What a difference a year makes.
Duke football began 2022 spring practice with questions, questions and more questions.
And lots of doubts.
Sure, Mike Elko had a nice resume as an assistant coach, even coordinator. But the college-football landscape is littered with failed coordinators-turned-head-coaches.
Some of whom have coached at Duke.
Duke was coming into the spring with an eight-game losing streak, a new staff, nothing resembling a starting quarterback or running back and an uncertain rebuilding project that might take years to come to fruition, if it ever worked at all.
Well, that rebuilding project didn’t take as long as we thought it would. Elko begins his second spring practice at Duke fresh off a nine-win season, a bowl victory and renewed respect.
And renewed expectations.
Duke returns 18 starters from last season, including Riley Leonard, who won the quarterback spot and had what was one of the best seasons in Duke history. Most of the skill-position mainstays also return.
There are holes to fill on the offensive line and the secondary but Elko and his staff had tremendous success in the transfer portal last season and there’s no reason to believe this season’s additions won’t fill those holes.
That process started Friday with the opening of spring practice. Actually it started pretty much as soon as the 2023 team returned from holiday break in January and found the weight room waiting for them.
But this is the first time they can hit the field and convert that training into football.
“It's always great to get back out there," Elko told the media Friday. "When you come out for spring practice there is just so much excitement. Excitement to get ready for next year to start the process of building this team and building the characteristics that this team needs to go out and be successful. I thought we had great energy today. We had a really good off-season. Kids are excited about where this program is going and the direction we're heading. Now everything is about elevation. Taking last year and building off of it as we go into spring ball. I'm excited to get going.”
Okay, a little bit of coach-speak. Maybe a lot of coach-speak. What coach ever came out and said he wasn’t excited about the start of spring practice?
So, let’s get a little deeper into the weeds.
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