Son of an influential Cuban Mayor of Miami. Played high school sports but not college football. Graduated from FSU. First job was as a coach under Mickey Andrews. Moved on to NCSU, Middle Tenn., Miss. State, then on to Texas where Mack Brown fired him in mid-season, then Lous. Tech, then a second stint at Miss. State, then Miami for 3 years then head coach at Temple, then hired back before he even started at Temple thanks to the gifts that Mark Richt left on the table for the Miami AD to pay Manny's buyout to Temple.

Very convoluted path to becoming the head coach at his hometown favorite.