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Spring Football Notebook: A Blue & White Saturday
4/12/2026 6:27:00 PM | Football
DURHAM, N.C. – With spring practice hitting the home stretch, the Duke football program makes its final preparations for Saturday's Blue & White Game.
The Blue Devils will have three practices prior to the annual event, which starts at 2 p.m. at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium.
SPRING RADIO SHOW MONDAY
Hear from head coach Manny Diaz Monday as he recaps spring practice and looks to Saturday's Blue & White Game. The Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club will host a special edition of the Duke Football Radio Show with Manny Diaz at 5 p.m. from the Terrace on the Green patio.
REMINDER OF BLUE & WHITE GAME DETAILS
Saturday's free event has parking available starting at 10 a.m. in the Science Drive Garage (no tailgating allowed).
Level two of the Science Drive Garage will be reserved for ADA parking. A state issued ADA placard or license plate is required for designated accessible parking areas. A mobility assistance shuttle will run from the Science Drive Garage to the Whitford Drive circle continuously from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Due to the men's lacrosse game at 12 p.m., please be patient entering and exiting the garage.
Tailgating will be available as long as spaces last in the Jogging Trail Lot and Grounds Lot.
Highlights inside the venue for the event include:
INTRODUCING RODNEY FREEMAN II
Duke's new running back coach, Rodney Freeman II, arrived in Durham in January after spending the last two seasons at East Carolina University. In 2025, Freeman II guided a four-man Pirate running back rotation to 1,886 yards as each crossed the 250-yard plateau. Now, he is excited to see what his Blue Devils backs can accomplish in 2026.
CROWDER BACK WITH BLUE DEVILS
Former Duke football captain and All-America Jamison Crowder joined the Blue Devil staff in April as the inaugural former player coaching fellow.
Crowder lettered four (2011-12-13-14) seasons at Duke and was a team captain for the 2014 campaign. In 52 career games (40 starts), Crowder caught 283 passes for 3,641 yards and 23 touchdowns. He also returned 44 kickoffs for 930 yards and 65 punts for 869 yards and four scores. Crowder, who amassed 5,575 all-purpose yards, was an All-America selection as a return specialist in both 2013 (second team pick by Football Writers Association of America, Sports Illustrated and Phil Steele) and 2014 (second team pick by Lindy's). He added All-ACC honors as a wide receiver in 2012 (honorable mention), 2013 (first team) and 2014 (first team) and as a return specialist in 2013 (first team) and 2014 (first team).
Following his Duke career, Crowder was a fourth round pick of the Washington football club and spent 10 seasons in the National Football League with the Redskins/Commanders (2015-18; 2023-24), New York Jets (2019-21) and Buffalo Bills (2022). Crowder appeared in 122 games with 52 starts, catching 440 passes for 4,898 yards and 31 touchdowns.
Crowder graduated from Duke in December 2014 with a degree in in sociology while minoring in African and African American studies. He also earned a certificate in markets and management.
HAMPSHIRE HONOR SOCIETY
Last week, Duke had 10 student-athletes earn a place in the National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society. The society is celebrating its 20th season. To be eligible, a student-athlete must have a 3.2 GPA or higher, be a starter or regular contributor and be a senior, a graduated player or a graduate transfer.
Duke has the sixth-most FBS honorees in the program.
All-Time Honor Society Honorees (2007-26)
LEADING THE ACC
With the men's and women's basketball seasons complete, Duke holds the top spot in ACC wins since the start of the 2022 football season.
ACC victories in men's basketball, women's basketball and football
ACC victories in men's basketball and football
ACC victories in women's basketball and football
MIC'D UP WITH JEREMIAH HASLEY
All-ACC tight end Jeremiah Hasley was mic'd up for a spring practices. Listen in as he goes through the workout.
BIG BOARDS AND MOCK DRAFTS
As the April 23-25 NFL Draft approaches, more big boards and mock drafts are featuring Blue Devils.
The Athletic's Dane Brugler published The Beast 2026, which includes more than 2,700 NFL prospects. Four Blue Devils received draftable grades from Brugler:
Josh Edwards of CBS unveiled his first seven-round mock draft and had a trio of Blue Devils being selected with Parker II and Rivers going in consecutive picks in the fourth round: Parker II at No. 105 and Rivers at No. 106. Edwards added Anthony Jr. at No. 215 overall in the sixth round.
Mel Kiper Jr.'s NFL Draft Big Board has Rivers as the No. 8 cornerback prospect while Parker II is charted as the No. 5 center.
Sports Illustrated's Justin Melo names Parker II as one of the draft's late-round value picks.
Doug Farrar, of Athlon Sports and SB Nation, also notes Anthony Jr. as one of his favorite under-the-radar pass rushers.
