Duke football spring game gives new coach Mike Elko a better look at the Blue Devils
First-year Duke football coach Mike Elko wants competition all across the board for the Blue Devils in 2022, and he got what he wanted Saturday night at the team’s Blue & White game at Wallace Wade Stadium.
With a running clock in the second half, the White team scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, edging the Blue, 28-14. The game was tied at 14 at the end of the third, and White scored two touchdowns in the final nine minutes.
The game could have ended in a tie and everyone would have gone home happy, but that’s not the mindset Elko wants from the 2022 version of the Blue Devils. Jaylen Coleman scored from 11-yards out to start the fourth. Moments later, Jordan Moore hit Eli Pancol for a 24-yard touchdown.
After the final horn, the team gathered at midfield, with White letting Blue know in no uncertain terms which team won. That was the tone for the entire spring.
“New staff, everyone wanted to put their best foot forward,” wide receiver Sahmir Hagans of the Blue team said. “You only get one first impression.”
Elko’s team, getting a chance to perform in front of fans for the first time, was as even as it gets, with White and Blue both going for 363 yards. The Blue team forced two interceptions. The White team was more efficient on the ground, rushing for 212 yards.
What a rush
Quarterback Jordan Moore led the way with 91 yards on the ground. Duke has to replace its leading rusher from a year ago, Mataeo Durant. Last season, Moore, a dual threat, rushed for 183 yards on 42 carries. The competition in the backfield will come down to Jordan Waters, Jaquez Moore and Jaylen Coleman. Terry Moore will also be in the mix.
Waters, a redshirt junior, rushed for 29 yards on Saturday for Blue. Terry Moore led Blue with 69 yards and one score. Coleman finished with 44 yards on the ground and one score.
The QB battle
Duke must also replace quarterback Gunnar Holmberg. That competition in the fall should come down to Jordan Moore and Riley Leonard. Along with the plays he made with his legs, Jordan Moore also passed for 97 yards. Leonard, who started for Blue, passed for 246 yards and one score.
“They both bring their own skill set to the table,” said Hagans, who caught six passes for 82 yards and a score. “I think both of them are very useful to this team. No matter what that is or what role they play. Both of them bring something different to the table.”
Leonard showed off his arm, connecting with Jontavis Roberton for a 46-yard gain on his second attempt of the day. Jordan Moore displayed his wheels, averaging 7.6 yards per carry.
The defenses picked off each quarterback, the first of the day coming from Durham native Tre Freeman.
On the second drive of the day for White, Freeman, who played locally at Northern High, deflected a Jordan Moore attempt and came down with it for the interception.
“I just kind of dropped back and tipped it up,” Freeman said. “I kind of fell because I was bobbling it and I didn’t want to fumble.”
New mindset
Duke went 3-9 a year ago and was winless in the ACC. Longtime coach David Cutcliffe and the school parted ways in December. Shortly thereafter, Elko, who was the defensive coordinator at Texas A&M, was hired.
The new staff said it wasn’t concerned about what happened in 2021.
“Everyone got a fresh start, clean slate,” Hagans said. “Everyone got a chance to be the person that they want to be on the field.”
Hagans added the emphasis this spring has been about moving forward, focusing on the future.
“We’re worried about doing things now,” Hagans said. “Changing around everything now.”
Part of that change was being more physical in practice. The Blue-White game was full contact, except for quarterbacks. The contest even featured live kickoff returns, and the pads never stopped popping.
“Practices have been very physical,” Freeman said. “I feel like we’ve progressed from the start of spring to tonight’s game.”
Freeman told the media after the game the entire team has bought into Elko’s style so far, and feels that will translate to the fall. Again, the biggest difference has been how competitive things have been, and how it’s made the team better.
“Everyone wanted to showcase that they could be the guy for us,” Hagans said. “When one person does it, that makes everyone else want to do it too. Position group competition, overall team competition; everyone else is raising their playing level so it’s been good.”
This story was originally published April 16, 2022 at 10:02 PM.
