With the 2024 season coming up fast, The Chronicle is breaking down each major position group on the Duke roster: specialists, defensive backs, linebackers, running backs, defensive line, offensive line, receivers and quarterbacks. Next up is the offensive line:
Duke boasted one of the best offensive lines in the country last year and it helped the Blue Devils accumulate 2,174 rushing and 2,351 passing yards, tied for the fifth-most in program history. They only allowed 1.31 sacks per game, ranking them third in the ACC and 24th in the nation. However, with two departures to the NFL and several others to graduation, the protection unit remains one of the biggest mysteries heading into the season.
Key players lost: All starters
Duke started an offensive line of Jake Hornibook, Monk, Scott Elliott, Maurice McIntyre and Graham Barton under the Monday night lights in its upset victory over Clemson to open the 2023 campaign. Not a single one of those players remain on the Blue Devil roster in 2024. Barton and Monk took their talents to the next level, hearing their names called in the first and fifth rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft, respectively. Elliott, McIntyre and Hornibook all graduated with their eligibility expired. Now, offensive line coach Jeff Norrid will hope to replicate the success with an almost entirely new cast of characters.
Projected starters: Jack Purcell, Eric Schon, Michael Barr, Justin Pickett, Brian Parker II
New head coach Manny Diaz raided the portal to make up for the gaps on the line. In total, his staff nabbed eight new offensive linemen from across the country, three of whom are projected to start. The most highly-lauded recruit is left tackle Jack Purcell, who arrives after being named to the Second Team All-Ivy League in 2023 with Pennsylvania. Eric Schon will line up next to Purcell after four years at Holy Cross, where the 6-foot-2 blocker was a First Team All-Patriot League guard in 2022. Michael Barr played all three positions along the line at Lafayette and even made an FCS Playoff appearance, but projects to line up at center for the Blue Devils this year.
Among the returners, Justin Pickett started seven times last year, including against top ACC opponents Florida State, North Carolina and N.C. State. The three-star prospect is a two time Academic All-ACC selection and played 463 snaps. Redshirt sophomore Brian Parker II also started seven games last season and saw slightly more playing time, on the field for 606 snaps. Pickett and Parker hope to be the link between last year’s historic success and this year’s attempt to replicate it.
Dark Horse: Bruno Fina
One of the eight new linemen, Fina flew across the country to join Duke after four years at UCLA, where he started all 13 games last season. His efforts boosted the Bruins to make the 2023 Starco Brands LA Bowl and helped to create a Pac-12 leading rushing attack that averaged 197.9 ground yards per game.
While currently projected to come in behind Purcell at left tackle, the former three-star recruit will help fill the enormous shoes left by Barton. If the duo of Purcell and Fina can neutralize dangerous ACC edge rushers and create time for quarterback Maalik Murphy, Duke could establish another high-flying offense in 2024.
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