CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) - Manny Diaz has his offensive coordinator. And now Miami will wait and see if that offensive coordinator just happens to arrive with a national-title-winning quarterback.
Dan Enos was announced Friday as the new leader of the Miami offense, coming to the Hurricanes after one season as quarterbacks coach and associate head coach at national runner-up Alabama. Enos was slotted to become the new offensive coordinator for the Crimson Tide, but emerged last week as Diaz’s top target with the Hurricanes.
It took several days to get all the logistics worked out, but Diaz had known since long before Alabama’s appearance in the College Football Playoff title game earlier this week that Enos was probably going to be his pick.
“When word got to me that he had an interest in our job, I was floored by that because I had so much respect for him,” said Diaz, who took over as Miami coach last week. “I also understood where he was, and that he had a good job. The fact that he felt like the best thing for him and his family was to come to the University of Miami was, to be honest, quite humbling.”
The question now becomes if someone else is leaving Alabama for Miami.
Jalen Hurts, who went 26-2 as Alabama’s starter before losing the job to Tua Tagovailoa, has put his name into the NCAA’s transfer portal. He worked closely with Enos this season and he and Diaz have followed each other on Twitter in recent days.
Diaz could not comment specifically on Hurts since he has not signed with Miami. But it’s been clear that Miami is looking for help at quarterback, where right now it seems like N’Kosi Perry and Jarren Williams will go into spring ball as the candidates for the starting job.
Miami’s offense sputtered last season, the major reason why the Hurricanes were a disappointing 7-6. Diaz did not retain any of the offensive coaches when he took the job following the surprise retirement of Mark Richt, and has insisted that quarterback play in 2019 must be better - whether the answer is already on Miami’s campus, or if a graduate transfer (which Hurts is) has to be brought aboard.
“If bringing someone from the outside spurs one of our guys to bring his level to the point where they can uphold the standard of being the quarterback at the University of Miami, outstanding,” Diaz said. “This is an equal opportunity employer. We do not care who plays quarterback for us. But we do care that it’s played at the standard that the great ones who have come before have set.”
Enos was a quarterback at Michigan State. He was head coach at Central Michigan from 2010 through 2014, and has been an assistant at 10 other schools.
“I couldn’t be more excited to join a program as rich in tradition as the University of Miami,” Enos said in a statement distributed by the school. “Coach Diaz has a clear vision for this program as we move forward and it’s an honor to help build the Hurricanes in his image. This was an opportunity I felt I couldn’t pass up.
“I also want to express my sincere appreciation to Nick Saban and the Alabama program for giving me the opportunity to coach there this past season. I learned so much during my time there and I will always be grateful.”
Diaz said he plans to reveal more hires to his offensive staff as early as Saturday.
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