Elko: Duke QB Leonard is day-to-day, status uncertain for NC State
Posted October 9, 2023 1:57 p.m. EDT
Updated October 10, 2023 4:23 p.m. EDT
Duke head coach Mike Elko said quarterback Riley Leonard is day-to-day and is making progress in his return from an ankle injury, but he did not commit to the quarterback starting against NC State on Saturday.
Leonard, a standout junior, suffered an ankle injury in the final seconds of the Blue Devils' loss to Notre Dame on Sept. 30. He left the field on crutches after being examined in the medical tent on the Wallace Wade Stadium sidelines.
"He's day-to-day and he's recovering," Elko said Monday. "He's making really, really strong progress. He was out moving around and throwing the ball this morning. We'll see what happens this weekend. I do think the outlook for him is really positive for the rest of the season. So, we'll see when we can get him back. We'll just list him as day-to-day for now."
Leonard leads No. 17 Duke (4-1, 1-0 in the ACC) in passing and rushing yards, completing 62 percent of his passes for 912 yards and three touchdowns, while running for 326 yards and four touchdowns.
Duke did not play last weekend.
"Last week was recovery and getting him into a position where he could be weight-bearing, which he is now," Elko said. "So now he's able to kind of move around and start the process of getting back into a position where we feel comfortable that he can go out there and play the game the way he's capable of playing."
Elko said Leonard is "on a mission to get back and not miss any games."
"Riley is such a huge competitor and when he's ready to go, he's going to go," Elko said. "I think the one thing is that he's extremely competitive in every aspect of his life. So, he's attacking this rehab, about six to seven hours a day."
Redshirt freshman quarterback Henry Belin IV saw playing time in a blowout win against Lafayette earlier this season. He completed all eight of his pass attempts for 118 yards and a touchdown. Belin was unavailable for the Connecticut game, but could have played against Notre Dame.
"Henry's a kid that we've got a ton of confidence in, and we certainly believe in very strongly," Elko said. "If that's ultimately what has to happen, we'll go out there and we know we'll be ready to go."
Belin, a 6-foot-3 redshirt freshman, was a three-star prospect out of Cardinal Hayes High School in New York. His father played at Vanderbilt in the mid-1980s. He was listed as the No. 32 pocket passer in the nation by ESPN as a high school senior.
"He's got tremendous arm talent," Elko said. "He can make all of the throws. Anytime we put him in position to go out there and to execute the offense, he's done it. Anytime you've got a quarterback making a first start, there's obviously a little bit of nerves around that. We had the same conversation last year going into the opener with Riley.
"You never know until you know, but certainly every indication is that Henry's ready for the situation and we'll be excited for him to go out there and get it done."
NC State (4-2, 1-1) is off a a home win against Marshall, where quarterback MJ Morris made the start ahead of Virginia transfer Brennan Armstrong.
"A talented quarterback that can do everything well," Elko said of Morris. "I think he's got a big arm. I think he sits in the pocket and delivers the ball well. I think there was a little bit of angst I'm sure making his first start and once he settled in, he really put up some impressively gaudy numbers on Saturday and so we'll have our hands full with him for sure."
It is just the the third time in in the last decade that the Triangle rivals have met. Duke beat NC State 38-20 in 2013 and NC State won 31-20 in 2020 in Raleigh. The schools are scheduled to play every season under the ACC's 3-5-5 scheduling format, but conference expansion to 17 football-playing schools could tweak that formula.
"It's a game that we were excited that we're playing every year now, just because of the proximity of the two schools," Elko said. "It's certainly something that you feel like should happen and we're excited for the opportunity."
