Over a month after former defensive coordinator Carl Torbush left Mississippi State to join Turner Gill at Kansas, Mississippi State has announced that Manny Diaz is the new defensive coordinator. Manny Diaz has recently served 4 years at DC at Middle Tennessee State University, where his defense finished the 2009 season ranked 2nd in the nation in tackles for loss and 6th in sacks.
Diaz started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Florida State under Mickey Andrews. From there, he went on to N.C. State, first as GA working with linebackers and then safeties and special teams. He joined the MTSU staff in 2006 as defensive coordinator, also working with the safeties and linebackers.