Blue Devil Country

WATCH: New Duke Football Head Coach Gives Fist Pumps to Cameron Crazies

Duke football's Manny Diaz appeared excited to see fired-up Duke basketball patrons.

Matt Giles

Duke basketball's Cameron Crazies (Erin Hull, Fort Collins Coloradoan via Imagn Content Services, LLC)
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On Saturday afternoon, little more than 24 hours after arriving on campus as the 23rd head coach in Duke football history, Manny Diaz was in Cameron Indoor Stadium to watch second-year Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer's 22nd-ranked Blue Devils (5-3, 0-1 ACC) play Charlotte (5-3, 0-0 AAC) in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

During the first media timeout, Diaz and his new boss, director of athletics Nina King, walked to the center of Coach K Court for his brief introduction to the basketball school's ticket holders and famed student section, the Cameron Crazies.

As one can see in the posted video below, the former three-year Miami head coach and two-year Penn State defensive coordinator earned several load roars and gave the Crazies a couple of fist pumps before heading back to his baseline seat:

At halftime, Diaz calmly swished a free throw for charity:

It's safe to say the 49-year-old Miami native has enjoyed a busy start to his new job in Durham. He met with many players individually and as a group on Friday while working in an appearance on the ACC Network's ACC PM and updating his social media, etc.

He had his introductory press conference late Saturday morning.

Now, it sure sounds like fans in Durham are ready to move on from Mike Elko and enter the Manny Diaz era.

Duke football (7-5, 4-4 ACC) faces Troy (11-2, 8-1 Sun Belt) at the Birmingham Bowl in Alabama on Dec. 23.

At the time of this article's publishing, Duke basketball led Charlotte, 45-27, entering the locker room for halftime.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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