Blue and White: Duke Football Spring Game Preview

As Duke University football prepares for the Blue and White game, Blue Zone takes a look at what fans can expect from the spring scrimmage.

Duke football fans will have a chance to get a glimpse of a revamped team under head coach Manny Diaz during the annual Blue and White scrimmage on Saturday night.

The Blue Devils have suffered numerous losses since last season, starting with the resignation of head coach Mike Elko and affecting essential parts of the team. Star quarterback Riley Leonard and defensive end RJ Oben both left the Duke program to join the Fighting Irish at Notre Dame. The Blue Devils also lost defensive tackle Dwayne Carter and offensive linemen Graham Burton and Jacob Monk to the NFL Draft. In addition to this, some of Duke University's top recruits resigned after Elko's sudden departure.

The blue and white scrimmage will be a showcase for all-new and lesser-known talent who will serve as the backbone of Duke University football throughout the 2024 season. Fans should keep an eye on the quarterback battle between freshman Grayson Loftis and sophomores Malik Murphy and Henry Bellin VI to fill Leonard's vacancy. Bellin, who will only play one game in the 2023 season, will look to bounce back from being benched for sophomore Loftis during Leonard's injury. Meanwhile, Loftis will fight to prove his worth after leading the Blue Devils to a narrow 47-45 loss to UNC. Murphy played in seven games during the 2023 season, scoring three touchdowns and one interception, and was actively competing for the starting quarterback position.

Other veterans can also use the scrimmage to show off their improvement. Senior running back Jaquez Moore had a strong 2023 season, finishing the season with 674 rushing yards and six touchdowns. On Saturday, fans should keep an eye on the No.9 as he shows off his explosiveness. Moore is preparing to be the offensive leader in the upcoming campaign. Returning starting wide receiver Sahamir Hagans was also a mainstay of the offense last season, finishing the season with 260 yards receiving. The redshirt junior is expected to start this game and serve as the leader of the wide receiver core. And junior cornerback Chandler Rivers will take on that role on defense after recording 58 tackles and one interception in the 2023 season.

The Blue and White scrimmage will give Blue Devil faithful their first glimpse of how the defensive-minded Diaz will run the team. After leading Penn State to third place in the Big Ten East in the 2023 season primarily on defense, Diaz is looking to improve defensively in hopes of leading Duke to success.