Manny Diaz has Duke winning in a way that should make the rest of the ACC take notice.
The Blue Devils are doing it while operating near the bottom of the Power Four in roster spending, too. After Duke paid up to land quarterback Darian Mensah from Tulane in the transfer portal following the 2024 season, it looked like a sign the program was ready to make a bigger financial push. Instead, that move now feels more like the exception than the rule.
A recent Athletic report estimated Duke’s roster cost for this season at between $12 million and $15 million, which put the Blue Devils 67th out of 68 Power Four teams. Only Boston College was projected lower. Illinois, the team Duke beat last week, was estimated to have spent between $19 million and $23 million, even though it sits lower in the Big Ten spending pool.
The gap gets even wider inside the ACC. The conference average lands between $21 million and $25 million, while Miami leads the league at an estimated $44 million to $50 million. Clemson is next at roughly $29 million to $32 million.
That’s the backdrop for what Diaz has pulled off in Durham. He doesn’t have the same NIL resources as a lot of his ACC peers, but Duke keeps finding ways to beat teams that do. Last season, the Blue Devils won the ACC Championship despite the disparity in spending.
And even after losing Mensah to Miami, there’s a case to be made that this year’s team might be better overall. It may not have the same firepower at quarterback, but Nate Sheppard has taken another step, the offensive line has been dominant and the defense looks like it has made a major jump.
No, challenging Miami - which spent about three times as much as Duke on its roster - may not be a realistic goal this season. But Diaz’s work has been impossible to ignore.
That includes the Duke administration, and it probably includes other programs that are looking at the same formula and asking a simple question: if Diaz is doing this with Duke at that price point, what happens if the budget gets bigger?
Duke is planning to increase roster spending next season and beyond, but that may not be enough to stop interest from building. Diaz looks like a strong fit in Durham, but back-to-back nine-win seasons and what could be his best team yet in 2026 make him a name that other programs will circle.
At this point, it’s hard not to be impressed by what he has built.
In Other News...
Louisvilles Early-Season Ceiling Suddenly Looks Like A Real Debate
Wake Forest walked out of Louisville with one of the leagues more eye-opening wins of the young season, beating the No. 16 Cardinals 30-27 and nudging itself to 3-1 overall and 1-1 in the ACC. Gio Lopez handled the moment well, throwing for 225 yards and a touchdown, while Carlos Hernandez was the games most dangerous playmaker with nine catches for 194 yards and a score.
Louisville had a chance to escape after a back-and-forth afternoon, but the finish turned on a blocked 57-yard field goal attempt in the final moments. For a Wake Forest team trying to establish itself in the conference race, it was the kind of result that can change how the rest of the schedule feels, while also leaving the Cardinals with a sudden need to sort out what this loss says about their early-season ceiling. [Read more 🡒]
Wake Forest Faces A Costly Problem Ahead Of Louisville Test
Wake Forest heads into its meeting with Louisville at 2-1, still carrying the sting of its loss to Miami but with enough early momentum to make this a meaningful September test. The Demon Deacons have leaned on quarterback Gio Lopez and the receiving duo of Carlos Hernandez and Jack Foley, and if this one is going to tilt their way, they will need those pieces to stay efficient while the offense keeps the kind of rhythm that can survive on the road.
The bigger concern may be what happens when Louisville starts to lean on its ground game. The Cardinals are also 2-1 after beating SMU, and their rushing attack, led by Lincoln Kienholz and Keyjuan Brown, gives Wake Forest a difficult defensive assignment on top of the usual challenge of staying disciplined and avoiding penalties. For a team still trying to settle in after the Miami loss, the margin for error feels thin. [Read more 🡒]
Wake Forest Just Made Another ACC Statement On The Road
Wake Forest walked into Louisville and left with another ACC win, taking down the No. 16 Cardinals 30-27 in a game that had the feel of a conference measuring stick. Connor Calvert did his part with three field goals, including the decisive 32-yarder late, while Gio Lopez managed the offense with 225 passing yards and a touchdown and Ty Clark III gave the Demon Deacons a physical edge on the ground with 91 rushing yards and two scores.
Louisville had plenty of chances to flip it back. Lincoln Kienholz was sharp for most of the afternoon, finishing with 324 passing yards, a touchdown and two rushing scores, but the Cardinals could not cash in when it mattered most, and a late blocked field goal only added to the frustration. For Wake Forest, the road win keeps building the sense that this team is getting comfortable in high-leverage ACC games, even if the bigger question is how far that edge can carry it from here. [Read more 🡒]