Duke’s special teams will have a new look when the Blue Devils face Tulane on Sept. 5, and the biggest change is at placekicker.
Cosme Salas is stepping into the primary field goal role after handling much of Duke’s kickoff work in 2025. That means Todd Pelino’s run as the Blue Devils’ main kicker is over, even though the numbers from last season need a little context.
Duke finished 14-for-19 on field goals and ranked 89th in the FBS, but Pelino’s misses all came from beyond 40 yards. Inside 40, he was perfect, going 8-for-8.
Salas now gets the first shot at taking over that job. He also brings some experience to the table from kickoffs, where he was plenty busy a year ago. Out of his 46 kickoffs last season, 34 ended in touchbacks.
Punting remains in good hands with Kade Reynoldson back as the starter. The sophomore averaged 44.61 yards per punt last season, a strong return that gives Duke stability in a phase that can quietly swing games.
The rest of the special teams depth chart is mostly settled, too. Jack Yates is listed as the starter at long snapper, with Jack Ronilo behind him. Reynoldson will also handle holding duties.
On the return side, Jayden Moore is set to take over both punt and kickoff return responsibilities. As a freshman, Moore averaged 25.33 yards per return. Sheppard could also help on kickoff returns, though there’s a noted risk of injury if he’s used there.
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