One Hidden Reason Duke Fans Should Feel Confident Diaz Will Stay

Manny Diaz has done an unbelievable job over the last two and a half years as Duke football's head coach.

So far, Diaz has compiled a 24-11 overall record, including a 14-7 record in ACC play, and delivered the Blue Devils their first ACC Championship since 1989 last season. However, 2026 might be his most impressive job yet.

Duke was hit hard by departures last offseason, and practically everyone around college football expected it to take a big step back after securing its first conference title in over 30 years. Diaz didn't let that happen. The Blue Devils are 6-2 and are led by a legitimate Heisman Trophy Candidate in running back Nate Sheppard.

Oct 31, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz before kick off against the Boston College Eagles at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Manny Diaz's Name Pops Up in Florida State Rumors

Florida State fired head football coach Mike Norvell on Sunday. It didn't take long for Diaz's name to come up regarding the position. This isn't the first time Diaz's name has surfaced amid head coaching vacancies, as he was linked to the Penn State job last offseason.

As long as Diaz and his staff continue to overachieve in Durham, his name will keep flying around in marquee head-coaching rumors. Additionally, he's a Florida State alum. However, Diaz quickly shut down the FSU rumors and reaffirmed his allegiance to the Blue Devils.

"It's the same thing as last year. My bags were packed for Penn State. I addressed the team last night. I made it pretty clear, I'm really, really happy here. Love being here," Diaz said when asked about being linked to the Florida State job.

Again, as long as Diaz is highly successful at the helm for the Blue Devils, his name will appear in head coaching vacancy rumors. Before Duke, he served as the head coach at Miami. What he's doing with a Blue Devils club that is operating with one of the lowest budgets among the 68 Power Conference teams should be really exciting for Duke fans to see his commitment to the program.

One Hidden Reason Duke Fans Should Feel Confident Diaz Will Stay Put

Obviously, Blue Devil Nation wants Diaz in Durham for the long term. He's well on his way to becoming the first head coach in Duke football history to secure three straight nine-win seasons, and he's doing it in a year when everyone expected the team to take a step back.

Now, one other reason Duke fans should feel confident about Diaz's long-term future at Duke is that he's actually a big-time Duke basketball fan. Diaz attended the team's regular-season opener against Army on Monday night and has been to a handful of games since he took over the football program.

Diaz and Jon Scheyer have built a great bond over the last few years, and both have brought their respective programs to overwhelming success since taking over. You could make a pretty convincing argument that Diaz and Scheyer are the best one-two coaching punch in the country right now.

Diaz looks happy in Durham, and fans can't take for granted what he's done with the program over the past few years.

Add us as a preferred source on Google