Manny Diaz Duke contract: Estimating new Duke HC's salary ahead of his takeover in ACC school
The Duke Blue Devils replaced Mike Elko by hiring Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz as their next coach. Diaz is the former coach of the Miami Hurricanes and went 21-15 but was fired after three seasons in 2021.
Just a week later, Diaz was hired as Penn State's defensive coordinator and spent two years in that role. However, after Elko took the head coaching gig at Texas A&M, the Blue Devils hired Diaz.
"We are grateful and humbled for this opportunity and could not be more excited to be the head football coach at Duke University," Diaz said in a statement.
"Duke University is an elite institution in every facet, and we are excited to be a part of it. I'm beyond excited to get to work."
The length of the contract or the money that Diaz will get from Duke is uncertain, so what could it be?
Manny Diaz's possible pay from Duke
Manny Diaz was making $3.6 million this season and was set to make $3.7 million at Penn State in 2024, due to his buyout from Miami and what the Nittany Lions were paying him.
With that, it's clear that Diaz will be making more than $4 million at Duke, as he would need a pay increase to take the job. The Blue Devils made it clear that Diaz was their number one target, so Duke likely paid him a good amount of money to be their next coach.
"As our process unfolded, it became abundantly clear that Manny Diaz is the right fit for Duke University," athletic director Nina King said in a statement. "Manny's previous experiences have prepared him for this opportunity, and he is, quite simply, an outstanding football coach who will capitalize on the positive momentum of this program.
"An elite communicator and collaborator, Manny possesses the dynamic ability to cultivate impactful relationships with internal and external constituents surrounding a successful football program. As Duke's head football coach, I am confident that Manny will lead the young men in our program to reach and surpass their aspirations of achievement both on and off the field."
Elko only made $3.5 million at Duke, but given that Diaz was set to make $3.7 million at Penn State, so $4 million per year is a good estimate of what he could make as the Blue Devils coach. For now, though, no terms of the contract have been released.