The Manny Diaz era began with a rocky but victorious start as Duke defeated Elon 26-3, despite a brief disruption caused by severe storms sweeping through North Carolina’s Piedmont region on Friday afternoon and evening.
Diaz’s defensive prowess was evident as the Blue Devils recorded eight sacks.
The offense, however, has room for improvement—Duke struggled to advance the ball, scoring only a field goal in the first quarter and finding the end zone just once per quarter overall.
New quarterback Maalik Murphy threw for 291 yards, but the running backs combined for just 59 rushing yards.
There’s no need to panic just yet, but the offense will need to perform better in the next game against Northwestern.
On the bright side, Duke’s defense displayed impressive confidence, limiting Elon and its seventh-year quarterback Matthew Downing to 110 yards. Elon only managed to score with a late field goal with just 14 seconds remaining. This game serves as a foundation for offensive coordinator Jonathan Brewer and his staff to refine their strategy. If Duke can combine its aggressive defense with a fast-paced, no-huddle offense, the future could be promising.
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