Manny Diaz once carried the reputation of a defensive mastermind. The former coordinator for Texas, Miami, and Penn State—and now the head coach at Duke—was expected to have an answer for any offense he faced.
But less than halfway through the Blue Devils’ Week 4 matchup against NC State, that reputation was taking a hit. The Wolfpack struck quickly with two touchdowns in under 10 minutes, leaving fans questioning both Duke’s defensive game plan and Diaz’s leadership.
“Despite nearly two decades climbing the college football ranks as a defensive coordinator, Diaz has struggled to translate that experience into success with Duke’s defense.”
“In just the first 22 minutes, Duke surrendered 205 yards as NC State quarterback CJ Bailey dissected the secondary, spreading the ball to seven different receivers downfield.”
“On the other side of the ball, Duke’s offense offered little relief. Quarterback Darian Mensah managed to complete only four of his first eight passes for 56 yards, failing to find the end zone.”
“With six minutes left in the half, Duke was already down 21-7, and any hope of a turnaround seemed slim. The struggles were epitomized by a missed opportunity on defense, as the Blue Devils failed to recover a fumble jarred loose from freshman receiver Tedd Hoffman.”
“Despite the program’s growth in recent years, it hasn’t taken long for Diaz to send Duke trending the other way. Since taking over in 2024, he’s gone 10-6—and this game was quickly slipping into dangerous territory.”
“NC State’s approach was hardly complex. As one fan noted, the Wolfpack relied on screens and short passes, then routinely burned Duke’s secondary with yards after the catch.”
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