Duke HC Manny Diaz Receives Disrespectful Ranking After Winning ACC

The Duke Blue Devils took advantage of wild loopholes in the ACC tiebreaker system to make to the championship game against a ranked Virginia team.

Quarterback Darian Mensah helped lead the Blue Devils to a surprise upset win in overtime over the Cavaliers, allowing Duke to win its first ACC championship since 1989.  

Third-year head coach Manny Diaz was thrown a curveball this offseason when Mensah transferred to Miami for the 2026 season. How he handles a change in quarterback will define the season.

There are reasons to believe Diaz can right the ship. He's 18-9 in two seasons at Duke and 11-5 in conference play.

Steve Lassan of The Athletic had a harsh ranking for Diaz this spring among ACC coaches. He thinks Diaz is the No. 7 best coach in the conference despite winning the league last year.

"Diaz’s tenure in Durham is off to an impressive start," Lassan wrote. "The Blue Devils have won nine games in back-to-back years and defeated Virginia to claim the ACC Championship last season. Additionally, the program is 11-5 in conference play over the last two years. Diaz previously went 21-15 at Miami from 2019-21.

"The late departure of quarterback Darian Mensah to transfer was a massive setback for ‘26. However, Diaz’s track record so far in Durham suggests he will find a way to keep Duke in the mix for a winning mark."

Putting Diaz behind Brent Key, which was a curious decision after the way the 2025 season ended. The Yellow Jackets lost four of their last five games.

Diaz told Andy Staples of On3 that he's thankful for having the opportunity to win the ACC title with Mensah. His new goal is to find a way to win without the quarterback.

“You know, my overriding emotion is gratitude,” Diaz said. “I really mean that. I am thankful that Darian Mensah came to Duke. I’m grateful that we were able to win the ACC together. We had a great relationship together.

"Your mindset from that very first day is ‘we’re not going to be a victim.’ We won the championship. That banner will hang in that stadium forever. Now, we find a new way to win again.”

Of course, Duke won't just be playing without Mensah. The Blue Devils might have to beat Mensah and Miami to win the conference.