Tag: duke blue devils

Nov 2, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Maalik Murphy (6) throws the football against the Miami Hurricanes during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Duke shifts focus to Virginia Tech in home finale

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Looking for a strong finishing stretch to the Atlantic Coast Conference campaign, Duke hosts Virginia Tech in its home finale Saturday night in Durham, N.C.

“It’s going to be a special night for everybody,” Blue Devils coach Manny Diaz said. “It’s always an emotional moment with the pregame ceremonies, but you’ve got to be able to snap back and focus on a very good Virginia Tech football team with a lot of talent. We’ve been fortunate to have extra time to prepare for this week.”

The outcome is going to have a huge impact on the pecking order in the middle of the ACC standings.

Duke (7-3, 3-3) has won only two of its last four games, while Virginia Tech (5-5, 3-3) has dropped two in a row and still needs another win to reach bowl eligibility. Both teams were off last weekend.

The Blue Devils are 4-1 this year in Durham. The Hokies are 2-3 in road games, with two of the setbacks in overtime (vs. Vanderbilt and Syracuse) and another in a controversial finish at Miami.

“A good opponent in Duke, at night, at their place, Senior Night,” Hokies coach Brent Pry said. “They’ve got a couple of good wins under their belt and they’ve lost a couple of closes ones. We’ll have our hands full.”

Former Duke standout defensive lineman Aeneas Peebles, who spent four seasons with the Blue Devils, is using his final season of eligibility with Virginia Tech. He has logged three sacks this year.

Duke has a bit of an unusual situation with running back Jaquez Moore, who’s ready to return to action following an injury. But he’ll play in only one of the final two regular-season games so he can qualify for a redshirt season. The Blue Devils finish at Wake Forest on Nov. 30.

Moore has played in three games, most recently in late September against North Carolina.

“We think he’s one of the best players on our roster and we’re excited at the idea that we’ll have a chance to welcome him back next year,” Diaz said.

Duke is 15th in the ACC in rushing offense at 99.6 yards per game. Virginia Tech is next-to-last in the ACC in rushing defense, allowing 158.5 yards per game on the ground.

–Field Level Media

Nov 9, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils wide receiver Que'Sean Brown (14) makes the catch against the North Carolina State Wolfpack during the first half at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Duke scores touchdowns, NC State settles for field goals in Blue Devils’ win

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Maalik Murphy threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as Duke snapped a two-game losing streak by winning 29-19 at North Carolina State on Saturday in Raleigh, N.C.

Duke (7-3, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) handled the task defensively by holding the Wolfpack without a touchdown until the fourth quarter.

Todd Pelino kicked two long field goals for the Blue Devils, who have defeated NC State in back-to-back seasons.

Kanoah Vinesett kicked four field goals for NC State (5-5, 2-4), which played in its home finale. The Wolfpack was coming off victories against ACC newcomers Cal and Stanford but couldn’t pull off another triumph against a longtime neighboring foe.

Murphy was 22 of 31 for 245 yards in the air, but Duke gained just 31 rushing yards.

The Blue Devils managed 276 yards of total offense, barely outgaining NC State’s 268.

Wolfpack quarterback CJ Bailey was 16 of 39 for 184 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Murphy broke a tie in the third quarter with a 3-yard touchdown run for a 19-12 edge. Then he connected with Sahmir Hagans for a 9-yard touchdown pass to complete the first possession of the fourth quarter.

NC State finally got going and Bailey pass to Wesley Grimes for a 16-yard touchdown on fourth-and-8 as the Wolfpack closed within 26-19 with 9:01 remaining in regulation.

The teams traded punts before Duke chewed up almost four minutes from the clock to set up Pelino’s 49-yarder for the final points.

Duke started strong by scoring in a variety of ways. The first points came on a safety when Bailey was sacked by Wesley Williams and Aaron Hall in the end zone.

Pelino kicked a 50-yard field goal and then Murphy hooked up with Jordan Moore for a 45-yard touchdown play as the Blue Devils built a 12-0 lead.

