Manny Diaz isn't going to FIU

While former Texas offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin grabbed one of the last life boats out of Bellmont took the Arkansas State job this off-season, Manny Diaz, his fellow highly-touted guru on the defensive side of the ball, withdrew his name from consideration for the open spot at Florida International on Tuesday.

For those of you not versed in the world of human resources speak, that means he wasn't getting the job. It's your classic face-saving routine designed to protect the reputation (and ego) of an applicant.

He has deep connections in the area -- his father was the mayor of Miami for most of the last decade -- and the pedigree for a job at a school like FIU, but his resume took a huge hit in 2012.

Despite having a plethora of NFL talent, Diaz's defense fell apart during the toughest part of the schedule, giving up at least 36 points to Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Oklahoma and Baylor in four consecutive weeks.

Of course, not all of that can be pinned on the 38-year old defensive coordinator, as the Longhorns program showed cracks that go all the way up to head coach Mack Brown this season.

For now, it appears that Diaz has hitched his star to Brown, as both need a strong 2013 campaign to wash away the taste of a disappointing 2012 campaign.