No one in Durham needs to be told the 2024 football team with first-year head coach [autotag]Manny Diaz[/autotag] will look different from 2023, but just how different could be a surprise.
ESPN’s Bill Connelly shared a ranking of the 134 FBS college football teams by what percentage of their 2023 production returns for the 2024 season. The Blue Devils finished 91st with just 56% of its 2023 work still in town.
The most notable departures, head coach Mike Elko to Texas A&M and quarterback Riley Leonard to Notre Dame, take the headlines. However, the Blue Devils also lost multiple starting offensive linemen and First Team All-ACC defensive tackle DeWayne Carter to the NFL draft. A handful of other defensive linemen also left the school, with edge rusher RJ Oben joining Leonard on the Fighting Irish and tackle Ja’Mion Franklin signing with his hometown NFL team.
However, a few 2024 stars stayed in the building. Wide receiver Jordan Moore, who finished with a team-high 835 yards, made an impressive touchdown catch during the spring game over star corner Chandler Rivers. Running back Jaquez Moore, whose 674 rushing yards in 2023 were the second-most on the team, will lead the backfield once again.
UPDATED 2024 RETURNING PRODUCTION RANKINGS. Still some portal commits trickling in, but where do things stand in mid-May?
(NEXT WEEK: an SP+ update and … THE START OF THE 2024 PREVIEW SERIES!!) pic.twitter.com/7GhPRYwCjG
— Bill Connelly (@ESPN_BillC) May 13, 2024
Duke’s 2024 season gets underway on August 30 against Elon.