Duke quarterback [autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag] will face internal discipline for his touchdown celebration against the Virginia Tech Hokies on Saturday.
Murphy hit fifth-year wideout Eli Pancol in stride for an 86-yard touchdown on the Blue Devils’ first play from scrimmage, and the ACC Network broadcast captured him extending both middle fingers into the air in the aftermath. During Manny Diaz’s Monday press conference, the Duke coach explained the context behind the behavior.
“There was a practice in the middle of last week when we were throwing post after post after post, and we weren’t completing them,” Diaz said. “And it was again and again and again and again. And at the end of that, there was a remark made in jest that, ‘If you throw a post for a touchdown in the game, then you can flick me off.'”
While there was an explanation for the outburst, Diaz didn’t sound particularly interested in excusing it.
“It’s something that is unacceptable in our program,” Diaz said. “It doesn’t represent who we are as Duke football. It certainly doesn’t represent who we are as Duke University. That will be handled and disciplined internally.”
Diaz did not elaborate on what that punishment would entail or whether it would affect Murphy’s availability against Wake Forest on Saturday.