The Duke Blue Devils are an ACC team on the rise, with 2022 ACC Head Coach of the Year Mike Elko entering his second season in charge of the program.
Duke has a tough Week 1 matchup, with Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers heading to Durham to open the season. Elko spoke about playing the defending ACC champions Wednesday at the 2023 ACC Football Kickoff, sharing some praise for the Tigers and what the program has accomplished.
“I think being on that national stage is what we want Duke football to be,” the Duke head coach said. “Obviously Clemson has been the gold standard in this conference. We’ve not shied away from that this entire offseason, that they have done so many things to kind of carry the ACC and be our representative for so long.”
The 2022 season was great for both the Tigers and the Blue Devils, with Duke showing signs of being a dangerous team down the line. In 2022, Duke finished 9-4 (5-3 ACC) last season and won the Military Bowl vs. UCF. They have a star quarterback in Riley Leonard, one of the best offensive linemen in the country in Graham Barton, and one of the best defensive players in the game in defensive tackle Dewayne Carter.
A talented team, Elko heads into their matchup with the Tigers, believing that this is the football they need to play to take the next step as a program.
“But if we want to get our seat at the table and we want to get talked about in that light, those are the games that we’re going to have to play. So to be able to play that game in Durham in front of a packed house on Monday night with everybody watching, that’s what you want. I think that’s what our players want. That’s what our kids want, and that’s what our program wants.
“It’s not to say that we don’t have a ton of respect for who they are and what they do, but that’s an opportunity that we’re really looking forward to.”
The Tigers matchup with the Blue Devils on Labor Day, with the game is set to kick off at 8 p.m. It should be an excellent contest.
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