-old  51-year-old Cuban-American football coach has announced plans to leave the University of Oregon to become the University of Miami‘s head football coach.

Mario CristobalCristobal’s contract at Miami will be in the range of $8 million annually, and Miami also plans to pay his $9 million buyout at Oregon, according to ESPN.

“My family and I are excited to return home to the University of Miami, which has been so instrumental in shaping me as a person, player, and coach,” Cristobal said in a statement. “This program has an unparalleled tradition and an exciting future ahead of it. I can’t wait to compete for championships and help mold our student-athletes into leaders on and off the field who will make our University, our community, and our loyal fan base proud.”

Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens told reporters Monday that Miami never reached out to him to express interest in talking to Cristobal.

“The usual courtesy is to reach out to the institution, and that never happened,” he said.

However, he said he was well aware that Miami was interested in Cristobal.

“We understand that’s the alma mater, that’s home and all the elements that go into it,” he said.

Mullens said that he isn’t sure which assistant coaches will follow Cristobal to Miami. Once that becomes clear, Oregon will name an interim coach.

Cristobal informed Ducks players of his decision at a team meeting Monday in Eugene. Just before the Oregon meeting, Miami announced the firing of coach Manny Diaz and a forthcoming hire of Diaz’s replacement.

Cristobal is a Miami native, was a Hurricanes offensive lineman for two national championship teams, and a Miami assistant from 2004 to 2006.

Miami has aggressively pursued Cristobal for several weeks to replace Diaz, and it ramped up its efforts late last week. Oregon presented Cristobal with an enhanced contract offer to remain, which the coach acknowledged after Friday night’s loss to Utah in the Pac-12 championship game in Las Vegas. But Cristobal did not immediately accept Oregon’s offer, which The Oregonian reported was then withdrawn.

“Mario’s legacy as a student-athlete at the U is well established. And the standard for competitive excellence that he and his teammates helped establish is one to which we continue to aspire. Our selection, however, was not one based in nostalgia for a proud past, but rather in a bold vision for a promising future,” Miami president Julio Frenk said in the statement.

“The characteristics that helped Mario excel as a national championship-winning player — drive, determination, and discipline — continue to propel his success as a coach. In Mario we have found a head coach who shares our belief in providing student-athletes with the very best opportunities to succeed on and off the field, and our commitment to winning at the highest level.”

Cristobal, 51, went 35-13 at Oregon with two Pac-12 championships, a Rose Bowl win two years ago and three Pac-12 North titles. He joined the Ducks staff in 2017 as co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, then was promoted to head coach when Willie Taggart departed for Florida State. Cristobal served as Florida International‘s coach from 2007 to 2012, going 27-47 overall.

University of Oregon Offers Mario Cristobal an “Aggressive” Contract Extension

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The University of Oregon doesn’t want to lose Mario Cristobal…

The university has reported the 51-year-old Cuban-American football coach a contract extension in hopes of keeping him in Eugene, according to ESPN.

Mario CristobalThere’s increasing talk that Cristobal would be the main target at the University of Miami if the Hurricanes fire Manny Diaz.

Cristobal, a Miami native, played and coached at Miami. As a player, he won two national championships with the Hurricanes.

Sources told ESPN that this latest extension was “aggressive” and would be in the range of some of the other deals struck during this hiring cycle.

In his fourth season at Oregon, Cristobal has already received extensions two of the past three seasons. Last December, Cristobal received a new six-year, $27.3 million deal taking him through the 2025 season.

Counting incentives, including a Pac-12 championship, he could earn more than $5.5 million this season.

Oregon faces University of Utah on Friday night in the Pac-12 championship game.

Cristobal would owe Oregon a $9 million buyout if he leaves for another school before January 14.

The Oregonian first reported that Cristobal had a contract extension offer in front of him.

Canelo Alvarez Reportedly Planning to Fight Mandatory Challenger Avni Yildirim in February

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Canelo Alvarez isn’t waiting long to get back in the ring…

The 30-year-old Mexican boxer, the sport’s biggest star, will return to the ring on February 27 versus mandatory challenger Avni Yildirim at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, according to sources.

Canelo Alvarez

The fight will be broadcast on DAZN and other PPV cable platforms everywhere except Mexico.

It will be a stay-busy title defense for Alvarez (54-1-2, 36 KOs), who is coming off a dominant unanimous decision victory over previously undefeated champion Callum Smith on December 19 to win the WBA, WBC and the Ring magazine super middleweight titles.

