It has been, for the Miami Hurricanes, a whirlwind of a month.
Three days after a disappointing 7-6 season ended with an embarrassing 35-3 loss to Wisconsin in the Pinstripe Bowl, Mark Richt abruptly announced his retirement. Less than 12 hours later, the Hurricanes lured former defensive coordinator Manny Diaz — who had only recently been named the head coach at Temple — back to Coral Gables as Richt’s replacement. And in the weeks since, Diaz has bolstered Miami’s roster, earning commitments from several big-name transfers and giving formerly dismissed receiver Jeff Thomas the opportunity to come back, too.