NC State came back in pieces with second-quarter field goals of 30, 28 and 37 yards. The last of those was a gift following a Duke fumble and with just one second left in the half, making the score 12-9.

Vinesett was good from 25 yards out to tie the score early in the third quarter.

–Field Level Media

Nov 2, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack running back Jordan Waters (7) celebrates a touchdown in the second half against the Stanford Cardinals during the second half at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

NC State bids to continue ascent in encounter vs. Duke

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North Carolina State and Duke have been going in opposite directions in recent weeks heading into their Atlantic Coast Conference game Saturday afternoon in Raleigh, N.C.

The Wolfpack (5-4, 2-3) have won two in a row to get their season back on track going into their home finale.

“We have 20 players on our team that are out of eligibility,” North Carolina State coach Dave Doeren said. “After this game, they’ll never walk through that tunnel with their uniform on again to play a game.”

The Blue Devils (6-3, 2-3) have lost back-to-back games against nationally ranked opponents, falling to SMU and Miami.

“I think we’ve shown that in spurts we can play with anybody,” Duke coach Manny Diaz said.

The Blue Devils led in the second half of both of their most recent ACC road losses, to Georgia Tech and Miami (53-31 last Saturday). So there’s plenty to build on for Duke.

“To go challenge ourselves to go be in this position again,” Diaz said.

North Carolina State’s last two games have resulted in triumphs against ACC newcomers Cal and Stanford, but now the Wolfpack have a date with a neighboring rival.

Last year, Duke defeated the Wolfpack 24-3 at home, though North Carolina State responded by winning its next five games.

For Wolfpack running back Jordan Waters, he’ll try to be on the winning side for the second year in a row but in a different uniform. He played in parts of five seasons for Duke before transferring to North Carolina State. He’s the Wolfpack’s leading rusher with 375 yards, while his five total touchdowns (four rushing, one receiving) rank second on the team.

North Carolina State has been humming on offense as freshman quarterback CJ Bailey continues to adjust to being the clear-cut starter. He has thrown for 11 touchdowns compared with four interceptions. The Wolfpack’s 59-28 victory against Stanford last week marked the most points the team has scored against an ACC foe.

Duke’s offense has been erratic at times. But Diaz said signs of growth came in the past two games when the opponents switched out of man-to-man coverages in the secondary. Yet now, he said, the Blue Devils must show a better attack against zone coverages.

Diaz was a North Carolina State assistant coach for six seasons (2000-05) under former coach Chuck Amato.

Because they were in opposite ACC divisions for years, this will be just the fourth time in Doeren’s 12 seasons that the Wolfpack play Duke. The home stadiums for the teams are 22 miles apart.

“Now we get to play every year,” Doeren said. “That will add to that.”

–Field Level Media

Nov 2, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Duke Blue Devils wide receiver Sahmir Hagans (2) is tackled by Miami Hurricanes linebacker Francisco Mauigoa (1) during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

No. 5 Miami turns up offense in 4th quarter, surges past Duke

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Cam Ward passed for 400 yards and five touchdowns as the fifth-ranked Miami Hurricanes remained undefeated, rallying to beat the visiting Duke Blue Devils 53-31 in an ACC matchup on Saturday afternoon in Miami Gardens, Fla.

The Hurricanes, who entered the game ranked No. 1 in the nation in scoring average (46.8), exceeded that total as they rallied from an 11-point third-quarter deficit.

Hurricanes wide receiver Xavier Restrepo had eight catches for 146 yards and three touchdowns. On his third TD, he broke Miami’s career record for catches and yards.

Miami (9-0, 5-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) got the best of Duke coach Manny Diaz, who spent six years with the Hurricanes, including three as their head coach. This was Diaz’s first game against Miami.

The Hurricanes, who are off to their best start since going 10-0 to begin 2017, intercepted Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy three times. Murphy also lost one fumble.

Duke (6-3, 2-3) was led by running back Peyton Jones, who scored one rushing touchdown and one receiving TD in totaling 132 yards from scrimmage (71 rushing, 61 receiving).

