Manny Diaz’s Miami Hurricanes are off to a rough start in 2021, going 1-2 through 3 games. If UM doesn’t turn it around, Diaz could reportedly be looking for a new job.

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald recently took a look at the state of the Miami Hurricanes football program, speaking to a group that includes a UM administrator, a former Miami All-American player, a former Canes assistant and 2 Board of Trustees members. Jackson’s report doesn’t paint a pretty picture at The U.

According to Jackson, at least some trustees are ready to make a coaching change:

There are some trustees who want to move on from Manny Diaz, but a UM official said there is not a significant groundswell toward firing Diaz now, though he cautioned that could change with more bad losses.

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Two Miami-based trustees said they would expect Diaz — who has 2 ½ years left on his contract — to be given at least the rest of the season, unless there are multiple embarrassingly lopsided losses in the weeks ahead.

Diaz, 47, succeeded Mark Richt as Miami’s head coach in 2019. UM is 15-12 under Diaz, who has prior experience as a defensive coordinator at multiple programs, including Mississippi State and Texas.

Jackson’s report notes that Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal, who played at Miami, would likely be the top target. UM, however, would unlikely be able to afford Cristobal unless he agreed to a hometown discount:

Both trustees said Oregon coach and former UM player Mario Cristobal would be the obvious target but doubt UM could afford him. Cristobal reportedly makes an average of $4.5 million per season. If UM offered him $7 million annually to try to entice him to leave Oregon in a five-year deal, that’s $35 million.

It also would cost $9 million to buy him out before Jan. 14, 2022, or $6.5 million afterward. That — plus buying out the final two years and $8 million of Diaz’s contract in December — would cost north of $50 million.

“We don’t have that kind of money,” one trustee said.

A UM trustee detailed that the athletic department’s finances pale in comparison to Texas A&M and Florida:

Why can Texas A&M afford to pay Jimbo Fisher more than $9 million annually and UM can’t pay coaches more than $4 million to $5 million?

“Our revenue from sports is $90 million to $100 million a year; at Texas A&M, it’s $175 million, Florida is close to that,” the trustee said. “Endowments are much higher at other schools. All of our coaches are paid for by UM; we’ve never contributed from the booster club to pay coaches. At Florida and Florida State, these coaches’ salaries are paid [in part] by boosters and alumni.”

Jackson’s full report, which looks at other factors such as the school president’s approach to football, can be read here.