Category: Duke Blue Devils

No. 1 2024 recruit Cooper Flagg commits to Duke

The 5-star forward announced his commitment on the cover of SLAM Magazine on Monday morning.

Duke basketball landed a commitment from five-star forward Cooper Flagg, 247Sports’ No. 1 prospect in the country for the 2024 class, on Monday.

Flagg announced his commitment on the cover of SLAM Magazine on Monday morning, which showed him sporting a Blue Devils jersey.

Flagg, initially a 2025 recruit who reclassified into 2024, plays for Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida. He averaged 9.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.0 assists this past season.

Blue Devils coach Jon Scheyer now has the top 2024 recruiting class in the country, per 247Sports. Duke also has commitments from five-star Isaiah Evans, five-star Kon Knueppel, and four-star Darren Harris.

Duke quarterback Riley Leonard to start Louisville game

The Duke quarterback suffered a high ankle sprain against Notre Dame and tweaked the same ankle last week against Florida State.

Duke quarterback Riley Leonard will start for the Blue Devils on Saturday in their ranked matchup against Louisville.

The junior quarterback suffered a high ankle sprain several weeks ago against Notre Dame, and he left the Blue Devils’ game against Florida State last week when it looked like he re-aggravated the same ankle.

Leonard was considered a game-time decision on Saturday, but there were reports of optimism early on Saturday. The official status came after reporters shared videos of Leonard warming up with the team and throwing on the run on the field before the game. His ankle was apparently heavily taped.

Duke quarterback Riley Leonard unlikely to play, considered game-time decision

The Duke quarterback, who suffered a high-ankle sprain against Notre Dame, is considered a game-time decision but considered unlikely.

Duke quarterback Riley Leonard is unlikely to play the Blue Devils’ marquee Saturday matchup against Florida State, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

The junior suffered a high ankle sprain against Notre Dame and hasn’t played since.

Thamel said early Saturday morning that Leonard is expected to dress out and go through pre-game warm-ups and drills. While the quarterback has made strides in recovery, with limited participation in practice, the team doesn’t seem to be holding its breath about Leonard being under center.

Leonard’s backup, Henry Belin IV, completed four of his 12 passes for 107 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception in relief last week against N.C. State. His 86.1 QBR was the highest in the conference last weekend.

Duke QB Riley Leonard unlikely to play against N.C. State

Duke QB Riley Leonard is doubtful to play against N.C. State, with Henry Belin IV set to start if he can’t get on the field.

Duke Blue Devils quarterback Riley Leonard is doubtful to play on Saturday night against N.C. State, according to a morning report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

The junior quarterback is still recovering from a high ankle sprain he suffered during Duke’s heartbreaking loss to Notre Dame.

Leonard has been the engine of the Duke offense this season. He’s thrown for 912 yards and three touchdowns, and he’s also Duke’s leading rusher with 326 yards and four more touchdowns on the ground. The quarterback has accounted for 61.1% of the Blue Devils’ offensive output.

Thamel reported Leonard is not wearing a boot and no longer wearing crutches, and he should be available soon. Duke plays Florida State and Louisville in their next two games after the Wolfpack.

Henry Belin IV is set to start if Leonard doesn’t find a miracle before the 8:00 p.m. ET kickoff. The freshman has thrown just eight passes in relief this season, but he completed all eight of them for 118 yards and a touchdown.

Best Amazon Prime Big Deals Day deal for each team in the US LBM Coaches Poll

View our favorite Amazon Prime Big Deals Day deals for each team in the US LBM Coaches Poll Top 25.

The college football season is heating up and ranked teams are headed in all directions in the US LBM Coaches Poll.

Oklahoma leapfrogged Texas after a convincing win over their rivals. Following suit was another riser in Louisville, who sent Notre Dame down the ladder after a big home win.

No matter what team you pull for, it’s the perfect time to show your support. Amazon Prime Big Deals Day has arrived.

