Duke’s first regular-season test comes this weekend, and the Blue Devils will walk into it with a secondary that looks a lot different than it did a few weeks ago. On Saturday at 3:30 pm EST, Duke faces reigning AAC champion Tulane on ACC Network in its first regular-season game since beating Virginia for the ACC Championship last fall.
That timing matters because fall camp was all about sorting through a roster that got hit hard by the transfer portal and the NFL Draft. Manny Diaz had to piece together a new mix on both sides of the ball, and the competition never really stopped - especially at quarterback, where Walker Eget and Dan Mahan battled for the job.
The roster churn touched multiple spots, with wide receiver, defensive tackle and defensive back all bringing in new names. Duke also had to replace major departures such as quarterback Darian Mensah, wide receiver Cooper Barkate and cornerback Chandler Rivers, among others. To steady things, the Blue Devils added transfers like Eget from San Jose State, receiver Jared Richardson from Penn, and cornerbacks Kyon Loud from Montana and Dylan Flowers from Western Kentucky.
Not every position was up for grabs. Running back, tight end, the offensive line and linebacker were more settled, thanks to the talent already in place. But the clearest winners from camp ended up coming in the secondary.
That group had plenty to prove after Duke finished among the worst passing defenses in the country. The Blue Devils needed Landan Callahan and Kimari Robinson pushed, and they got that. When Monday’s depth chart came out, Loud was listed as a starter, while Flowers and Callahan were named co-starters opposite him.
It’s a strong sign for both transfers, who arrived without much buzz but now look like two of Duke’s most important additions. Loud and Flowers give Diaz and defensive coordinator Jonathan Patke a real chance to tighten up coverage and play with more discipline on the back end.
They’ll be tested right away against quality pass-catchers this season. But for now, Duke’s depth chart says the same thing the last month of practice did: Loud and Flowers earned their spots, and the defending ACC champions believe they’re ready to hold up on the perimeter.
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Duke Is Bringing A New Reality To Cameron Indoor
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There is more to the arrangement than what will be seen on the floor. Duke said the partnership will also include financial education and counseling for student-athletes, a nod to the off-court side of college sports that schools now have to treat as seriously as recruiting and competition. Duke vice president and director of athletics Nina King pointed to the shared values between the university and Edward Jones, suggesting the relationship is as much about fit as it is about visibility. [Read more 🡒]
Kon Knueppel Just Sparked A Duke Legends Debate Fans Will Love
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It was the sort of lineup built for instant pushback and nostalgia, with plenty of familiar names from different eras and a Hall-of-Fame level reserve waiting in the wings. For Duke fans, the fun now is in the reaction, because lists like this always reveal as much about the selector as they do about the programs history, and Knueppel left plenty of room for the next debate to begin. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Opener Will Reveal How Ready This New-Look Roster Really Is
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At the same time, the first game will also reveal how much stability Duke has found on offense after naming Walker Eget its starting quarterback. The line has already taken a hit with Roman Fina set to miss the season because of a lower-body injury suffered in camp, so the opener will be about more than just execution. It will show how quickly the Blue Devils can absorb a few early roster changes and still settle into something recognizable. [Read more 🡒]