Spring Football Notebook: One Half Remains

DURHAM, N.C. – The Duke football team has surpassed the midpoint of spring practice after completing its eighth workout Saturday morning. The Blue Devils will conduct three more sessions this week before hitting the field four times next week in preparation for the annual Blue & White Game, held at 12 noon on Saturday, April 19.

BLUE & WHITE GAME DETAILS SET
For the free event at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium, the Science Drive Garage (no tailgating), Jogging Trail Lot (tailgating) and Grounds Lot (ADA Parking) parking lots open at 10 a.m. The Bostock Gate (North) and Powers Gate (West) open at 11 a.m. Highlights inside the venue for the event include:

Woof at Wallace Wade – for the Blue & White Game ONLY fans can bring their pet dogs. Owners must enter through the Powers Gate and register upon arrival.
Open seating will be available on west side of the stadium, in the blue chairback seats.
Inflatables and games will be set up on the concourse throughout the event.
The Dollar Shave Club Devils Deck will be open for seating with no additional ticket required.
Duke Ticket Office representatives will be on hand to answer any questions.

THREE-SPORT SUCCESS
In March, Duke became the only Division I school to have its men's and women's basketball programs make Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament appearances and have a football team with eight or more wins in each of the last two seasons.

Blue Devil football, men's basketball and women's basketball also established the school record with a combined 73 victories last season.

FINAL FOUR TRIP AND NINE FOOTBALL WINS
Last weekend marked the second time in 10 years a Duke men's basketball team advanced to the Final Four and Blue Devil football owned nine or more wins in the same season. Duke is the only school to claim the accomplishment twice in the last decade.

Schools to advance to the men's Final Four AND have nine-plus football wins since 2014-15

Duke – Twice (2024-25 & 2014-15)
Other programs to achieve the feat once during the span:
- Alabama (2023-24)
- NC State (2023-24)
- Oklahoma (2015-16)
- North Carolina (2015-16)
- Wisconsin (2014-15)
- Michigan State (2014-15)

CONTINUITY KEY FOR DUKE'S DEFENSE
During his first year in Durham, defensive coordinator Jonathan Patke guided the 2024 defense to finish in the top 25 nationally in tackles for loss per game (second/8.9), fumbles recovered (second/14), sacks per game (fourth/3.3), turnovers gained (seventh/27) and turnover margin (24th/+0.62). Within the ACC, Patke's unit topped the league in tackles for loss per game, sacks per game, fumbles recovered and turnovers gained and ranked second in passing yards allowed per game (213.5) and third in yards allowed per play (5.0).

This spring, he has six starters returning, but Patke knows success is not guaranteed.

"I tell the defense – what we did last year does not mean that's what we're going to do next year," Patke said. "A lot of faces have left that had a lot of production. Ozzie Nicholas, Alex Howard and Cameron Bergeron were in the top five of our tackle totals. Who's going to replace the production? What young guys can come in and really help us be a dominant defense again next year?"

Patke's defense on the field has continuity from a season ago. In addition to the six returning starters, the defense brings back 14 lettermen. Equally as important, Patke and the defense enjoy coaching continuity. Every defensive position coach from 2024 returns for 2025.

"I think people can underestimate continuity and how important it is to a staff and to the players," Patke said. "There are no new faces. We're a low-ego, high-output group. We're all for one another. We all speak the same language. It all stems from Coach Diaz. That's how he treated me. That's how we're going to treat our staff. When you don't have to teach the staff the defense again, I think the continuity becomes better within the locker room and on our defense. Our players know who we're going to be. They know what the call is going to be. I think it's the most underrated thing in college football – the continuity of a staff."

LINEBACKER ROOM RELOADING
Patke's linebacker room will feature different faces in 2025 but brings back an experienced veteran in Tre Freeman.

"Tre has made a lot of plays in a lot of big games," Patke said. "The play he made in the North Carolina game is Tre Freeman in a nutshell. In the biggest game, you make some big plays."

Devil's in the details ?? @iam_AF12 pic.twitter.com/n6MYTrCG4g
— Duke Football (@DukeFOOTBALL) April 2, 2025

In addition to Freeman, probable 2024 starter Nick Morris Jr. looks to return after missing all but last fall's season opener due to injury.

"I think he's the leader of this defense with the way he practices and works – guys look up to him," Patke said of Morris Jr. "I'm excited about his future and how he's coming along. We also have guys like Luke Mergott and Kendall Johnson who played in games, played well and probably should have played more. I believe in those guys. Kendall made some of his best plays against our best competition like Miami and Ole Miss. The moment was never too big for him. That's where you look at the young guys who are going to step in and have a lot of production next year."

Last fall, Mergott experienced action in all 13 games, primarily as a valuable member of Duke's special teams units, and compiled 14 tackles. Johnson played in 12 games and tallied 12 tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss. Johnson recorded a season-high three stops at Miami and at Georgia Tech. In the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl versus Ole Miss, he booked two tackles and his 0.5 TFL.

DIAZ JOINS NEXT UP WITH ADAM BRENEMAN
Head coach Manny Diaz caught up with Adam Breneman of Front Office Sports. The two talked Blue Devil culture and what it means to be a head coach today.

Watch the full podcast.

FOSTER FITTING IN AT DUKE
First-year running backs coach Chris Foster is adjusting to his initial spring as a Blue Devil.

"It's been awesome," Foster said. "The thing I really enjoy here is the intensity that comes each and every day. These young men, the way they come to work every day is special."

Foster will oversee an overhauled running back group as the Blue Devils lose 72.46 percent of their ground yards and 53.85 percent of their rushing touchdowns from a season ago with the departure of 2024 starter Star Thomas, who transferred to Tennessee after rushing for 871 yards on 213 carries with seven touchdowns. The running back group has been welcoming to Foster, who has known some since their high school days.

"It always comes full circle," Foster said. "A handful of these guys I recruited out of high school. To be able to come and be a part of their journey and help them grow and get to where they want to is a big-time blessing. [Duke's running backs have] been awesome. They've had open hands since day one. They've been receptive to me and to continue to learn and grow. It's been good."

*Running backs coach Chris Foster huddles with his position group following a spring practice.*

Overall, Duke returns only 443 of its 1,202 ground yards from last year, led by junior Peyton Jones' 317 yards on 82 carries. Jones added three rushing scores. All three totals were the second highest on the squad behind Thomas. Graduate student Jaquez Moore looks to return to the rotation in 2025 after missing much of the 2024 campaign due to injury. He gained 86 yards on 32 carries last fall.

This spring, Foster is focusing on one aspect with his group – consistency.

"I want to see growth in us being consistent each and every day from the mental aspect, from a physicality aspect and from a grit aspect," Foster said. "I want us to make sure we set the tempo every day. We set the standard every day. We come out with that mindset each and every day – of being consistent."

Gallery: (4-3-2025) Spring Practice at the Midpoint

SPRING IN THE UFL
Duke has four former standouts on United Football League rosters this spring, Mark Gilbert (Memphis Showboats), Deon Jackson (DC Defenders), Myles Jones (St. Louis Battlehawks) and Chance Lytle (Memphis Showboats).

Over the weekend, the Showboats and Defenders squared off with DC claiming a 17-12 victory. In that contest, Jackson had 12 carries for 42 yards while Gilbert totaled three tackles. Lytle helped the Showboats to 308 yards of offense, including 205 through the air. Jones and the Battlehawks downed the San Antonio Brahmas.

#GoDuke