Duke Blue Devils Football Offseason Preview

It’s a new era at Duke, where a beloved coach finally retired and gave way to a replacement. The program had been losing steam in recent years, so an infusion of new blood offers the possibility of renewal. Duke will be picked to finish last in its division by most pundits, so the real challenge for the Blue Devils is less about this season, and much more about building a solid foundation for the years ahead.

Key Personnel Lost

Longtime head coach David Cutcliffe, who led Duke to the 2013 ACC Coastal Division championship and multiple bowl game victories, finally retired after a very fruitful career. Duke was a listless and adrift program when he came to Durham. Cutcliffe made Duke football genuinely successful and robustly competitive. Bowl wins were few and far between. Winning a division title and playing in the 2013 ACC Championship Game represent huge achievements for Duke. Several ACC schools have not matched that feat. However, in recent years, Duke’s recruiting and performance both cratered. Cutcliffe, who had some health problems during his tenure as Duke coach, seemed to be a man who struggled to keep pace with the demands of the job. He didn’t become less smart or knowledgeable, but the job always involves a certain level of stamina, and Cutcliffe reached his limit.

In comes Mike Elko, who has not been a Power Five head coach before, but has extensive experience coaching in the ACC due to his stint as Wake Forest’s defensive coordinator before moving to other coordinator jobs at Notre Dame and, most recently, Texas A&M. Elko helped Texas A&M come very close to making the College Football Playoff in the 2020 season. He is a highly credentialed coach who has a chance to restore Duke and give the program a fresh identity.

Important Incoming Freshmen

Duke got one four-star prospect, defensive lineman Vincent Anthony, from the school’s back yard in Durham, North Carolina. Receiver Jaden Watkins, cornerback Chandler Rivers, receiver Mehki Wall, safety Nathan Vail, running back Eric Weatherly, and linebacker Carter Wyatt will try to provide reinforcements for what is a very thin and generally unproven roster.

Incoming transfer defensive back Darius Joyner will also try to improve a team which needs help at every possible position.

Key Position Battles

Offensive line is the ultimate position battle, since that is where Duke became especially frail in recent years. However, there are very few positions across the roster where Duke has a firm and settled situation. The Blue Devils do not know who their best players are. This roster had no player of particular consequence last year. The Blue Devils joined Syracuse and Louisville as ACC football schools which did not have a player taken in the 2022 NFL draft. Elko and his staff need to create a culture of competition in which everyone is fighting for roster spots and no one feels safe or secure.

Biggest Offseason Goal(s)

Elko needs to see who can play and add value to the team. That’s a process which will need to develop in the offseason, but frankly, it will continue through the regular season. Elko needs to experiment and see what he has. One should expect a lot of transfer portal activity after this first season is over.