Diaz eyes major turnaround

SAN ANTONiO — When word leaked recently that Manny Diaz had withdrawn from consideration for the headcoaching job at Florida International, it was tough to tell who was more disappointed — Diaz or those disgruntled fans who would have helped the Longhorns’ defensive coordinator pack his bags.

Such is life when you go from boy genius to whipping boy in less than a year.

“That,” Diaz said Thursday, “is the comedy of the whole thing.”

For Texas, it’s been a comedy that’s been short on laughs.

After arriving last year and coordinating a defense that led the Big 12 in numerous statistical categories including yards allowed, Diaz has been at the helm of a 2012 unit that, barring a fanatical effort in Saturday’s Alamo Bowl against Oregon State, will have allowed more yards than any defense in Texas’ proud history.

This UT defense has surrendered 413.1 yards per game, 107 more yards per outing than a year ago. The previous high came in 1993 when the ■ Get complete Longhorns coverage leading up to the Alamo Bowl, including pregame press conference video, photos and stats, at ■ Watch the Statesman’s Randy Riggs and CineSport’s Noah Coslov preview the game and discuss what to expect in 2013 in a video with this story at

SLonghorns allowed 401.2 yards per game.

For Diaz, 38, it’s been an