Tag: Grayson Loftis

Maalik Murphy, Grayson Loftis talk about friendship during Duke quarterback competition

Just because Grayson Loftis and Maalik Murphy are still competing for Duke’s starting quarterback job doesn’t mean the two harbor any resentment.

Having two quarterbacks is a luxurious problem in college football, but the noise that comes with it can create problems for anyone. Whether Texas transfer [autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag] or the returning Grayson Loftis starts the season in the pocket, there will inevitably be arguments among the stands in Wallace Wade Stadium, at least early on, that the other should be on the field instead.

Just don’t expect either of them to hold it against each other.

Murphy and Loftis both sat down with ACC Network during Wednesday’s ACC Kickoff and talked about their relationship as they compete for the QB1 spot in Durham. According to them, it’s been civil and friendly from the day Murphy arrived on campus.

“Coming in, the first thing he (Murphy) said was like ‘We’re here to push each other and get better and just be a big family’,” Loftis said. “If you miss a throw, he might throw a jab, but if you make a great throw, he’s going to be your biggest fan.”

Murphy said Loftis motivates him to improve on the field and in the weight room, and the duo enjoys training together despite the lingering question.

“Whenever our rack partner switches up, I get sad,” Murphy said. “Because I want Grayson as my rack partner…He pushes me and gets the most out of me, and that’s all I can ask for as another quarterback in the room.”

Duke quarterbacks say new Blue Devils offensive coordinator wants to be fast and explosive

“The foundation of our offense is having fun, being explosive, and pushing the ball downfield,” Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy said on Wednesday.

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.

Duke defense prevails in Blue & White Game

The spring headlines for Duke football centered around as the quarterback battle, but the Blue Devils defense showed it’s still the heart of the team on Saturday.

All of the attention for Duke football centered around the quarterbacks this spring, from new transfer Maalik Murphy to returners Grayson Loftis and Henry Belin IV.

However, during the Blue & White Game on Saturday, the Blue Devils defense proved it won’t go away in the 2024 season with a 24-16 win over the offense.

Last year under former head coach Mike Elko, Duke surrendered just 19.0 points per game, the best mark in the ACC. Elko left for Texas A&M this winter, but former Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz took his place and the defense looks like it won’t lose a step under his eye.

Murphy and Loftis split time under center, and while the stats won’t reflect anything due to the informal nature of the scrimmage, Murphy did toss the only touchdown of the game to star wideout Jordan Moore.

However, the defense won almost every other series. Junior defensive back Chandler Rivers fought with Moore for that touchdown catch, nearly wrestling it away for an interception. True freshman Vontae Floyd, a Virginia native, did intercept Loftis for the game’s lone turnover later in the second half.

Duke’s football season gets underway on August 30 against Elon.

Duke is latest school to offer four-star quarterback prospect Matt Zollers

Duke extends an offer to four-star QB Matt Zollers.

Maalik Murphy is firmly entrenched as Duke’s starting quarterback for this season and likely the next, barring some unforeseen circumstances.

The depth behind Murphy is also solid, with Henry Belin and Grayson Loftis both having earned playing time during the 2023-2024 season due to unfortunate injuries to the guys in front of them.

Duke didn’t sign a single QB prospect for their 2024 class, so finding one for their 2025 class is most important. In an attempt to do that, Duke offered 2025 four-star QB Matt Zollers out of Spring-Ford High School in Pennsylvania.

Zollers stands just under 6-foot-4 and has athleticism in spades. He has played basketball and baseball for high school, and his footwork shows on his HUDL tape. He has the processing speed needed to be a Power Five quarterback.

Zollers’ recruitment has been going for a while, though, and he already has a top four of Georgia, Penn State, Pittsburgh, and Missouri. Duke will have a mountain to overcome, but they have to offer even to have a shot.

Matt Zollers’ Recruiting Profile

 

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