Manny Diaz got a little bit of good news and a little bit of bad news out of Duke’s latest scrimmage, and both came in the same eye-popping number.
According to Duke’s official website, the Blue Devils’ defense came away with five takeaways during Sunday’s game-like scrimmage. The breakdown was three fumbles and two interceptions. For Diaz, that’s the kind of stat line that can make a coach smile and wince at the same time.
The smile comes from a defense that clearly made plays. The wince comes from an offense that is still trying to sort itself out, especially at quarterback.
Duke’s fall camp has centered on the battle between San Jose State transfer Walker Eget and sophomore Dan Mahan, but the bigger issue is whether the Blue Devils can clean up enough on defense to stay near the top of the ACC. That’s especially true after last season’s struggles on the back end and the losses of bookends Vincent Anthony Jr. and Wesley Williams up front.
The offense, meanwhile, is expected to lean more on the run. Duke is moving toward a power-run identity built around a veteran offensive line and star running back Nate Sheppard, which means the eventual quarterback winner may be asked to manage games more than carry them. Five turnovers in a scrimmage doesn’t exactly ease concern about that plan.
Still, there’s no way to read too much into the number without more context. Duke didn’t say how the turnovers happened, or whether they came during scrimmage reps or in other segments of practice. When a team is scrimmaging against itself, every takeaway has a built-in tradeoff: one side creates a play, the other side allows it.
There was another encouraging note for Diaz, though. Duke said its pass rush was “particularly active,” and sophomore Bryce Davis showed up in a big way with two sacks. Davis, the highest-rated recruit in program history, living up to that billing would be a major development for the Blue Devils in 2026.
Duke still has at least one more scrimmage before its season-opener against Tulane. With kickoff less than three weeks away, the Blue Devils still have plenty to sort through on both sides of the ball.
In Other News...
Walker Eget Suddenly Carries Huge Pressure In Dukes 2026 QB Race
Walker Eget arrived at Duke late in the transfer portal window, but he immediately stepped into one of the most important jobs on the roster. The San Jose State transfer is in the mix for the Blue Devils starting quarterback role for the 2026 season, filling a need that opened unexpectedly after Darian Mensah entered the portal and later landed at Miami following a legal dispute with Duke.
Manny Diaz has confirmed that the job will not be handed to Eget, setting up a competition with redshirt freshman Dan Mahan. That makes the path ahead especially important for Eget, who is trying to establish himself in a new system after a rushed arrival, with the kind of pressure that comes from joining late and having to win over a staff that has a real alternative waiting. [Read more 🡒]
Elton Brand Connection Gives Duke Fans A New Recruiting Storyline
A familiar last name is starting to bubble up in Dukes recruiting orbit, and this one comes with real long-term intrigue. Peace Brand, a junior power forward at Westtown School and the son of former Blue Devils standout and NBA No. 1 overall pick Elton Brand, has begun to surface as a prospect in the 2028 class, where he recently entered the 247Sports Composite rankings at No. 186 overall. He has also earned recognition as one of Pennsylvanias rising players, giving the Duke connection a little more substance than the usual family-tree chatter.
For now, though, the Blue Devils are still in the early stages of tracking the broader 2028 board, with the staff focused on other top names in that cycle. Brand has not yet received an offer from Duke, which leaves the door open for the kind of recruiting thread fans tend to follow closely when a program icons son starts attracting notice. It is still early, but it is the sort of storyline that can linger around Duke for a while if his development keeps moving in the right direction. [Read more 🡒]