With former starting quarterback Riley Leonard now at Notre Dame, Duke football fans already knew they’d need to adjust to a new quarterback in 2024. However, there’s been less focus on how new offensive coordinator Jonathan Brewer might impact the offense.
During a Wednesday appearance on ACC Network during the ACC Kickoff event, quarterbacks [autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag] and Grayson Loftis briefly talked about the offense they’ve adjusted to all offseason.
“It’s a lot different than what we used to do,” Loftis, a returning sophomore who started a couple of games for the team last year, said. “It’s a lot less terminology. It’s a little more geared to play as fast as you possibly can…I’ve never learned football like this before.”
Murphy, who transferred from Texas this offseason, brings one of the most talented arms in the country to Wallace Wade Stadium. While he hasn’t officially earned the starting role (he and Loftis split time under center during the spring scrimmage), it sounds like he and Brewer will fit well.
“The foundation of our offense is having fun, being explosive, and pushing the ball downfield,” Murphy said. “Brewer says it all the time, we’re going to win on the perimeter.”
Murphy also emphasized how Brewer wants the team to feel comfortable within his scheme, pointing out one quirk from the Blue & White Game earlier this spring.
“We ran the same play probably, like, 15 times,” Murphy said. “He doesn’t want to overcomplicate anything, he wants everybody to play fast, move fast, think fast.”
Brewer, who also coaches Duke’s quarterbacks, previously worked as the quarterbacks coach at SMU, one of three new ACC programs this season.