Amongst the slew of deals available on Tuesday, Oct. 10 and Wednesday, Oct. 11, college football’s top-25 will be well represented in the Amazon savings.

Check out our list of featured Amazon Prime Day offers for each team currently in the US LBM Coaches Poll top-25 right here:

Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation will partner with six college basketball programs this season

Did your school make it on the list?

Vanessa Bryant, the late Kobe Bryant’s wife, announced that the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation will partner with six college basketball programs for the 2023-2024 season. The schools are all sponsored by Nike and include Duke, UConn, USC, LSU, Kentucky, and Oregon.

“We are grateful for the amazing support of these prestigious universities (in no particular order) towards the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation – to further the legacies of Kobe and Gigi! So excited to see their players wearing Kobe and Gigi’s NIKE shoes this upcoming season!!!,” Bryant shared on Instagram.

“The Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating positive impact for underserved athletes and boys & girls in sports. Founded through the vision and loving memory of Kobe and Gianna ”Gigi” Bryant,” according to the foundation’s website.
This means that prominent college basketball players like Paige Bueckers of UConn, Angel Reese from LSU, and USC’s Bronny James will be wearing the kicks on the court this season.

Duke awards head football coach Mike Elko with extension ahead of second season

Duke head coach Mike Elko has been rewarded for leading the Blue Devils last season to one of the best single-season turnarounds in ACC history.

Duke has awarded head football coach Mike Elko with a lengthy contract extension after leading the Blue Devils to a 9-4 season last year, including a 5-3 record in conference play. The university announced the extension on Monday.

The extension for Elko will extend his contract through the 2029 season but also bring in a new “escalating model” when it comes to paying for assistant coaches and Elko’s support staff.

Before Elko took over, the Blue Devils had achieved just two nine-win seasons or better since 2000. Those two seasons came in 2013 and 2014 under then-head coach David Cutcliffe.

The Blue Devils’ defense under Elko improved drastically from allowing 39.8 points per game in 2021 to allowing just 22.1 points per game last season. With Elko’s defensive background, the turnaround was expected defensively, though that drastic of a turnaround was unpredictable.

The program also improved significantly on offense, averaging 32.8 points per game last season, after scoring just 22.8 points per game in 2021, which ranked 102 out of 130 nationally. Thanks to the single-season turnaround, Elko was named the 2022 ACC Coach of the Year.

“Over the last 18 months, Coach Elko has cultivated and executed a plan to push Duke Football forward with tremendous attention to detail, energy, and a persistent commitment to excellence,” Duke athletic director Nina King said in the press release. “His passionate dedication to the Duke experience sets the standard, and we are fortunate to have him and the entire staff developing the young men in our program into elite student-athletes and future community leaders,” she added.

Before taking the Duke head coaching job, Elko had spent the last 16 years as a defensive coordinator across college football with stops at Hofstra, Bowling Green, Wake Forest, Notre Dame, and Texas A&M.

Elko and the Blue Devils will start their 2023 season on Labor Day, Monday, September 4, against the Clemson Tigers with an 8:00 p.m. kickoff.

Duke guard Jeremy Roach withdraws from NBA draft, set to return to the Blue Devils

Duke is seeing a big part of their 2022-23 success return for next season.

Duke junior guard Jeremy Roach is returning to Duke after withdrawing from the NBA Draft. The Leesburg (VA) native announced his return to Cameron on Monday evening via Instagram.

A 2022-2023 team captain for the Blue Devils, Roach is returning to the Blue Devils after a career season in which he started in 30 of 32 games while averaging 13.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game. For his career, he’s averaged 10.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in 95 career games and 75 starts.

Roach was a consensus five-star prospect in the 2020 recruiting cycle and considered a top-25 talent by 247Sports, ESPN, and Rivals. He originally committed to the Blue Devils over Kentucky, Maryland, Miami, and others.