WILLIAMS VISITS WASHINGTON PRO DAY
On April 8, the Washington Commanders hosted more than three dozen NFL Draft prospects, most of whom have ties to Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia, to provide them with an opportunity to showcase their skill sets.
Former Blue Devil Wesley Williams, a Gainesville, Virginia, product, was invited to take part in the workout.
TWO IN THE UFL
A pair of Blue Devils are continuing their professional football dreams as Deon Jackson (DC Defenders) and Mark Gilbert (Orlando Storm) are members of the UFL.
Jackson helped the Defenders to the 2025 UFL championship with a 58-34 victory in the title game. Jackson rushed for four touchdowns in the Defenders' two playoff games last summer. Already this season, he has 33 carries for a UFL-high 224 yards and a league-best five touchdowns in three games.
Gilbert spent the 2025 campaign with the Memphis Showboats, appearing in 10 games and totaling 23 tackles and five pass breakups. This season, he has appeared in one game with the Storm and booked three stops.
KODITUWAKKU JOINS ROSTERS TO RINGS
Duke general manager Binuk Kodituwakku recently joined the Rosters to Rings podcast. Host Thad Levine was the general manager of the Minnesota Twins for eight seasons before joining the Milwaukee Brewers as a special adviser.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils football, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeFootball".
#GoDuke
The Blue Devils will have three practices prior to the annual event, which starts at 2 p.m. at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium.
SPRING RADIO SHOW MONDAY
Hear from head coach Manny Diaz Monday as he recaps spring practice and looks to Saturday's Blue & White Game. The Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club will host a special edition of the Duke Football Radio Show with Manny Diaz at 5 p.m. from the Terrace on the Green patio.
REMINDER OF BLUE & WHITE GAME DETAILS
Saturday's free event has parking available starting at 10 a.m. in the Science Drive Garage (no tailgating allowed).
Level two of the Science Drive Garage will be reserved for ADA parking. A state issued ADA placard or license plate is required for designated accessible parking areas. A mobility assistance shuttle will run from the Science Drive Garage to the Whitford Drive circle continuously from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Due to the men's lacrosse game at 12 p.m., please be patient entering and exiting the garage.
Tailgating will be available as long as spaces last in the Jogging Trail Lot and Grounds Lot.
Highlights inside the venue for the event include:
- Duke Athletics' Surplus Sale will run on the Dollar Shave Club Devils Deck from 12:30 – 6 p.m. For more information on the sale, review the full details.
- Open seating will be available on the west side of the stadium, in the blue chairback seats.
- Duke Authentics will be on the concourse with new items available for purchase.
- Inflatables and games will be on the concourse throughout the event.
INTRODUCING RODNEY FREEMAN II
Duke's new running back coach, Rodney Freeman II, arrived in Durham in January after spending the last two seasons at East Carolina University. In 2025, Freeman II guided a four-man Pirate running back rotation to 1,886 yards as each crossed the 250-yard plateau. Now, he is excited to see what his Blue Devils backs can accomplish in 2026.
CROWDER BACK WITH BLUE DEVILS
Former Duke football captain and All-America Jamison Crowder joined the Blue Devil staff in April as the inaugural former player coaching fellow.
Our inaugural Former Player Coaching Fellowship ??
— Duke Football (@DukeFOOTBALL) April 11, 2026
Welcome back, Jamison! pic.twitter.com/opNERQn2x3
Crowder lettered four (2011-12-13-14) seasons at Duke and was a team captain for the 2014 campaign. In 52 career games (40 starts), Crowder caught 283 passes for 3,641 yards and 23 touchdowns. He also returned 44 kickoffs for 930 yards and 65 punts for 869 yards and four scores. Crowder, who amassed 5,575 all-purpose yards, was an All-America selection as a return specialist in both 2013 (second team pick by Football Writers Association of America, Sports Illustrated and Phil Steele) and 2014 (second team pick by Lindy's). He added All-ACC honors as a wide receiver in 2012 (honorable mention), 2013 (first team) and 2014 (first team) and as a return specialist in 2013 (first team) and 2014 (first team).
Following his Duke career, Crowder was a fourth round pick of the Washington football club and spent 10 seasons in the National Football League with the Redskins/Commanders (2015-18; 2023-24), New York Jets (2019-21) and Buffalo Bills (2022). Crowder appeared in 122 games with 52 starts, catching 440 passes for 4,898 yards and 31 touchdowns.
Crowder graduated from Duke in December 2014 with a degree in in sociology while minoring in African and African American studies. He also earned a certificate in markets and management.
HAMPSHIRE HONOR SOCIETY
Last week, Duke had 10 student-athletes earn a place in the National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society. The society is celebrating its 20th season. To be eligible, a student-athlete must have a 3.2 GPA or higher, be a starter or regular contributor and be a senior, a graduated player or a graduate transfer.
Duke has the sixth-most FBS honorees in the program.
