Potential replacements for Diaz,
CORAL GABLES — With defensive coordinator Manny Diaz becoming the head coach at Temple, the Miami Hurricanes will need to move quickly if they want to have a new coordinator in place by next week’s Early Signing Period. Mark Richt could look to his staff and promote from within, turn to coaches with ties to the Hurricanes or, as he has in the past, look to the SEC for inspiration. Here’s a look at some possible replacements:
Derrick Ansley, defensive backs coach, Raiders: If Richt wants to hire an up-and-coming coach with SEC ties, he might look west to Oakland where Ansley is in his first year with the Raiders. Before landing on Jon Gruden’s staff, Ansley spent 13 years at the college level, most recently at Alabama, where he coached defensive backs for two seasons. One of the players he worked with in Tuscaloosa? Dolphins rookie Minkah Fitzpatrick. Ansley has also had stops at Kentucky and Tennessee and while with the Wildcats in 2015, Kentucky had a school-record six defensive touchdowns and created 23 turnovers, a number that ranked second in the SEC that year.
Ephraim Banda, safeties coach, Miami: It won’t be a surprise if Banda, who has coached with Diaz at Mississippi State and Texas, heads to Temple with his former boss. But if Richt wants to stay in-house with his coordinator hire, the safeties coach who is a strong recruiter could be an option. Together, Banda and cornerbacks coach Mike Rumph have coached a defensive backfield that helped Miami finish the regular season with the nation’s top-rated passing defense.
Craig Kuligowski, associate head coach/defensive line coach, Alabama: This past February, Kuligowski left Coral Gables to coach at powerhouse Alabama with Nick Saban. But could he rejoin Mark Richt’s staff if he had the opportunity to run the Hurricanes’ entire defense? Would Richt even want him? Kuligowski was one of Richt’s first hires when he took over at Miami, the head coach bringing him on board even before Diaz was hired as defensive coordinator. Kuligowski knows the area, has worked with Richt and, like Banda, knows most of Miami’s defensive personnel.
Willie Martinez, assistant head coach/secondary coach, UCF: If Richt wants to work with a coordinator he’s worked with in the past and has ties to Miami, Martinez – who won a national title as a defensive back for the Hurricanes in 1983 – could fit the bill. Martinez was Richt’s defensive coordinator at Georgia from 2005-09 and his secondary coach from 2001-04. He has more than 30 years of coaching experience and has worked at a number of major programs, including Tennessee, Auburn and Oklahoma.
Winston Moss, former linebackers coach/associate head coach, Packers: Moss was a defensive end for the Hurricanes from 1983-86. He had an 11-year NFL career as a player and spent another 20 years in the league as an assistant coach. He spent 13 of those years with the Packers before being fired days after the Packers fired former coach Mike McCarthy.
Kevin Patrick, defensive line coach, North Carolina State: A former All-American at Miami, Patrick has worked at USF, North Texas and Texas Tech. During his time at USF, the Bulls finished in the top 25 in total defense four times and in 2009, Rivals named him one of the top 25 recruiters in the nation.
Mike Rumph, cornerbacks
coach, Miami: Another option if Richt wants to promote from within could be Rumph, who just completed his third season as Miami’s cornerbacks coach. A member of Miami’s 2001 national championship team, Rumph has deep connections to South Florida, having played high school football at Atlantic High in Delray Beach and coaching at American Heritage-Plantation, where he led the Patriots to state titles in 2013 and 2014. Under Rumph and Banda, Miami had the top passing defense in the nation, with opponents averaging just 140.8 yards per game.
Bob Shoop, defensive coordinator, Mississippi State: Already once since arriving at Miami, Richt has plucked a defensive coordinator from Mississippi State. Could he try it again? Richt knows the SEC and its coaches well after spending 15 years at Georgia and he might look to a proven commodity like Shoop, whose Bulldogs had the nation’s No. 3 defense this season behind Michigan and Miami. Shoop was the 2014 Defensive Coordinator of the Year and has 29 years of experience.
Randy Shannon, defensive coordinator, UCF: Could the Hurricanes look to bring home one of their former coaches?
Things didn’t end well for Miami and Shannon in 2010, when Shannon – then UM’s head coach – was fired after a 7-5 regular season. But Shannon had success as the Hurricanes’ defensive coordinator from 2001 through 2006. He produced 25 eventual NFL draft picks and in five of his six years as defensive coordinator. Since leaving Miami, he’s coached at Florida, Arkansas and TCU.
Jess Simpson, defensive line coach, Miami: Simpson joined Miami’s staff in March after Kuligowski’s departure for Alabama and he helped Miami’s defensive front pick up right where it left off, despite losing starters RJ McIntosh, Kendrick Norton and Chad Thomas. Defensive tackle Gerald Willis III earned All-American recognition and, along with Jonathan Garvin, finished the season among the national leaders in tackles for loss. Before coming to Miami, he spent the 2017 season with the Falcons as a defensive assistant. He also spent a season at Georgia State as the defensive line coach and assistant head coach and started his career at Georgia’s Buford High, where he led the Wolves to seven state titles.