Who will be Duke football’s starting QB against NC State? What coach Mike Elko said
Though still rehabilitating a high ankle sprain, Duke quarterback Riley Leonard is progressing as he attempts to play this Saturday against N.C. State.
“He’s day to day,” Duke coach Mike Elko said Monday. “He’s recovering. He’s making really, really strong progress. He was out moving around, throwing the ball this morning.”
Elko did not specify which quarterback the No. 17 Blue Devils will start when the Wolfpack make the short trip for Saturday night’s game at Wallace Wade Stadium.
Henry Belin, a redshirt freshman who has been No. 2 on the depth chart in four of Duke’s five games, would be in line to start if Leonard is unavailable.
“Henry’s a kid that we’ve got a ton of confidence in and we certainly believe in very strongly,” Elko said. “So if that’s ultimately what has to happen, then Henry will out there and we know we’ll be ready to go.”
Leonard has started all 18 games under Elko over the past two seasons. Duke has gone 13-5 in those games.
Leonard injured his ankle on Duke’s final play from scrimmage in a 21-14 loss to Notre Dame on Sept. 30. The following day, tests revealed the injury not severe enough to rule him out for the remainder of the season. But Duke’s medical and coaching staffs spent the past week determining when Leonard might return.
For his part, Leonard plans on his injury absence being as short as possible.
“He’s extremely competitive in every aspect of his life,” Elko said. “So he’s attacking this rehab, about six, seven hours a day. I mean, he’s on a mission to get back and not miss any games. That’s kind of his thought process. We’ll see whether that’s a reality or not.”
Leonard’s ability to bear weight on the right foot, something he was unable to do when he left the field on crutches after the loss to Notre Dame, is significant progress in nine days.
“Last week was recovery,” Elko said, “and getting him into a position where he can be weight bearing, which he is now. So he’s able to kind of move around and start the process of getting him back into a position where we feel comfortable that he can go out there and play the game the way he’s capable of.”
With Leonard as their quarterback, the Blue Devils have averaged 32.6 points per game (No. 6 in the ACC) this season. He’s completed 62.7% of his passes (79 of 126) with three touchdown throws and one interception. He’s also rushed for 326 yards and four touchdowns.
Belin has played in two games this season, completing all eight of his passing attempts for 118 yards with a touchdown. The 6-3, 210-pound quarterback, from New York City, played in one game during his redshirt season in 2022, completing 5 of 6 passes for 43 yards.
If Leonard is unable to play against N.C. State, it will be the first game the Blue Devils have played without him as their starting quarterback since Nov. 27, 2021. In that game, which was David Cutcliffe’s final one as Duke’s coach, Miami beat Duke, 47-10, with Gunnar Holmberg as quarterback.
Elko offered good news on two other injured Duke players. Left tackle Graham Barton, a preseason all-ACC selection, and cornerback Myles Jones are both practicing and on track to play against N.C. State. Both players missed the Notre Dame game with injuries.
This story was originally published October 9, 2023 at 3:33 PM with the headline "Who will be Duke football’s starting QB against NC State? What coach Mike Elko said."