Scarlet Sunrise: Manny Diaz, not Jim Knowles, hired as next Duke head coach
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Manny Diaz, not Jim Knowles, hired as next Duke head coach
Duke hired Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz as its next head coach Thursday night. Diaz was one of three DCs who met with the Blue Devils in the early stages of their search on Nov. 29, according to a report from The Athletic, the others being Ohio State’s Jim Knowles and North Carolina State’s Tony Gibson.
So Diaz will replace Mike Elko, who is now the head coach at Texas A&M after a successful two-year stint at Duke that saw the Blue Devils win nine games in 2022 and achieve the program’s highest AP ranking earlier this year.
Knowles, on the other hand, is still at Ohio State, where he took the Buckeyes’ defense to another level during the regular season. The second-year Ohio State DC oversaw a 2023 unit that ranked second in the nation in points per game allowed (11.0), third in pass defense efficiency (97.21) and third in total defense (259.9 yards per game allowed).
The lone blemish? The Buckeyes didn’t force a second-half punt in a 30-24 loss to Michigan. But Knowles did eliminate the backbreaking plays that doomed Ohio State in The Game last year — the Wolverines had five touchdowns of 40-plus yards in the 2022 meeting. Knowles’ group allowed one 40-plus-yard play over the course of the entire 12-game slate. For reference, every other team in the country gave up at least four such plays.
With an exodus of Buckeyes talent expected this offseason — headed to the transfer portal and the NFL Draft — Ohio State needs continuity at the top of its staff. That’s why Knowles sticking around is especially key.
The last time the Buckeyes had a defense like the one it’s had in 2023 was 2019. After that season, co-DC Jeff Hafley left for the head coaching job at Boston College. It looks like Knowles won’t be leaving after his breakthrough year.
Marvin Harrison Jr. still undecided about future, says Michigan loss opens door for return
Ohio State superstar wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. said Thursday that he’s still undecided about his future. He’s in no rush to forgo his eligibility and declare for the NFL Draft. The Heisman Trophy finalist may or may not play in the Cotton Bowl against No. 9 Missouri on Dec. 29. Even if he doesn’t participate in the top-10 showdown, though, he’s going to be in Dallas with the team, he said.
Harrison is widely projected to become the highest-drafted wideout since Calvin Johnson went No. 2 overall in 2007. So why would he return to the Buckeyes?
“Coming into this year, I wanted to beat ‘The Team Up North’ and win a Big Ten championship, and obviously I did not do that this year,” Harrison said.
“I think there’s a great motive to come back if that’s what I decide to do. Because that’s something I definitely wanted to do in my Ohio State career and not having done that yet definitely opens the door for me to come back. But undecided. Really just taking it day-by-day at this time.”
For the full story, go here.
Ohio State tight end Joe Royer enters transfer portal
Another Ohio State veteran on the offensive side of the ball entered the transfer portal: tight end Joe Royer.
Royer is in the portal after four years with the Buckeyes. He played just 44 offensive snaps across four games this season, only one of which was after Week 4. As was the case in 2022, injury trouble limited Royer this year.
Meanwhile, Cade Stover, Gee Scott Jr. — and even walk-on Patrick Gurd — took most of the snaps at tight end for Ohio State.
For more on Royer’s Buckeyes career, head on over here.
Transfer tracker: Breaking down Buckeyes moves, philosophy in transfer portal
Having trouble keeping track of all of Ohio State’s transfer portal departures?
Lettermen Row has you covered.
The Buckeyes have already seen 14 of their players hit the portal — including starting quarterback Kyle McCord, starting wide receiver Julian Fleming and key running back Chip Trayanum — and there could be more on the way soon.
Follow along here to stay up to date.
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