Head football coach David Cutcliffe and the 2021 Blue Devils are scheduled to begin fall camp on Thursday.
Duke returns 77 letter winners from 2020, including 13 starters. The Blue Devils are expected to have All-ACC center Jack Wohlabaugh back for his final season after the Akron, Ohio, native missing all of 2020 with a knee injury. Duke also welcomes back preseason All-ACC selection Mataeo Durant, who led the Blue Devils in rushing yards (817) and rushing touchdowns (eight) a season ago.
Graduate student Gunnar Holmberg enters the 2021 season as the projected starting quarterback for the Blue Devils. In seven career games, Holmberg has completed 18-of-25 (.720) pass attempts for 161 yards with two interceptions while rushing 24 times for 28 yards (1.17) with one touchdown. A native of Wake Forest, N.C., Holmberg threw for a career-high 71 yards against North Carolina in 2020.
On the defensive side of the football, the Blue Devils will be led by Phil Steele and Athlon Sports preseason All-ACC honoree Shaka Heyward, who in 27 career games (17 starts), has 148 tackles, 15.0 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, one interception, three fumble recoveries and six quarterback pressures. He has posted six-plus tackles in 14 career games and earned double digit tackles on five occasions.
Duke is set to kick off the 2021 season on Friday, September 3 at Charlotte. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. at Jerry Richardson Stadium.
Per Release