www.thestar.com - RSS Results of type article
· collected 2026-08-19 · by Aaron Beard The Associated Press
The University of Miami's quarterback Darian Mensah, who transferred from Duke after a legal fight, is now a preseason ACC favorite at his new school. Duke, the reigning ACC champion, has lost 15 starters and will play with added scrutiny this season. The Blue Devils are picked to finish 10th in the 17-team ACC race and face a challenging schedule, including games against Miami and Clemson. Despite these challenges, sophomore running back Nate Sheppard is expected to be a key player for Duke after a strong freshman season.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-19,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The Duke Blue Devils football team, which had won an ACC title just last year with a record of 9-5 and overall record of 35-18, is now facing a rebuilding season after losing 15 starters. This includes star quarterback Darian Mensah, who transferred to Miami after a legal dispute and will face Duke on November 14 in a high-profile matchup. Despite their recent success, the Blue Devils are projected to finish 10th out of 17 teams in the ACC this year. Head coach Manny Diaz acknowledged that his team is not receiving much hype this season and instead has developed a "chip on our shoulder" for players.
Written for “Duke Basketball Roster Changes” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 1180 · logged 2026-08-24
Duke
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — 2025 record: 9-5
Expectations
The Blue Devils took a big step by claiming their first outright Atlantic Coast Conference championship in 63 years.
asserted
Devils → take → years
The image of Manny Diaz hoisting the trophy in his second year after beating Virginia comes amid a four-year run of sustained success, including a third nine-win season and an overall record of 35-18 (.660).
asserted
Diaz → hoist → 35
The Blue Devils will play with the added scrutiny that comes with being the reigning ACC champion with a revamped lineup after losing 15 starters.
asserted
that → play → starters
The departures include star quarterback Darian Mensah after a legal fight as he transferred to preseason ACC favorite Miami.
asserted
he → include → Miami
“I haven’t noticed a bunch of people shouting out that Duke is on top of the mountain,” Diaz said.
asserted
Diaz → notice → mountain
“We’ve kind of fallen back to the bottom half of the pile again, so I think that’s immediately established a chip on our shoulder for our guys.”
asserted
that → fall → guys
The Blue Devils are picked to finish 10th in the 17-team ACC race.
asserted
Devils → pick → race
The league slate is headlined by a reunion with Mensah at Miami (Nov. 14) and a home game against Clemson (Nov. 20), though the Blue Devils also face the three teams picked to finish at the bottom of the league in rival North Carolina, Boston College and Stanford.
asserted
Devils → headline → Carolina
Strengths start with potential in run game with offensive line
Sophomore Nate Sheppard is back after running for 1,132 yards and 11 touchdowns.
asserted
Sheppard → start → yards
That included ending last year with four straight games with at least one rushing TD and racking up 170 yards on the ground in the Sun Bowl win against Arizona State.
asserted
That → include → State
With changes at quarterback and receiver, Sheppard could expect to see a heavy workload.
uncertain
Sheppard → expect → workload
It also helps that the Blue Devils return starters Matt Craycraft and Jordan Larsen, as well as bowl-game starter Bradley Smith to the interior of the offensive line.
asserted
Devils → help → line
Weaknesses include uncertainty with the passing game and defensive starters
Mensah ranked second in the Bowl Subdivision ranks in passing yardage (3,973) and tied for second in TD throws (34), but he’s gone to Miami.
asserted
he → include → Miami
The Blue Devils also lost their top three receivers.
asserted
Devils → lose → receivers
Duke added San Jose State quarterback Walker Eget as a graduate transfer.
asserted
Duke → add → transfer
He threw for more than 3,000 yards and 17 touchdowns last year before going down with a late-season knee injury that required surgery.
asserted
that → throw → surgery
Redshirt freshman Dan Mahan could also see work.
uncertain
Mahan → see → work
But otherwise, there’s some uncertainty when it comes to who will eventually step into leading roles.
asserted
who → ’ → roles
“Everyone’s scratching and clawing to get time,” defensive end Kevin O’Connor said.
asserted
O’Connor → scratch → time
