There is no doubt about the type of team Manny Diaz is building at Duke.
While last year’s season-opening victory against Clemson will be remembered as the peak of former coach Mike Elko’s tenure with the Blue Devils, Duke’s 26-3 defeat of Elon marks the beginning of the Diaz era in Durham.
Fans didn’t storm the field, highlight’s won’t pop up on ESPN, but this victory may be just as important in giving fans a clue about the type of team Diaz is building with the Blue Devils.
As has been the case for each team with Diaz at the helm, the foundation of the 2024 Blue Devils is their defense. For 59 minutes Friday, a stifling Duke defense shut out the Phoenix, limiting Elon to just 140 total yards on offense and no touchdowns. If the win is an indicator of what’s to come this season, Blue Devil fans can expect their squad to make opponents suffer on every single possession.
Duke’s defensive display was led by a dominant performance in the trenches. The defensive line racked up a staggering eight sacks and sixteen tackles for loss. In fact, the Blue Devils recorded a sack on each of their opponent’s first four possessions and recorded five in the first half alone. Only the halftime whistle gave Elon quarterback Matthew Downing a break from constant torment in the pocket.
“It was a sight to see,” Diaz said after the game. “The quarterback was under pressure all night … [Our players] just went. And I know that sounds silly, but they just attacked, the way that this defense is really designed to. [We] were just relentless.”
Throughout the offseason, Diaz and defensive coordinator Jonathan Patke emphasized that the defense would play with constant energy and aggression, always looking to create negative plays that change the game. This mentality worked wonders Friday, as the Phoenix could not respond to the constant barrage Duke sent their way. It remains to be seen whether this style of play will be sustainable against better opponents with more talented athletes who can use the Blue Devils’ aggression against them.
Despite the rain that troubled Durham earlier in the day, Duke students came out in droves and filled the student section, replicating the energy the “Wade Wackos” became known for last season. Many came to watch highly touted quarterback Maalik Murphy’s debut with the Blue Devils after transferring from Texas in the offseason.
Murphy struggled to get going in the first half, but ultimately delivered a strong performance. He finished with 291 yards — more than any Duke quarterback put up in any game last season — and two touchdowns on 26-of-40 passing. The Inglewood, Calif., native did miss several throws down the field though, including an errant pass which was intercepted by cornerback Caleb Curtain. While Murphy was accurate on short passes and adjusted well to new offensive coordinator Jonathan Brewer’s scheme, he would definitely like to take back several throws that were within inches of being caught for huge gains down the field.
“I think the story of the game was the shots that we hit, and also the shots that we were probably an inch or two away from hitting,” Diaz said. “That will give our players some confidence to realize how close we were from a truly dominating performance.
One thing about Murphy is clear though; the redshirt sophomore has a cannon for an arm and is not afraid to take risks down the field. From his beautiful 47-yard dime to star receiver Jordan Moore, or the perfectly placed bullet of a pass to Eli Pancol, it’s not hard to see why Blue Devil fans are ecstatic about Murphy’s potential under center.
Perhaps just as importantly, Brewer’s offense seems as innovative as promised. The Blue Devils employed a lightning-fast pace bolstered by a no-huddle offense running out of the shotgun that constantly kept Elon on its toes. Focusing on a short passing attack with occasional deep shots down the field, Duke’s attack should be difficult to game plan against throughout this season.
It’s also worth noting that Diaz’s squad looked extremely prepared and ready for the moment. The Blue Devils did not commit a single accepted penalty throughout the entire game, the special teams played well and both sides of the ball limited their mistakes. Duke’s performance did not look like that of the first game of the season, and especially not like that of the first game under a new head coach.
“It felt just like a scrimmage,” wide receiver Eli Pancol explained in a post-game press conference. “They’ve got a great game [plan] from the start. Coaches are the same every single day. They bring the same energy, same intensity. So it was really easy to go out there and perform like we do every single day.”
Critics may argue that Elon does not represent a tough enough opponent to make any big conclusions about this game. After all, the Phoenix are not an FBS team and lack the dynamic athletes that Duke will face during ACC play. However, despite the quality of the opposition, the victory still says a great deal about the identity of the Blue Devils. Diaz has clearly put his stamp on the defense, Murphy boasts one of the most talented arms in the ACC, and Brewer’s offense is sure to give opponents fits. It may only be the first game of the season, but it’s not an overreaction to say that Duke football has found its identity.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.
Rodrigo Amare is a Trinity sophomore and assistant Blue Zone editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.