The Hurricanes led 14-7 after one quarter, but Duke surged ahead in the second period.

In fact, the Blue Devils tied the score 14-14 on Murphy’s 27-yard pass to Sahmir Hagans, who used a legal pick to get wide open.

Miami grabbed a 17-14 lead on Andres Borregales’ 29-yard field goal with 4:51 left in the second quarter.

Duke went ahead for the first time, 21-17, on Murphy’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Jones.

The Blue Devils took the second-half kickoff and scored on a fourth-and-1 play as Murphy threw an 8-yard TD pass to Jordan Moore, who was left open on a Miami blitz. It was Duke’s fourth TD drive — all of them at least 75 yards – in five possessions.

Miami scored on its next possession as Restrepo beat double coverage for a 3-yard TD pass. Ward ran in a two-point conversion to cut Miami’s deficit to 28-25.

Then, after Murphy was intercepted, Miami took a 32-28 lead on tight end Elija Lofton’s 2-yard run up the middle. That capped a 38-yard short-field drive helped by that interception by OJ Frederique.

Duke cut its deficit to 32-31 on Todd Pelino’s 24-yard field goal with 13:51 remaining in regulation.

However, Miami scored on its next possession to take 39-31 lead with 12:56 left in the fourth. On that play, Ward lobbed a 49-yard TD pass to Jacolby George.

With 7:36 left, Restepo then broke both of those records with a catch-and-run TD of 66 yards, giving Miami a 46-31 lead with 7:36 to go, and the Hurricanes cruised from there.

–Field Level Media

Oct 20, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; SMU Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings (7) throws the ball against the Temple Owls during the second half at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

No. 22 SMU takes high-powered offense on road vs. Duke

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If No. 22 SMU is going to contend for the Atlantic Coast Conference championship, there obviously are going to be big games along the way.

Count Saturday night against host Duke at Durham, N.C., among those.

SMU (6-1, 3-0) is riding a four-game winning streak and is trying to stay unblemished in league play along with Clemson, Miami and Pitt.

Duke (6-1, 2-1) is in the mix as well, but the Blue Devils need to take care of business Saturday in their penultimate home game of the season.

SMU has 34 or more points in four consecutive games. The Mustangs are 22-1 under coach Rhett Lashlee when racking up 30 or more points.

Despite the production, there wasn’t a sense from the Mustangs that all of it has been smooth.

“A lot of things to clean up as we get ready to go play a big-time defense,” Lashlee said.

Much of SMU’s firepower comes from dual-threat quarterback Kevin Jennings, a sophomore who posted a career-high 322 passing yards in SMU’s 40-10 victory over Stanford last Saturday.

So disrupting what Jennings is able to do is among the priorities for Duke’s defense.

“To put pressure on somebody where they had to throw to win,” Blue Devils coach Manny Diaz said.

Part of the plan for Duke will come with using a steady diet of fresh linemen on defense.

“You got to get subs in all the time, especially with the tempo they play,” Diaz said. “They’ve got a lot of weapons on offense, but football always starts with the big guys up front.”

SMU has lost tight end RJ Maryland for the season with a knee injury, Lashlee said Tuesday.

Duke defensive back Chandler Rivers and linebacker Ozzie Nicholas were picked as ACC Players of the Week at their respective positions based on performances in a 23-16 win over Florida State last week.

On offense, there were snags for the Blue Devils, particularly with the passing attack. After reviewing the footage, Diaz said it was nothing “to hang in the passing game Hall of Fame.”

Duke is trying to figure out the tight end position after it was revealed that Nicky Dalmolin is out for the season with a lower leg injury. Jake Taylor played 55 snaps in the Florida State game as his replacement.

The Blue Devils could have receiver Jordan Moore available for a heavier workload considering he was limited to special situations against Florida State.

The Blue Devils notched a piece of history by defeating Florida State. That was the first time in 23 all-time meetings that Duke beat the Seminoles.

SMU has won eight straight road games, matching Texas for the longest streak in the country. Saturday’s game will be the Mustangs’ third straight road assignment.

