I would call the last few weeks of Duke football a roller coaster, except roller coasters usually go both up and down and the Blue Devils have been largely one-directional.
First, there was the fourth-quarter loss to Florida State. Then, the 23-0 beatdown against Louisville. After that, the news of star quarterback Riley Leonard’s injury broke. He will likely be out for at least several more weeks and maybe longer. Now most recently, Wake Forest has a claim to moral victory after only losing to a previously-ranked Duke squad on a last-second field goal.
Despite escaping with a win against the Demon Deacons, it was by no means an ideal win for the Blue Devils. Freshman quarterback Grayson Loftis threw for just 86 yards, as the running backs did most of the work with 181 on the ground. The secondary struggled mightily, giving up 241 yards and allowing a 16-for-19 completion rate against a relatively weak quarterback in sophomore Mitch Griffis.
Coming into the last three weeks of the season, many would take a relatively bleak outlook for this team. North Carolina is a much better — and healthier — squad and will be aided by a very hostile crowd Saturday. After that, there are two likely wins against weaker Pittsburgh and Virginia squads. That being said, both are probably teams that sit at or above Wake Forest’s level. Either game, or both, could end up being surprise losses for a Duke team that seems to be skidding. Leonard was clearly the heart and soul of the offense, and without him it has floundered. The defense has also regressed, as indicated by the subpar performance against Wake Forest.
To be entirely honest, I stand ready to call this season a wash. Unless there is a massive upset against the Tar Heels Saturday, there really will not be any more meaningful games this year. It will be important to get business done against the Panthers and Cavaliers for the purposes of bowl placement. But in terms of meaningful, “look how far we’ve come” games, the ship has long since sailed. Louisville was probably the last opportunity, especially with Leonard out for at least a good chunk of the remainder of the season. I suppose the game against the Tar Heels could be a chance to make a statement, but the odds are looking awfully slim from where the Blue Devils sit right now.
Ultimately, it feels like in the majority of the opportunities it had, Duke has failed to prove itself. The Blue Devils have mostly managed to keep big games close, but close doesn’t count in the ACC standings. Notre Dame could have been a win. If Leonard doesn’t get injured, maybe Duke escapes the Seminoles with a victory. Opportunities have abounded, but for the most part the wins against the opportunity-providers have not.
It’s all relative. The reason that it feels like this team has dipped so low on the metaphorical roller coaster is just because it started so high. But, as I have before, I’ll offer a reminder of vintage Duke. The Blue Devils of yore were the laughingstocks of college football, famously one of the worst teams in the ACC and indeed in the entire FBS. Now in 2023, Duke has spent several consecutive weeks ranked. Head coach Mike Elko is regarded as one of the best new head coaches in the game. Leonard is still projected as an NFL Draft pick, and the scoring defense has (at points) been one of the best in the ACC.
Even if the end to this season is disappointing compared to where it felt like this team could be, this program has come a long way. Elko has time. Assuming he doesn’t get poached by a larger program, he will bring many more talented recruits to Duke. If Leonard decides to stay for one more year, he will be the leader of an improved, hardened, well-regarded Blue Devil unit.
As long as Elko and his staff continue to build on what is, for the first time in decades, a solid foundation, this team and Duke football more generally have a bright future to look forward to. Even if the last few weeks have been disappointing, it must be noted that the season as a whole can still be regarded as a success. More importantly, fans would do well to remember that this is a group headed on an upward trajectory.
After all, two seasons do not define a coach’s tenure, nor a program's reputation.
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Martin Heintzelman is a Trinity junior and Blue Zone editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.