UM coach Manny Diaz reacted to the news on Monday morning.

“It’s unfortunate," Diaz said on the Joe Rose Show on 560-AM. "As coaches, we all know expectations are high. Willie has had success, and we know he’s a good coach. Sometimes things don’t work out and they don’t work out for good coaches. We wish him and his staff — I mean, that’s difficult for all of them — we wish them the best, but that’s all a part that we know that we get into.”

On the Hurricanes side of things, the road victory brought to fruition a bigger-picture culture that Diaz has looked to re-establish at Miami. He touched on that and how junior running back DeeJay Dallas exemplifies it with his leadership and how it’s visible with his energy on the sideline.

“We’ve been trying to draw a line on what it means to be a ‘Cane and what ‘Canes do,” Diaz said. “I’m not talking about what they do on Saturdays. I’m talking about what they do every day and how they’re consumed with excellence.

“DeeJay is that guy. It means so much to him — not just to excel — but to make Miami excel and his role in that, the plays he makes. … His energy, what he does on the sideline, he is pure ‘Cane."

Miami’s defense had season highs in sacks (nine) and tackles for loss (16) against FSU.

“We had not felt like they had seen anything like what we would present," Diaz said. “Even when they went to Clemson, Clemson really overwhelmed them with a lot of blitzing and changing up their fronts or whatever. They had not seen anybody that we felt like had what we had up front that could just line up and whip them.”

Diaz described what makes 6-foot-6 redshirt freshman Greg Rousseau, who had four of those sacks and now has 12 on the season, so effective in using his long arms in pass rush.

“Remember the old trick when you’re a kid, and your little brother, you stick your arm out, put your arm on his head when he’s going to punch you?" Diaz said. "That’s what he can really do in pass rush. He can get his hands on you before you can get your hands on him.”

Diaz added that his athleticism and long stride helps him gain ground quickly and his relentless effort in getting off blocks to get to the opposing quarterback.

As far as Miami’s quarterback, Diaz again lauded the two deep touchdown passes thrown on posts to Jeff Thomas and Dee Wiggins.

“I don’t know if he could have run over there and handed the ball to the receiver in a better position than he threw it,” Diaz said. “They are in stride, I mean right in the breadbasket, perfectly placed.”

Diaz did not yet have an update, as of Monday morning, on the status of redshirt sophomore safety Bubba Bolden, who injured his right ankle colliding with Gurvan Hall in celebration following his third-quarter interception.

“That was definitely unfortunate. You hate to see things like that happen,” Diaz said. “It’s just unlucky. Guys are enthusiastic. You want guys to be excited for their teammate. Gurvan and Bubba, they play the same position. At times, they’re battling for playing time on the field. To see the two of them celebrate like that, is really what you want to see.

Sun-Sentinel • Most Read