Duke football names starting quarterback ahead of Friday season opener against Temple
Next in line for what’s been Duke’s annual quarterback carousel is Riley Leonard.
The Blue Devils announced Sunday that Leonard, a sophomore, will get the start when they open the season Friday night against Temple at Wallace Wade Stadium.
“After a very intense quarterback battle this fall, we have decided to go with Riley Leonard as our starting quarterback,” Duke coach Mike Elko said in a statement. “We are excited to see him lead our team this fall, and we also know that Jordan Moore will be an impact player for our offense in many roles as well.”
Leonard will be the fifth starting quarterback in the last five seasons for the Blue Devils, a sign of the inconsistency at the key position that’s accompanied the program’s fall to the bottom of the ACC.
When August practices began, Elko had Leonard and Moore, a fellow sophomore, splitting repetitions with the top unit as they competed for the starting job. That changed midway through camp when Moore began working with the wide receivers while still getting some reps at quarterback.
The 6-4, 212-pound Leonard started one game and played in seven as a freshman last season. That start came at Virginia Tech when Duke’s usual starter, Gunnar Holmberg, was injured. Holmberg transferred to Florida International last January.
For the season, Leonard completed 37-of-62 (59.7%) passes for 381 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Showing running ability of his own, Riley ran 47 times for 170 yards, averaging 3.68 yards per attempt. He ran for two touchdowns, including one on a 35-yard scamper.
The 6-foot, 195-pound Moore displayed game-breaking abilities during his freshman season with Duke and in spring and August practices. Last season, he ran 44 times to gain 221 yards (averaging 5.06 yards per carry) as a reserve while the Blue Devils went 3-9 overall and 0-8 in ACC. That included a 40-yard run against Virginia Tech.
With his team needing as many play-makers on the field as possible, Elko wants Moore at wide receiver to better take advantage of his skills. Even with that, he’s considered a reserve quarterback who could still see action there.
Duke’s string of a new quarterback every season began in 2018, when Daniel Jones played his final season with the Blue Devils before entering the NFL. The New York Giants selected him in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft and he’s currently their starter.
Back at Duke, senior Quentin Harris was Duke’s quarterback when the Blue Devils went 5-7 in 2019. Clemson transfer Chase Brice had the job in 2020 during a 2-9 season before he left for Appalachian State, clearing the way for Holmberg last season.
This story was originally published August 28, 2022 at 9:26 AM.