Leonard shines in Duke's spring football game
Posted April 22, 2023 1:31 p.m. EDT
Durham, N.C. — The White team shut out the Blue squad in the second half to register the 19-14 comeback win on Friday night in Duke's Blue & White Game at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium.
The Blue team led 14-3 late in the second quarter, but rookies Peyton Jones and Apollos Cook found the end zone to highlight the White team's 16 unanswered points to secure the win. Jones' one-yard score capped a nine-play, 78-yard drive, while fellow freshman Grayson Loftis connected with Cook on a 49-yard touchdown reception.
For the White team, Jones finished with 17 rushes for 55 yards, while Cook compiled two catches for 55 yards. Loftis and redshirt freshman Henry Belin IV both saw action at quarterback with Loftis going 6-of-7 passing for 97 yards and Belin IV 14-of-25 passing for 129 yards. In addition, Belin IV led all rushers with 73 yards on seven attempts, while junior Jordan Moore and graduate student Eli Pancol led the receiving corps with 48 and 44 yards on six and three receptions, respectively.
Junior quarterback Riley Leonard led the Blue squad after finishing 19-of-28 passing for 154 yards with two touchdowns. Redshirt senior Jalon Calhoun and redshirt sophomore Sahmir Hagans both tallied 30-plus receiving yards, while graduate students Jordan Waters and Jaylen Coleman registered 30 and 26 rushing yards, respectively.
The Blue team opened the scoring in the first quarter after Leonard found Calhoun on a nine-yard touchdown reception to cap a 10-play, 75-yard drive. The White team responded a few minutes later after graduate student Charlie Ham converted on a 22-yard field goal to cut the lead to 7-3. The Blue squad finally broke through again late in the second period when Leonard connected with junior wideout Nick Lampert on a three-yard touchdown reception to extend their lead to 14-3.
Just before the break, Ham recorded his second field goal of the night for the White team, this time from 47 yards out, to jumpstart the comeback. The White squad then added 13 additional points on scores by Jones and Cook, while its defense kept the Blue team scoreless in the second half to secure the win.
Defensively, redshirt sophomores Nick Morris Jr. and Tre Freeman led all Blue Devils with eight tackles each. Four others tallied seven tackles apiece, including redshirt sophomore Placide Djungu-Sungu who also added two tackles for loss.
To wrap up the fun filled day, the Duke players and staff hosted a meet and greet with fans on the field postgame.
The Blue & White Game was the Blue Devils' final workout of the spring. The Blue Devils now turn their attention to their 2023 season opener against Clemson on Monday, Sept. 4 at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium.