Duke is 15-2 at home across three seasons.

“Wallace Wade (Stadium) is just a difficult place for folks to come and play,” Diaz said. “That’s what the facts say. … The more you win at home, the more special home games you get.”

Duke and SMU haven’t met since 1956. The Mustangs are 2-0 all-time in the series.

SMU, a first-year ACC member after being in the American Athletic Conference, is going for its 13th consecutive victory in conference play dating to November 2022. The 12-game string for league games already is a program record.

–Field Level Media

Sep 21, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Jacolby Criswell (12) reacts with wide receiver J.J. Jones (5) in the first quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

North Carolina draws archrival Duke after embarrassing loss

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Looking ahead to Saturday’s game at Duke is the top priority for North Carolina after last week’s disturbing result and a hectic few days.

Tar Heels coach Mack Brown said it’s a good time to play the neighboring Blue Devils in Durham, N.C., because the Tar Heels need to bond together for a common cause.

Duke (4-0) will play its third home game, while the Tar Heels (3-1) will arrive wounded after a 70-50 home loss to James Madison.

That outcome spawned an array of upheaval regarding Brown’s longevity and a long list of defensive deficiencies. Reports that Brown offered to step down were rebuffed by the winningest active Division I coach.

“I love my job and I want to keep doing it,” Brown said. “Excited about the future and love my job. Love these kids, and I love this place, and that’s why I hate losing so much. … Let’s go, let’s move forward. Can’t wait to get back to work and go play Duke.”

Brown and his coordinators have provided the only explanations for what happened in the James Madison game and the challenges of facing Duke. Tar Heels players weren’t available for comment after Saturday’s game or leading up to the Duke game.

“Obviously, a lot of things to fix,” Brown said. “We couldn’t have done more things wrong in a game.”

It’s the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both programs.

Duke first-year coach Manny Diaz said playing a longtime rival to start league play is a big deal.

“All other types of distractions which really aren’t the focus of what actually will matter Saturday at 4 o’clock which is how well we block, how well we tackle, how well we throw, how well we catch,” Diaz said.

Jacolby Criswell became the third North Carolina starting quarterback of the season in the James Madison game. Turnovers hurt the Tar Heels, but Criswell gave a boost to the offense.

“I think it’s all there,” Brown said. “This offense can be really, really good after what we saw from Jacolby.”

Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy, who’s in his first season in the program, threw three touchdowns last week against Middle Tennessee.

However, Diaz said the Blue Devils can’t be content with airing it out against North Carolina. Duke running back Star Thomas has exceeded the 100-yard rushing mark in each of the past two games

“Not just the way that he can see holes, but what he does when he gets downfield,” Diaz said. “His toughness is inspiring our football team.”

Duke’s defense is averaging 11 1/2 tackles for loss. That could be troublesome for North Carolina’s offensive line.

“We’ve got our hands full,” Brown said.

North Carolina prevailed 47-45 in double overtime against Duke in Chapel Hill last year to claim the Victory Bell.

–Field Level Media

Aug 30, 2024; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Maalik Murphy (6) goes to throw the ball against the Elon Phoenix during the second half at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images

Middle Tennessee standing in way of 4-0 start for Duke

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Duke aims to finish nonconference play with an unblemished record when it visits Middle Tennessee State for a Saturday afternoon clash in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

The Blue Devils (3-0) also eye their second consecutive 4-0 start and momentum heading into a Sept. 28 tilt against rival North Carolina in their Atlantic Coast Conference opener.

But first up are the Blue Raiders (1-2), who, like Duke, are led by a first-year head coach.

Despite this being the second head coaching stints for both Middle Tennessee’s Derek Mason and Duke’s Manny Diaz, they have never faced each other from opposing sidelines. Diaz was an assistant at Middle Tennessee nearly two decades ago, serving as the defensive coordinator there from 2006-09.

While Duke is coming off its third straight win after a 26-21 victory over UConn last weekend, MTSU hopes to bounce back from a 49-21 loss to Western Kentucky that Mason put on himself and no one else.

