UM socks Duke

Hurricanes roll in finale with changes possibly on horizon

DURHAM, N.C. — The Miami Hurricanes’ 47-10 win over Duke in their regular-season finale at Wallace Wade Stadium on Saturday was the expected outcome, with UM entering as 21-point favorites.

What remains unknown is what will come for the Hurricanes’ football program and if Saturday was their final game under coach Manny Diaz, with Miami being a mediocre 21—15 and 16-9 in the ACC over the last three years with him at the helm.

Diaz said he hasn’t been told whether or not he’ll return for the 2022 season, with Diaz and his coaching staff having meetings with recruits planned for Sunday to kick off the NCCA’s contact period for football recruiting — when authorized athletics department staff members are allowed to make in-person, off-campus contacts and evaluations.

“All I’ve been told is ‘let’s go win a football game’,” Diaz said after Saturday’s win. “That’s all I’ve been focusing on. That’s the thing that matters right now. Everything else has been out of my control, so it wasn’t really worth worrying about.

“When you look at the young guys out on the field making plays — there’s a hunger. They know this is not the end. This is the beginning. It’s about to get really, really good.”

Saturday’s victory gave UM (7-5, 5-3 ACC) its fifth win in six games, but even with a win in a bowl game next month, the Hurricanes will finish with fewer than nine wins for the 11th time in 14 seasons.

Diaz’s potential departure has been speculated since the season’s 2-4 start, with then-athletic director Blake James — who hired Diaz as coach in late 2018 after Mark Richt’s sudden retirement — not guaranteeing in late October that coaching changes wouldn’t be made during the season.

Changes were made since his comments, with James parting ways with UM on Nov. 15, two days after the Hurricanes lost to in-state rival Florida State for the first time since 2016.

Now, Diaz’s job security is uncertain with 247Sports’ Inside The U reporting that his future likely won’t be determined until after the new athletic director is hired.

“I feel secure in how that football team played [Saturday],” Diaz responded when asked if he feels secure with his job. “I feel secure in the reactions of the players in our locker room. And I feel that those guys bought into our program. That’s all I can control.”

Despite the uncertainty surrounding Diaz’s future, UM players said he hasn’t been fazed throughout the last several weeks.

“I couldn’t even tell if something was going on with his future if it wasn’t [for social media]. He’s just positive every day,” second-year linebacker Corey Flagg Jr. said. “That’s my guy. He’s a great guy off the field. He’s a great coach. Win or lose, he’s the same guy every day. I appreciate that from him. We love him. That’s our guy.”

Even if Diaz does return next season, he’d likely have to find a new offensive coordinator.

Rhett Lashlee is expected to be Southern Methodist University’s next coach for his first opportunity as a college football head coach, according to multiple reports. Sonny Dykes is still the coach at SMU, but he’s expected to leave the Mustangs for Texas Christian University.

Before joining Miami as the team’s offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach in January 2020, Lashlee held the same position under Dykes at SMU for two seasons (2018-19). Lashlee led UM’s offense against the Blue Devils.

“We talked about it. We were just focused on Duke [Saturday], but I’d be really happy for coach Lashlee if he were to take that job,” quarterback Tyler Van Dyke said. “He deserves it and he’s ready for it. I’m just happy for him that he gets that opportunity.”

Van Dyke, who assured that he’ll be back for the 2022 season, went 34 of 49 for 381 yards and three touchdowns against Duke. It was his sixth consecutive game throwing for at least 300 yards and three touchdowns.

Wide receiver Mike Harley finished with 13 receptions for 96 yards, while wideout Charleston Rambo had eight receptions for 101 yards and two touchdowns. Harley and Rambo both broke two UM receiving records with their performances against Duke (3-9, 0-8 ACC).

“Offensively, what can you say about Van Dyke?” Diaz said. “To see Harley and Rambo set records that have stood for a long time and probably will stand for a long time, it’s just great testament to everything we’re doing offensively.”

The Blue Devils picked UM’s defense apart on their first drive with eight consecutive positive plays via short passes and runs before the Hurricanes started to settle in defensively, forcing Duke to settle for a 40-yard field goal and take a 3-0 lead with 10:47 left in the first quarter.

Andy Borregales made the first of his four field goals on UM’s first drive, making a 35-yarder to tie the game at 3 early in the first quarter.

Duke safety Jaylen Stinson returned Borregales’ kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown to give the Blue Devils a 10-3 lead for their final score of the game, with UM shutting Duke out for the game’s final 53 minutes.

The Hurricanes forced five punts — including three three-and-outs — and three turnovers on downs, outscoring the Blue Devils 44-0 after falling behind by seven. Duke had 109 yards on 44 plays (2.47 yards per play) its eight drives in between its first possession and last one.

Miami finished with three sacks and nine tackles for loss, led by defensive tackle Leonard Taylor and striker Gilbert Frierson with 1 each.

“It just felt like upfront we really got after them,” Diaz said. “Just so many guys contributing.”

Harley caught a 9-yard pass on a third-down conversion on Miami’s ensuing drive to become UM’s all-time receptions leader, with Van Dyke completing a 21-yard touchdown pass to Xavier Restrepo to tie the game, 10-10, with 5:05 left in the opening quarter.

On Miami’s next possession, Rambo broke Miami’s single-season receptions record in the second quarter with a 12-yard touchdown that gave the Hurricanes a 17-10 lead with 14:20 left in the second quarter. Rambo’s other touchdown, a 14-yarder that gave the Hurricanes a 40-10 lead with 7:15 in the third quarter, broke UM’s single-season receiving yards record.

Jaylan Knighton (13 carries for 51 yards and a touchdown, three receptions for 29 yards) scored his touchdown with 8:30 left in the second quarter to give the Hurricanes a 24-10 lead. Andy Borregales made three consecutive fields goals on UM drives to close the first half and start the third quarter, including a 43-yarder, to give the Hurricanes a 33-10 lead with 9:43 left in the third quarter.

After Rambo’s second touchdown, Thad Franklin, a true freshman running back out of Chaminade-Madonna, had a 9-yard rushing touchdown on UM’s next drive to give the Hurricanes a 47-10 lead late in the fourth quarter. He finished with six carries for 45 yards a touchdown.

Walk-on quarterback Ryan Rizk came in for Van Dyke early in the fourth quarter and played two drives before scholarship quarterback Peyton Matocha closed the game.

Marcus Clarke picked off Duke quarterback Gunnar Holmberg on Duke’s last drive for his second career interception.