All-Time Honor Society Honorees (2007-26)
- Nebraska, 114
- Northwestern, 112
- Minnesota, 109
- BYU, 106
- Kansas State, 98
- Duke, 95
- California, 90
LEADING THE ACC
With the men's and women's basketball seasons complete, Duke holds the top spot in ACC wins since the start of the 2022 football season.
ACC victories in men's basketball, women's basketball and football
- Duke 140
- North Carolina 117
- Clemson 107
- Louisville 106
- NC State 104
ACC victories in men's basketball and football
- Duke 85
- Clemson 78
- North Carolina 68
- Virginia 64
- Miami 55
- Pittsburgh 55
ACC victories in women's basketball and football
- Duke 75
- Louisville 72
- NC State 68
- North Carolina 64
- Virginia Tech 61
MIC'D UP WITH JEREMIAH HASLEY
All-ACC tight end Jeremiah Hasley was mic'd up for a spring practices. Listen in as he goes through the workout.
BIG BOARDS AND MOCK DRAFTS
As the April 23-25 NFL Draft approaches, more big boards and mock drafts are featuring Blue Devils.
The Athletic's Dane Brugler published The Beast 2026, which includes more than 2,700 NFL prospects. Four Blue Devils received draftable grades from Brugler:
- Chandler Rivers: 3rd-4th Round
- Brian Parker II: 4th Round
- Wesley Williams: 4th-5th Round
- Vincent Anthony Jr.: 7th Round
The Beast is here!
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) April 8, 2026
The 2026 NFL Draft Guide is now available (interactive and PDF).https://t.co/G487PtkKFP
Josh Edwards of CBS unveiled his first seven-round mock draft and had a trio of Blue Devils being selected with Parker II and Rivers going in consecutive picks in the fourth round: Parker II at No. 105 and Rivers at No. 106. Edwards added Anthony Jr. at No. 215 overall in the sixth round.
Mel Kiper Jr.'s NFL Draft Big Board has Rivers as the No. 8 cornerback prospect while Parker II is charted as the No. 5 center.
Sports Illustrated's Justin Melo names Parker II as one of the draft's late-round value picks.
Doug Farrar, of Athlon Sports and SB Nation, also notes Anthony Jr. as one of his favorite under-the-radar pass rushers.
The only guy who really killed Davis with arc speed last season was Duke EDGE Vincent Anthony Jr., who's one of my favorite under-the-radar pass-rushers in this class. https://t.co/9wI1sMGEJX pic.twitter.com/58W74X0Th5
— Doug Farrar ? (@NFL_DougFarrar) March 30, 2026
WILLIAMS VISITS WASHINGTON PRO DAY
On April 8, the Washington Commanders hosted more than three dozen NFL Draft prospects, most of whom have ties to Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia, to provide them with an opportunity to showcase their skill sets.
Former Blue Devil Wesley Williams, a Gainesville, Virginia, product, was invited to take part in the workout.
The Commanders are hosting a local pro day with more than three dozen prospects with DMV ties working out at the team facility. Here's the full listhttps://t.co/Pl7vxffaXp
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWC) April 8, 2026
More than three dozen prospects with DMV ties competed during the Commanders' local pro day and were impressed with coaches' attention to detail and love for the sporthttps://t.co/TP7fYt80pV
— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWC) April 9, 2026
TWO IN THE UFL
A pair of Blue Devils are continuing their professional football dreams as Deon Jackson (DC Defenders) and Mark Gilbert (Orlando Storm) are members of the UFL.
Jackson helped the Defenders to the 2025 UFL championship with a 58-34 victory in the title game. Jackson rushed for four touchdowns in the Defenders' two playoff games last summer. Already this season, he has 33 carries for a UFL-high 224 yards and a league-best five touchdowns in three games.
Deon Jackson is alongside @EricMacLain before today's game ?? pic.twitter.com/r6MFjHiOeG
— DC Defenders (@UFLDefenders) April 11, 2026
Gilbert spent the 2025 campaign with the Memphis Showboats, appearing in 10 games and totaling 23 tackles and five pass breakups. This season, he has appeared in one game with the Storm and booked three stops.
KODITUWAKKU JOINS ROSTERS TO RINGS
Duke general manager Binuk Kodituwakku recently joined the Rosters to Rings podcast. Host Thad Levine was the general manager of the Minnesota Twins for eight seasons before joining the Milwaukee Brewers as a special adviser.
?? New episode out now ???
— Rosters to Rings (@RostersToRings) April 2, 2026
Thad sits down with @DukeFOOTBALL GM @Binuk_K to break down what it really takes to build a roster in the NIL era. From analytics and the transfer portal to balancing Duke's academics with winning football ??????https://t.co/QVxsqI1pIz pic.twitter.com/iu9d0eFtwS
To stay up to date with Blue Devils football, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeFootball".
#GoDuke
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