 

The Athletic was the first to report the Alvarez fight date.

“Canelo is in the gym, and he has been working and training, waiting for the date,” Alvarez’s trainer, Eddy Reynoso, said. “And to take advantage of the preparation we had for most of last year without fighting.”

After a deal with Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn, Alvarez is on track to fight again on May 8, the weekend following Cinco de Mayo, against WBO super middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders. That bout is not official yet, but it is expected, with IBF champion Caleb Plant as a secondary option.

Alvarez (54-1-2, 36 KOs) has plans to unify the super middleweight division, with Saunders and Plant as the two other belt holders in the division.

Yildirim (21-2, 12 KOs) hasn’t fought since a February 2019 split technical decision loss to Anthony Dirrell. He has been Alvarez’s WBC mandatory challenger since before the Alvarez-Smith bout.

“Obviously it’s a very big fight for me. It makes me very proud to be on a stage like this, representing the Turkish people,” Yildirim told ESPN on Wednesday. “I know my opponent well. Of course, Canelo is one of the best in the world. But I know my value, and now the entire world will see who Avni Yildirim is.”

Alvarez and Reynoso wanted to fulfill their commitment to the WBC by fighting Yildirim before continuing their pursuit through the super middleweight champions.

“Yildirim is a strong fighter. He is a fighter who has earned his place in boxing to get to where he is as the No. 1 challenger in the world,” Reynoso said. “He had a fight against Anthony Dirrell, which seemed to me they took away from him, and gave it to Dirrell due to a cut. It was a world title fight, and [even with a loss], he became an official challenger. He is a guy who has worked honestly to be there, and he is dangerous, strong, has a good punch and very reliable.”

This will be Alvarez’s first bout in Miami, a place he has long enjoyed. Fans can be in attendance up to the COVID-19 pandemic capacity allowed at Hard Rock Stadium, where the Miami Dolphins and Miami Hurricanes play their home football games.

Larrañaga Wins 600th NCAA Career Game

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Jim Larrañaga has joined an elite club in the NCAA…

The University of Miami’s victory over Pittsburgh over the weekend has given the 67-year-old Cuban American head coach of the Miami men’s basketball program 600 career wins.

Jim Larrañaga

Miami’s Davon Reed ended the game with 18 points, Bruce Brown added 17, and the Hurricanes held the Panthers without a field goal for almost 10 minutes in a 72-46 blowout.

Miami (12-4, 2-2 ACC) ended a two-game losing streak by outrebounding Pitt 37-23 and holding the Panthers (12-6, 1-4) to just 34 percent shooting (18-of-53).

The Hurricanes scored 14 straight during a run that spanned the end of the first half and the beginning of the second to get all the breathing room they would need, then continued to pour it on to hand the Panthers their worst loss in the 15-year history of the Petersen Events Center.

Miami players celebrated the victory with Larrañaga in the locker room after the game.

Larrañaga’s 600 wins place him at 47th in all-time NCAA victories and 14th among active coaches. Of those 14, five are in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, including four from the Atlantic Coast Conference.

In his career, Larrañaga has won 27 games at American International, 170 at Bowling Green University, 273 at George Mason University and 130 at Miami. He is one of 15 coaches all-time with 100 or more wins at three D-I schools, four of whom are actively coaching. He is also 11th among active coaches in total games coached (995) and ninth in most seasons coached (33).

Larrañaga has posted 10 20-win seasons over his career, topped by the 29-7 mark at Miami in 2012-13, when the Canes won the ACC regular season Championship, ACC Tournament championship and played in the NCAA Sweet 16.

Active DI coaches by victories (after games on Jan. 12):

  1. Mike Krzyzewski, Duke 1,057
  2. Jim Boeheim, Syracuse 894
  3. Bob Huggins, West Virginia 805
  4. Roy Williams, North Carolina 798
  5. Rick Pitino, Louisville 759
  6. Rick Byrd, Belmont 741
  7. Cliff Ellis, Coastal Caro. 721
  8. Jerry Slocum, Youngstown St. 718
  9. Larry Hunter, Western Caro. 685
  10. John Beilein, Michigan 676
  11. John Calipari, Kentucky 634
  12. Rick Barnes, Tennessee 627
  13. Bill Self, Kansas 607
  14. Jim Larranaga, Miami (FL) 600