As Duke football spring game approaches, head coach Mike Elko seeks more consistency
Running his Duke Blue Devils through their second spring of practices since becoming their head coach, Mike Elko is ramping up the expectations to meet the gained experience.
His Blue Devils surprised the ACC a year ago, posting a 9-4 record and the program’s first winning record in ACC play (5-3) since 2014.
Saturday, as the Blue Devils worked through a 90-play scrimmage at Wallace Wade Stadium, Elko didn’t hesitate to angrily scream out more than a few times when a play wasn’t executed to his standard.
It’s not that he didn’t do that last spring, his first as a head coach at any level. But Elko, his staff and players seek an even higher level of play as they seek to show that last season’s results are the norm rather than the exception.
“I feel like we’ve got to be a little more consistent, up and down the field starting out drives” said Duke wide receiver Jalon Calhoun, who is back for his fifth season with the Blue Devils, said Saturday. “I feel like we came out a little bit slow, starting picking it up toward the middle of practice then toward the end I don’t think we finished that well. We’ve got to go back and review that.”
A year ago, Duke was coming off two horrid seasons, going 3-9 in 2021 and 2-9 in 2020. Elko and his staff changed those results quickly.
During Saturday’s scrimmage, the two practices this week and the Blue-White Game on April 22, they are chasing even better play.
“Chemistry,” Calhoun said. “With the guys we have back, we can do a lot more than just nine wins.”
Here are five things to know about the Blue Devils from Saturday’s scrimmage as spring practice winds toward the Blue-White game:
Experienced skill players
The Blue Devils are fortunate in that they don’t have to rebuild an offense that played so well last season. Duke returns all their skill position players, led by quarterback Riley Leonard and three wide receivers: Calhoun, Eli Pancol and Jordan Moore.
Senior running backs Jaylen Calhoun and Jordan Waters are back to work with the first team along with bulked-up Jaquez Moore, who will push for a starting job. Jaquez Moore got some first-team reps in Saturday’s scrimmage.
Duke averaged 32.8 points per game, fifth best in the ACC, last season.
Changes on offensive line
In addition to all those starters at skill positions, Duke’s line returns three starters in left tackle Graham Barton, left guard Maurice McIntyre and center Jacob Monk. Barton is not working full speed this spring (he sat out the scrimmage) while rehabilitating an undisclosed injury but he is expected to be full speed by August.
Monk and McIntyre both missed time last season with injuries. Monk has looked good this spring while McIntyre is not participating.
Justin Pickett saw plenty of playing time last season in starting and reserve roles but is working with the first team at right guard this spring.
Jake Hornibrook, a graduate transfer from Stanford, worked as the starting right tackle in Saturday’s scrimmage. Two redshirt freshmen, tackle Brian Parker and guard Matt Craycraft, have worked their way to second-string status. So, too, have two other grad transfers — center Dustyn Hall (South Florida) and guard Michael Purcell (Elon).
“I think it’s coming together,” Elko said. “We’re gonna have a lot of pieces and a lot of bodies.”
Duke will also pursue another tackle now that the spring transfer portal is opened.
Sidelined veterans
Barton and McIntyre are two of several projected starters not working in full-contact scrimmages this spring. Defensive tackle DeWayne Carter and defensive end VJ Anthony are also wearing red jerseys, meaning they are not allowed to play in contact situations.
As the scrimmage began on Saturday, Barton lamented not being able to participate as he walked in the opposite direction toward the Pascal Field House indoor facility to work on rehab drills instead.
Tacklers needed
On defense, Duke must replace its two leading tacklers from last season as linebacker Shaka Heyward and safety Darius Joiner are pursuing NFL careers.
Linebacker Cam Dillon, a Columbia transfer who became a starter at the end of last season, is using his fifth season of eligibility with Duke and is filling a starting job at first-team linebacker.
Returning starters Brandon Johnson and Jaylen Stinson should boost their tackle numbers. The third starting safety position in Saturday’s scrimmage was occupied by Terry Moore, who moved from running back to safety this spring.
That’s a position where Duke figures to look for more depth by adding a player through the transfer portal this spring.
Defensive line depth
With Carter and Anthony, two returning starters, not working this spring, other players received reps with the first-team in Saturday’s scrimmage.
Defensive tackle Aenas Peebles, a senior from Knightdale High School who is now wearing No. 16, had a big stop on a short-yardage situation. Defensive end Michal Reese recorded a tackle for loss coming off the edge.
Their development gives Duke the option of having fresh linemen on the field without sacrificing talent or production.