“At the end of the day, I don’t blame players, I blame me,” Mason said. “My shoulders are big enough. What we will do as a staff and as a team is hold each other accountable. Because that’s where the winning gets done.”

Middle Tennessee’s issues have shown up on defense, where it ranks 129th out of 133 FBS teams with 42 points allowed per game. Even in its lone win against FCS side Tennessee Tech, the Blue Raiders allowed 25 points.

Duke hasn’t had a problem finding the end zone, especially in crucial moments. Each of the Blue Devils’ past two wins — against UConn at home and on the road against Northwestern — required late-game comebacks.

“A lot that we have to improve on, but it’s always more fun to improve when you’re winning than when you’re not winning,” Diaz said. “(Undefeated) and eventually, going into league play where you know you’re going to be in tough games, you know you’re going to be in close games.

“What they have learned through these last couple of weeks is going to really bode well as we get further down into our season.”

The Blue Devils have been powered on offense by Texas transfer Maalik Murphy, who has thrown for 801 yards with eight touchdowns and leads all ACC quarterbacks in pass attempts with 122.

MTSU has a strong passing attack as well, led by Nicholas Vattiato who threw for 456 yards and three TDs against Western Kentucky.

–Field Level Media

Sep 6, 2024; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Duke Blue Devils wide receiver Jordan Moore (8) canít make a catch as Northwestern Wildcats defensive back Evan Smith (12) defends him during the second half at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

Jordan Moore, Duke look to keep making plays vs. UConn

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Two basketball heavyweights will square off on the gridiron Saturday evening when UConn visits Duke for a non-conference matchup in Durham, N.C.

This will be just the fourth all-time meeting between the schools’ football teams. The Huskies recorded a 22-20 win in 2004 and a 45-14 victory in 2007 before the Blue Devils responded with a 41-7 decision last season.

Most of the offensive stars for Duke (2-0) have moved on since last year’s matchup, but UConn (1-1) still will have to contend with wide receiver Jordan Moore. He racked up eight catches for 86 yards and a touchdown in the 2023 meeting.

Moore has done plenty of damage this season, as well. He totaled seven catches for 112 yards in the Blue Devils’ season-opening win over Elon and then registered 11 grabs for 121 yards and a score in last weekend’s 26-20 double-overtime victory over Northwestern.

The Blue Devils overcame a foot injury to running back Jaquez Moore against the Wildcats, not to mention a litany of mistakes on the field — including an interception, a blocked punt, a muffed punt and a missed field goal.

“That’s just a testament to our culture,” Jordan Moore said. “The game’s not won in the first quarter. It’s won in the fourth or overtime. We keep fighting, we keep giving body blows, and we have faith that every single one of our teammates will make plays.”

The Huskies are feeling better as well after rolling past FCS foe Merrimack 63-17 last weekend. Joe Fagnano threw for five touchdowns and ran for another score for UConn, which led 56-7 at the break.

Fagnano was playing in place of Nick Evers, who suffered a concussion in UConn’s season-opening 50-7 loss to Maryland. Evers was just 6 of 17 for 73 yards in that contest before giving way to Fagnano.

“Joe was very calm, he read out his progressions, he threw the ball with accuracy, he ran the ball well,” Huskies coach Jim Mora Jr. said. “I was very pleased with his performance. … Nick’s situation will be evaluated daily by our medical staff.”

–Field Level Media

Aug 30, 2024; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Maalik Murphy (6) goes to throw the ball against the Elon Phoenix during the second half at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

Duke looks to ignite offense in visit to Northwestern

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Duke and Northwestern did enough in their respective season-opening games to appreciate the results, but there are significant concerns for both teams entering Friday night’s non-conference matchup in Evanston, Ill.

“It’s going to be a line of scrimmage game,” Duke first-year coach Manny Diaz said.

Both teams will address offensive concerns. The Blue Devils (1-0) finally pulled away from Elon for a 26-3 home victory last Friday, while the Wildcats (1-0) eked out a 13-6 decision against visiting Miami (Ohio) on Saturday.

