It’s no surprise given how quickly his hire came together that Manny Diaz was the first choice to be the Miami Hurricanes’ successor to Mark Richt. At the new coach’s introductory news conference Wednesday, Blake James added Diaz was also the “only choice” to be Miami’s next coach.
The news conference, held inside the Schwartz Center for Athletic Excellence, began with opening statements from Diaz, James and David Epstein, who spoke on behalf of the board of trustees. Both Epstein and James noted Diaz was the first person contacted about the opening, and James confirmed he was the only person the Hurricanes spoke with.