Duke is 3-0 for the second time under Manny Diaz, and the Blue Devils kept that start rolling with a 35-7 win over Stanford that was never really in doubt after halftime. The second half belonged to Duke’s defense, which shut the Cardinal out while the offense kept building on last week’s road win at Illinois.
There’s a real sense that this team is becoming more complete on both sides of the ball. After three weeks, Duke looks like a group that has a little bit of everything working.
At quarterback, Walker Eget followed up his Week 2 showing with another steady outing. The San Jose State transfer finished 14-of-24 for 202 yards, a touchdown and an interception, with the turnover coming on the opening drive. After that, he settled in and did what Duke needed him to do: keep the offense moving, avoid forcing the issue, and make the right throw at the right time.
It wasn’t flashy, and it didn’t need to be. Eget didn’t try to turn the game into a one-man show, and Duke clearly doesn’t need him to pile up huge numbers for the offense to function.
The real headliner, as usual, was Nate Sheppard. The sophomore looked like the best player on the field again, putting up 156 yards from scrimmage at 6.7 yards per carry and scoring three times. Through three games, he’s already up to 590 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns.
CJ Campbell gave Duke a strong second option, too. The Rutgers transfer ran nine times for 42 yards and kept churning out yards after contact. With Sheppard and Campbell, Duke may have the best 1-2 backfield punch in the ACC.
The receiver room, which looked like the biggest question on the roster heading into the season, keeps trending up. Eget spread the ball around to seven different pass-catchers against Stanford, the most in any game so far this year.
Jared Richardson finally got involved after being held catchless through the first two games, finishing with three grabs for 44 yards. Jeremiah Hasley also turned in his best receiving game of the season, catching five passes for 88 yards to lead the team.
That’s a good sign for a group that keeps adding layers. More players are getting into the mix, and the passing game is becoming deeper as a result.
Hasley was the only tight end to record a catch this week, while Nate Kurisky and Jake Taylor continue to offer value as blockers and occasional targets.
Up front, Duke’s offensive line had some rough patches against Illinois, but it was much steadier against Stanford. Eget had time to work, and when he needed to move, he had room to do it. Sheppard also found enough space to break plays open.
On defense, the front seven wasn’t quite as overwhelming as it was in the opener against Tulane, but it was far more disruptive than it had been a week earlier. Tyshon Reed and Kevin O’Connor both had two sacks, which marked career highs for the juniors. Bryce Davis also stood out, even though his stat line only showed one tackle and two pass deflections.
That group still looks deep, and it still looks like one of the ACC’s best defensive lines.
The linebackers didn’t have a huge statistical day, but they were effective. Nick Morris Jr. led the group with five total tackles, Kendall Johnson added four, and Luke Mergott and Elliott Schaper each chipped in one. It’s still hard to draw sweeping conclusions from Week 3, but the unit did its job.
Duke also looked sharp on the back end after halftime. Stanford finished with only 164 total passing yards, and the Blue Devils kept the Cardinal off the board in the second half. Dylan Flowers led the team with seven total tackles, while Landan Callahan and Kyon Loud both played well.
In Other News...
Dukes New Identity Is Giving Blue Devils Fans Real Reason To Buy In
Dukes football season has opened with something Blue Devils fans havent always had much of lately: a style that feels sturdy, intentional and built to last. The 3-0 start has come behind a physical, run-focused attack and a defense that has made a clear leap from a year ago, giving the program a different kind of credibility as it heads deeper into the schedule. Even in a sport that can change quickly, there is a sense around this team that its identity is not an accident.
The latest proof came in the win over Stanford, a game that reinforced how well Duke is controlling the terms on both sides of the ball. With William & Mary, Georgia Tech, North Carolina and Virginia all still ahead, the early test now becomes whether this version of the Blue Devils can keep carrying over as the opponent quality rises. For a fan base looking for something real to invest in, the first three weeks have offered more than hope, and maybe a reason to believe this start can mean something beyond September. [Read more 🡒]
Walker Eget Is Giving Duke A Bigger ACC Question
Duke kept building momentum under Manny Diaz with a home win over Stanford, its third straight after the road victory at Illinois. The Blue Devils looked more balanced on both sides of the ball, and Nate Sheppard continued to stand out as an important piece of the offense while the team showed signs of real progress.
Walker Egets latest outing added another layer to the conversation. After a strong showing against Illinois, the quarterback was again part of the reason Dukes offense looked more functional, but the larger ACC question is how far that stability can carry if the game script turns messy and the margin for error shrinks. [Read more 🡒]
Dukes Fast Start Is Starting To Feel Very Real
A 3-0 start always buys a little attention, but Dukes early-season surge under Manny Diaz is beginning to look less like a hot opening and more like something sturdier. The Blue Devils have leaned on a balanced effort, with sophomore running back Nate Sheppard emerging as the kind of offensive centerpiece that can carry a September run, while quarterback Walker Eget has settled in as a more reliable game manager.
The defense has started to match that energy, too, coming off a sharp outing against Stanford that showed more pressure up front and better disruption across the board. When a team opens this cleanly, the question shifts quickly from whether it can contend to how long the momentum can last, and Duke is now facing the sort of attention that follows a fast start only if the foundation underneath it feels real. [Read more 🡒]