With Roach’s help this past season, the Blue Devils went 27-9 overall including 14-6 in ACC play where they finished third in the conference. They would earn a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament, defeating No. 12 Oral Roberts in the Round of 64 before falling in the second round to No. 4 Tennessee 65-52.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CsRLszpO8rL/?hl=en

The Blue Devils with the return of Roach are expected to be among the top teams in the country next season. They’ll also return the likes of guard Tyrese Proctor, forward Mark Mitchell, and center Kyle Filipowski next season. Together, the four were the Blue Devils’ top four leading scorers this past season.

The 2023-24 season will be the second under head coach Jon Scheyer who took over for legendary head coach Mike Krzyzewski after his retirement following the 2022 NCAA Tournament.

Kyle Filipowski announces decision on his future

Filipowski makes a decision on NBA draft or returning to Duke for the 2023-24 season.

Duke Blue Devils big man Kyle Filipowksi was among the players in the 2023 NBA draft class that had yet to announce his intentions. Would he be another one-and-done prospect at Duke or would he return to Cameron Indoor Stadium?

On Tuesday, the 7-footer made his intentions known through his social media channels, particularly on Twitter. The consensus five-star recruit from New York announced that he would be returning to Duke for the 2023-24 college basketball season.

Filipowski appeared in 36 games this past season with an average of 15.1 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game. His best performance of the season came against the Pitt Panthers on Jan. 11. Filipowski scored 28 points while snagging 15 rebounds, four of which came on the offensive side.

Respect his decision to return to the hardwood among the Cameron crazies this next season.

Filipowski will join Tyrese Proctor, who announced he would return to Duke back on Mar. 27. This gives second-year head coach Jon Scheyer a boost to his team as they look to make another run at an NCAA Championship next season. The latest odds have Duke with the second best chance to win it all behind the defending champions, UConn.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=712]

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=48]

[mm-video type=video id=01gw2eekjb0f8pv8tkgb playlist_id=01gq2fszf7mxxc88k4 player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gw2eekjb0f8pv8tkgb/01gw2eekjb0f8pv8tkgb-f9135a1c4219940b57d78d7f6ebb6d28.jpg]

Contact/Follow us at the College Wire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of College Sports news, notes, and opinions.

You can continue the conversation with Patrick on Twitter (@PatrickConnCFB) or on Facebook (Patrick Conn-CSW)

Duke freshman is ‘one and done’ as he declares for NBA draft

Dariq Whitehead declared for the NBA draft on Wednesday.

While Duke received a boost when Tyrese Proctor announced he would return, they weren’t as fortunate with freshman Dariq Whitehead.

On Wednesday he announced that he would be heading to the next level and declaring for the 2023 NBA draft. Whitehead appeared in 28 games for the Blue Devils with seven starts. He averaged 8.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game this past season.

The Tennessee Vols eliminated Whitehead and Duke in the second round, 65-52. His best game came against Boston College where Whitehead scored 18 points with three rebounds and two assists.

“I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for your support this past year,” Whitehead tweeted. “Through the ups and downs, I’m beyond grateful for the love and encouragement you all have shown me throughout my time in Durham. I would not have made it to this point without the man above, and the incredible support of family, teammates, coaches, and fans. I cannot thank you enough for the foundation you have given me as I pursue my dreams at the next level. I will always be a Blue Devil. With that being said, I’m thrilled to take the next step in my career by declaring for the 2023 NBA draft and continuing representation with Excel Sports Management. ”

The 6-foot-7-inch forward becomes the latest Duke player to bounce after one season, and the first under new head coach Jon Scheyer. The NBA draft will take place on Thursday, Jun. 22.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=48]

[mm-video type=video id=01gw2eekjb0f8pv8tkgb playlist_id=01gq2fszf7mxxc88k4 player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gw2eekjb0f8pv8tkgb/01gw2eekjb0f8pv8tkgb-f9135a1c4219940b57d78d7f6ebb6d28.jpg]

Contact/Follow us at the College Wire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of College Sports news, notes, and opinions.

You can continue the conversation with Patrick on Twitter (@PatrickConnCFB) or on Facebook (Patrick Conn-CSW)