One thing Miami assistants appreciate about Manny Diaz. And coach dishes on a few issues

A six-pack of Miami Hurricanes notes on a Tuesday, including more from my recent conversation with co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Ephraim Banda:

▪ One of the qualities that UM assistant coaches admire about Manny Diaz is his willingness to change when something he’s doing isn’t working.

Not every coach is like that.

Credit Diaz for making multiple changes this offseason, including re-assessing his initial plan to operate a pro -style offense and instead opting for a spread offense with a new coordinator adept at running that (Rhett Lashlee).

“I didn’t have to have a conversation with him [about Diaz’s decision to make changes],” Banda said. “Manny Diaz’s ability to be aware of himself and his surroundings is what makes him such a successful coach to this point. I know people will say what they will say last year about our [6-7] record, but there’s no question Manny has addressed and fixed issues, and many coaches out there are stubborn and won’t change. He is not that type of human being.

“I know Manny’s ability to be aware of things versus coaches who are not. Some coaches see it and refuse to address it. Manny is an open book. He has challenged us to be better for him. We have a head coach who challenges us to see even more that he might not see. That’s why he has the ability to fix problems the way he does.

“One thing people might not know is coach Diaz has always been a very, very good second-half adjuster as a [defensive] coordinator. He’s doing the same thing now. Knowing you have a guy that wants feedback and at the same time is not stubborn and will do whatever it takes to make the team better, you want that. That’s why we love being here.”

▪ I asked Banda this: If you have three safeties who are clearly better in preseason camp than either of your strikers (Gilbert Frierson and Keontra Smith), can UM adjust and play three safeties and no strikers?

Banda’s response: “In the back end, we are going to play the best five guys. Period. We are not a cookie-cutter defense. We will play the best five guys. Whoever they are, we will make the adjustments to fit their skill set. And the kids know this. Who the best five are with tackling and toughness and not busting [coverages] we will put on the field first.”

Banda reminded me that UM moved Adrian Colbert, a safety by trade, to cornerback and that worked out very well after he transferred to Miami from Texas for his senior season. Colbert is now back at safety with the Miami Dolphins.

▪ Banda said UM feels good about the situation at cornerback, where only two players (DJ Ivey and Al Blades Jr.) have significant experience playing defense at this level.

Te’Cory Couch and Christian Williams are back after playing primarily on special teams as freshmen last season (Couch played more than Williams on defense), and Marcus Clarke and Isaiah Dunson enrolled last week.

“The best thing Al and DJ have done since the season has ended is they’ve been extremely consistent on and off the field in terms of their accountability to each other and their teammates,” Banda said.

“Te’Cory and Christian are both very talented young men but also need to show consistent traits to prove to the team and their staff they are guys we can count on. Are they capable? No question. But there’s more than just talent and a standard to which they need to uphold to play them. We rolled four at every position last season. They have to go out and prove it.”

▪ Banda on the situation at linebacker, where Zach McCloud assuredly will be one starter and eight others are competing (Sam Brooks, Avery Huff, Bradley Jennings Jr., Patrick Joyner Jr., Waymon Steed, Ryan Ragone and freshmen Tirek-Austin Cave and Corey Flagg Jr.):

“Zach is a blessing in terms of having everything done correctly and just effort,” Banda said. “We were in there watching a four-year breakdown of ourselves versus certain calls and we were watching a young Zach McCloud; the physicalness and energy he brings to the field, we can’t wait to see again. To have a guy like that in a young room is so valuable.”

As for the others, “you’ve got a group of young guys chomping at the bit, super talented. That definitely is going to be fun to watch all those guys compete for playing time,” Banda said. “Coach Diaz isn’t scared to play true freshmen linebackers. I like where that is right now. Can’t wait to get B.J. Jennings back and see if he has taken the next step mentally; hoping to see that and I think he will.

“I thought Sam [Brooks] was amazing in the bowl game [12 tackles against Louisiana Tech], did a great job for a true freshman, really proud of him. Getting Waymon [Steed] back and all the young linebackers is good.”

▪ Because UM now has two of the best pass rushers in the country at defensive end (newcomer Quincy Roche and Greg Rousseau), might the Canes blitz less?

“We will do what we are going to do; that won’t change; all of us are aligned [philosophically],” Banda said. “...There’s nothing better than having great ends because they make my job as safeties coach 10 times easier. It’s a group that needs to go out there and prove themselves that they are more than just the hype and be consistent in various techniques.”

▪ Quick stuff: The next scheduled announcement for a top Canes target is expected to be noon Saturday, when four-star Miami Northwestern safety Kamren Kinchens is expected to choose among UM, Auburn and Texas A&M....

The Southeastern Conference said it expects clarity on whether a fall college football season will be played by the end of July. The Atlantic Coast Conference is expected to have a similar timetable....

In a poll of ACC coaches by Stadium, UM’s Chris Caputo was named one of the top five assistant men’s basketball coaches in the league.

Here’s my Tuesday batch of Dolphins notes.

Here’s my Tuesday batch of Heat notes.