Charlotte, NC—–Football season is back, and this week, the ACC held its annual Football Kickoff Media event in Charlotte, where all 17 conference teams gathered to preview the upcoming season. Duke was represented by new head coach Manny Diaz, along with sophomore quarterback Grayson Loftis, redshirt sophomore quarterback Maalik Murphy, graduate wide receiver Jordan Moore, redshirt senior safety Jaylen Stinson, and redshirt junior offensive lineman Justin Pickett.
The Blue Devils are coming off an 8-5 season, which included a 4-4 record in the ACC and a bowl victory over Troy in the Birmingham Bowl. With Diaz taking over after Mike Elko’s successful tenure, Duke is poised to start a new chapter.
Key returning players include linebacker Tre Freeman, wide receiver Jordan Moore, running back Jaquez Moore, and safety Jaylen Stinson. The team will kick off Diaz’s era on August 30 against Elon at Wallace Wade Stadium.
Diaz, who previously served as head coach at Miami and defensive coordinator at Penn State, aims to bring his defensive philosophy to Duke. He emphasizes creating a high volume of negative plays, such as tackles for loss, to disrupt opponents and force turnovers. Diaz’s defensive strategy focuses on aggressive front play, man coverage, and a playmaking mindset.
Following Mike Elko’s departure to Texas A&M in November 2023, Diaz was appointed as Duke’s head coach in December. Despite a brief period of uncertainty, Diaz praised the players and staff for their resilience during the transition. He highlighted the strong commitment and enthusiasm of Duke’s student-athletes and the overall support of the university during this time.
“It’s always difficult when there’s uncertainty, right? I think it was maybe a 13-day window where there was not a head coach at Duke. That’s a lifetime, especially in the current cycle of college football. I give a lot of credit to the players for hanging tough. I give a lot of credit to the staff that was at Duke at the time, still preparing the team for the bowl game,” Diaz said.
