The Mike Elko Era Begins: Everything You Need to Know About Duke vs Temple

The Duke Blue Devils host the Temple Owls Friday night to open the Mike Elko era at Wallace Wade Stadium. Kickoff starts at 7:30 pm, with the game being aired on the ACC Network. Announcers for the game are Wes Durham, Roddy Jones and Taylor Davis.

What to watch for:

• Coach Mike Elko has made it clear that a culture change was needed in Durham – shredding the losing mentality and establishing dominance in the ACC. It starts on the defensive end for Duke – forcing turnovers, getting off the field on third down and converting long drives into seven points. 

• Sophomore Riley Leonard was named starting quarterback against Temple, with backup Jordan Moore expected to get meaningful snaps behind center and at wide receiver.  Kevin Johns, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, says the QB room features players who are “hungry, want to win, and compete. I’ve never been around quarterbacks who work as hard in practice as these guys.”

• Senior wide out Jalon Calhoun is expected to be an immediate threat on the outside and in the kick return game. Joining Calhoun at receiver is fellow senior Eli Pancol, who is the only other wide out on the Blue Devil squad with at least 200 receptions a season ago.

• The bright spots for the Blue Devils are Jacob Monk, who will start at center this season and has experience at tackle and guard, All-ACC defensive tackle Dewayne Carter and linebacker Shaka Heyward – a 2022 Preseason All-American who in 39 games has over 200 tackles (246), including 9.5 sacks, 2 interceptions and 3 fumble recoveries. 

Cause for Concern

• Last year the Blue Devils’ secondary couldn’t stop big plays, or had a dominant defensive back reliable enough to become a true number one on the outside. Coach Elko has made improving the secondary a priority by bringing in graduate transfer Darius Joyner who in 2021 had 142 tackles.

Back by Committee

• The departure of Mateo Durant leaves a huge void needing to be filled in the back field. Junior Jaylen Coleman is listed as the starter with Jaquez Moore and Jordan Waters expected to see early action. 

Game Notes

• Duke returns 13 starters (six on offense, five on defensive and two on special teams) from a year ago, including wide receiver Jalon Calhoun and linebacker Shaka Heyward. Calhoun finished second on the team in receptions (56) and receiving yards (718) and enters 2022 riding a 19-game streak with two-plus receptions. Heyward, a 2021 Third Team All-ACC selection, led the team and ranked fifth in the ACC with 98 tackles last season. Heading into 2022, he has tallied four-plus tackles in 28 straight contests and is one of two returning starters with 2,400-plus career snaps (Jacob Monk; 2,411).

• The Blue Devils hold an all-time record of 63-43-3 in season-opening games. Duke is 7-3 over its last 10 season-openers, but have dropped the last three.

• Over the last 10 years, Duke holds a 28-8 (.778) regular season and 31-11 (.738) overall record against non-conference opponents. In its last 25 non-conference games, Duke is 18-7.

• One of Duke’s most veteran groups is its offensive line. Of the 16-man unit, eight have played in 24 career games. The leader of the unit is team captain Jacob Monk, who enters 2022 as one of two returning starters with 2,400-plus career snaps (Shaka Heyward: 2,527). Monk has seen action at guard and tackle during his Blue Devil tenure and will take on the role of Duke’s starting center in 2022. 

• Duke charted sophomore Riley Leonard its starting quarterback, marking the fifth-straight season with a different quarterback for the Blue Devils A native of Fairhope, Ala., Leonard saw action in seven games during his rookie season, making one start against Virginia Tech. In 164 career snaps, he has completed 37-of-62 (.597) pass attempts for 381 yards with one touchdown and one interception while rushing 47 times for 173 yards (3.68) and two scores.

• The receiving unit returns 49 percent of its receptions from a year ago, including 56 catches from senior wide receiver Jalon Calhoun. Of the nine returning players who caught a pass in 2021, six registered at least 100-plus receiving yards. Returning tight ends Nicky Dalmolin and Cole Finney, as well as running back Jordan Waters, are factored into that number as well. 

• Senior wide receiver Eli Pancol joins Calhoun as the only other returner with 200-plus receiving yards in 2021 (17; 233).

• Sophomore quarterback Jordan Moore has shown his ability to be a versatile athlete. During fall camp, Moore took reps with the quarterbacks but also was on the receiving end of throws as a wideout. in addition, Moore finished second on the team in rushing yards a year ago.

• During the offseason, Duke added seven transfers on the offensive side of the ball: linemen Jack Burns (Cornell), Andre Harris (Arkansas State), and Chance Lytle (Colorado), quarterback Ty Lenhart (Columbia), running back RaShawn Allen (Lehigh), and wide receivers Eric Gallman II (Cornell) and Harrison Wellmann (Johns Hopkins).

• Duke added four veteran defensive players to its roster during the offseason. Along with the additions of Darius Joyner and Datrone Young to Duke’s defensive secondary, it has also welcomed linebacker Cam Dillon (Colombia) and defensive end Anthony Nelson (Harvard) to squad for the 2022 season. Dillon was a three-year lettermen at Columbia and a 2021 Second Team All-Ivy League selection. Nelson, who also spent time in the Ivy League at Harvard, compiled 56 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss, 8.0 sacks, one pass breakups, six quarterback pressures and one blocked field goal in 24 career games.