Duke coach Manny Diaz inked to extension through 2031

Duke coach Manny Diaz inked a contract extension that will keep him in Durham, N.C. through the 2031 season, the university announced on Thursday.

Diaz has posted an 18-9 record at Duke in two seasons and led the squad to its first outright ACC title since 1962 this past season. They defeated Virginia, 27-20, in overtime in the ACC Championship game and then edged Arizona State, 42-39, in the Sun Bowl on New Year’s Eve.

Diaz has signed the best recruiting class in the program’s history for 2026, according to AVG Recruit Ranking

The university did not release terms of the extension.

“Manny Diaz is exactly the right leader at exactly the right time for Duke University,” athletic director Nina King said in a statement. “His clear vision for Duke football, deep understanding of our student-athletes and strong alignment with campus and athletics leadership have positioned us for sustained success in the years ahead. We are incredibly proud to have him leading the Blue Devils, and with his passion, integrity and expertise, Duke football will continue to pursue excellence on and off the field well into the future.”

The 52-year-old Diaz replaced Mike Elko, who left Duke for Texas A&M after the 2023 season. He led the Blue Devils to a 9-4 record in 2024, but they fell, 52-20, to Ole Miss in the Gator Bowl.

The Miami, Fla. native served as head coach for his hometown Hurricanes from 2019-21, compiling a 21-15 record. Miami appeared in three consecutive bowl games, although Diaz was dismissed prior to the 2021 Sun Bowl and the team subsequently opted out of the game.

He then served as defensive coordinator at Penn State for two seasons before taking the Duke position.

In 2025, Duke played the aggressive defense that Diaz’ teams have been known for. The Blue Devils finished 11th nationally in fumbles recovered (10), 13th in turnover margin (+0.71), 14th in turnovers gained (24) and 16th in tackles for loss per game (6.6).

–Field Level Media