Tag: Elon Phoenix

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

Posted on | by Field Level Media

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

Vanderbilt Commodores Miles Capers during the Vanderbilt Spring Game at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville , Tenn., Saturday, April 16, 2022. Spring Game004

After offensive outburst, Vanderbilt looks to spoil Elon’s season opener

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Following one of the best offensive performances in recent school history, Vanderbilt will look to improve to 2-0 for the first time since 2018 when the Commodores host Elon on Saturday night in Nashville, Tenn.

The Commodores opened the season with a 63-10 rout at Hawaii last Saturday to end a seven-game losing streak with its highest-scoring output since a 63-8 win over Davidson in 1969.

The 53-point win over the Rainbow Warriors was the Commodores’ largest margin of victory since a 58-0 win over Presbyterian in September 2012.

“This is a program that we’re building, it’s an identity we’re building. It’s not something that we want to celebrate — it’s something that we want to expect,” Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said.

“This isn’t the goal, this isn’t the end point. This is the beginning, this is the start of the journey, and there’s a lot more out there for this team to accomplish.”

Mike Wright went 13-for-21 passing for 146 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 163 yards on just 13 carries with two more scores, including one covering 87 yards. He became the fourth Commodore to have multiple rushing and passing touchdowns in the same game since 1996.

Will Sheppard had three catches for 39 yards and two scores, and Ray Davis rushed for 87 yards and a touchdown on nine carries.

Vanderbilt’s Anfernee Orji returned a fumble 28 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter, and CJ Taylor had a 14-yard scoop-and-score in the third quarter.

After leading 21-10 at halftime, the Commodores scored 35 points in the third quarter, their highest-scoring quarter since scoring the same amount in the second quarter against Austin Peay in September 2013.

Vanderbilt, which went 2-10 last season, can equal last season’s win total with a victory over Elon.

The Phoenix, who play in the FCS, won five of their last seven games to finish 6-5 last season. Saturday’s game will be their season opener.

Elon will turn to quarterback Matt McKay, who transferred from Montana State, to lead an offense that returns All-Colonial Athletic Association receiver Jackson Parham (57 catches, 820 yards, one TD).

Defensively, Elon returns nine starters, including defensive end Torrence Williams, cornerback Tre’Von Jones and safeties Cole Coleman and Omar Rogers.

Elon coach Tony Trisciani is excited about the challenge that awaits his team Saturday.

“What we want is earned, not given,” he said. “We’ve got to earn it every day by practicing with a purpose and being resilient.”

–Field Level Media