Duke’s trip to Illinois puts the quarterback conversation right back in the spotlight.
The Blue Devils head to Champaign on Saturday to face 1-0 Illinois at 3:30 pm ET on FS1, and both teams are coming off convincing Week 1 wins. It’s also the first Power Conference matchup of the season for each program. For Duke, though, the more immediate issue is what it gets from Walker Eget.
After Duke’s 17-3 win over Tulane, the quarterback spot looks like the clearest question mark on the roster. The wide receivers could be mentioned too, but the passing game never really had a chance to get rolling because Eget’s performance held it back. He completed 13 of 26 passes for 131 yards and missed several open looks, including back-to-back touchdown throws to Jeremiah Hasley in the red zone late in the first half.
Eget does have some built-in patience on his side. He had offseason surgery and missed spring work, so the rust was understandable. But that explanation only goes so far, and Week 2 has to bring more than what Duke got against Tulane.
There were signs of how the depth chart could play in real time. When redshirt freshman Dan Mahan came in early in the fourth quarter against Tulane - even though he didn’t throw a pass on that drive - he was greeted with cheers. When Eget returned a few plays later, there were some “boos” in his direction.
Still, the tools are there. Eget has the arm strength to push the ball downfield, and he showed enough over two seasons as a starter with San Jose State to suggest better days are ahead. Against Tulane, he looked out of rhythm and uncomfortable, but after a demanding offseason and with Duke leaning heavily on the run, one uneven outing isn’t the end of the story.
That said, Duke can’t expect to keep winning by simply riding Nate Sheppard. The star running back should remain the offense’s centerpiece all season, but Eget has to help keep drives alive and make the passing game a real threat.
The expectation is that Eget takes a step forward and starts looking like Duke’s 2026 starting quarterback. If he doesn’t, and the Blue Devils are still in a tight game late, Manny Diaz could have a reason to give Mahan a look.
It would be a surprise if Eget gets pulled purely because of poor play against Illinois. But if Duke is still hanging around late and the offense keeps stalling, a change under center would not be off the table.
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Dukes 31-27 road win at Illinois gave the Blue Devils a valuable early-season rsum piece, and it came with a lot to like on both sides of the ball. Walker Eget managed the offense well, Jonah Burton provided the top receiving spark, and Evan Smith delivered the kind of defensive play that can swing a game away from home.
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Duke Is Hanging Around At Illinois For One Very Revealing Reason
Duke is still in the thick of its non-conference game at Illinois after a first half that swung back and forth, with the Blue Devils answering early pressure and finding enough offense to keep the margin tight. Illinois built its lead with a sharp passing start and the kind of early rhythm that put Duke on its heels, but the Blue Devils stayed attached thanks to a run game that kept producing usable drives and helped prevent the game from getting away.
Nate Sheppard has been the centerpiece of that response, giving Duke a much-needed spark as both a runner and a receiver while the Blue Devils leaned on him to steady the offense. Both teams also made their share of fourth-down gambles, underscoring how little separation there has been, and Duke heads into the second half still with a chance to turn an uneven opening 30 minutes into something bigger. [Read more 🡒]