Duke football looks to snap two-game losing streak in Thursday game vs. Wake Forest
Posted October 31, 2023 1:44 p.m. EDT
Updated October 31, 2023 4:06 p.m. EDT
 Wake Forest Demon Deacons |
21 |
 Duke Blue Devils |
24 |
| Final | |
Durham, N.C. — Duke football is looking to get back on track during a shortened week after losing two straight games.
The Blue Devils host the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Wallace Wade Stadium. The game airs on ESPN.
Duke head coach Mike Elko said his team has had three days to prepare for Wake Forest.
“There’s not a lot of room for physicality this week,” Elko said Tuesday.
The Blue Devils’ two consecutive losses have knocked them out of the AP Top 25. Duke lost 23-0 against Louisville and 38-20 against Florida State.
“The main concern is we were just completely dysfunctional at every level,” Elko said. “We didn’t block. We didn’t hit our targets in the run game. We didn’t do a good job of staying on schedule because we committed way too many penalties. We were inefficient again in the passing game at all three levels.
“But I think … when you’re struggling, the answer is believe in who you are, believe in what you’re doing, simplify, go back to your fundamentals and just improve.”
Before the 2023 season, Elko said he’s never had shortened weeks to prepare his team during his time coaching college football. The Blue Devils also had a shortened week after upsetting Clemson on Labor Day and then having to play Lafayette on Sept. 9.
“I think it’s an enormous challenge,” Elko said of the shortened week. “In 23 years of coaching, this is the first time I’ve ever done this and doing it twice in one year, this is a tremendous challenge.”
Elko said several players had “day to day” injuries, including quarterback Riley Leonard, offensive lineman Jacob Monk and offensive lineman Graham Barton.
Elko said Leonard, Monk and Barton would be “game-time decisions” on whether they’d play Thursday.
Leonard completed nine of 23 passes for 121 yards against Louisville. He also threw an interception. Leonard initially suffered an ankle injury in the loss on Sept. 30 against Notre Dame. After sitting out against NC State, Leonard reaggravated the injury in the loss on Oct. 21 against Florida State.