“Excited about the outcome from Saturday, but humble enough to know that we have a lot of work to do,” said Northwestern coach David Braun. “Excited to host Duke.”

Northwestern managed 328 yards of total offense in the opener. On the positive, quarterback Mike Wright did a solid job of getting off passes in a timely manner, and that could be vital against a Duke defense that recorded eight sacks versus Elon.

“That group knows that there’s a lot of continued growth that is necessary,” Braun said of the Northwestern offense.

Duke could be in another scrap without many big-yardage plays.

“Their defense is built to prevent the explosive plays,” Diaz said. “They do a great job of trying to make it difficult, trying to keep the score down.”

Yet the Blue Devils won’t be shy about testing the Northwestern defense.

“We want to be able to take those (downfield) shots and make those shots,” Diaz said.

Duke topped the Wildcats 38-14 last year in Northwestern’s first road game with Braun in charge as an interim coach. This week, it’s Duke making its first trip with a new coach.

In last year’s meeting, the offensive stars for then-No. 21 Duke were running back Jordan Waters and quarterback Riley Leonard, who are playing for North Carolina State and Notre Dame, respectively, this year.

But quarterback Maalik Murphy, a transfer from Texas, won last week in his Duke debut and showcased a sampling that could put the Wildcats on edge.

“They have a quarterback that might have the most live arm that we’ve seen in a long time,” Braun said. “There will be some unique stresses on our defense this week.”

Diaz has a history with Northwestern because he was in the Big Ten as Penn State’s defensive coordinator the past two years.

Duke leads the series with Northwestern 13-10, winning the past five meetings.

–Field Level Media

Jul 24, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Maalik Murphy speaks to the media during the ACC Kickoff at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Manny Diaz era begins as Maalik Murphy, Duke face Elon

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New coach, new quarterback and new season for Duke.

The Blue Devils feature many fresh cast members and embark on a quest for a third consecutive winning season by facing visiting Elon on Friday night at Durham, N.C.

Manny Diaz is the first-year coach for Duke, arriving to replace Mike Elko after serving as Penn State’s defensive coordinator. He’s a former head coach at Miami from 2019-21.

“We want to create a high volume of negative plays,” Diaz said. “It’s important to us to lead the nation in tackle-for-losses.”

Duke will have Maalik Murphy, a former Texas starter, as its first-string quarterback.

“It’s kind of relief to me,” Murphy said. “A lot of work put in. I kind of give all thanks to the quarterback room. Those guys pushed me to the best of my ability.”

Murphy joined the program in January after two seasons at Texas, where he started in two of the seven games he played. The Longhorns defeated BYU and Kansas State in the two games Murphy started, but the QB-rich depth chart happens to include Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning.

Murphy beat out a group that included quarterbacks Grayson Loftis and Henry Belin IV, with the latter two each recording wins with Duke as starters. Loftis started the final five games of the 2023 season, with the Blue Devils winning three of those — including the Birmingham Bowl against Troy.

“We felt like there was no losers in the competition,” Diaz said. “We feel really good about our quarterback room, but we felt it was time (to name a starter).”

Elon, coming off a 6-5 season, was picked to finish sixth in the 16-team Coastal Athletic Association, which generally ranks high in the Football Championship Subdivision.

“We know who we’ve got,” Elon coach Tony Trisciani said of the team’s personnel. “The majority of the players have been recruited and developed by us. We know what we’ve got in this building.”

Elon has a quarterback with power-conference ties as well. Matthew Downing is with his fourth school and seventh collegiate season after stops at Georgia, Texas Christian and Louisiana Tech. He was with the Phoenix last year, starting in most of the team’s games and throwing for 19 touchdowns with four interceptions.

Elon’s defense has been a strong area for most recent seasons. Junior safety Caleb Curtain is the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year in the CAA.

“We need to do the same things a lot more consistently,” Curtain said. “A lot more little details we need to pay attention to.”

Elon lost each of its last three season-opening games.

The Phoenix last met Duke 10 years ago, with the Blue Devils winning 52-13 in the season opener.

–Field Level Media