Blue Devil Country

Duke Football Chips in With Major Basketball Recruiting Effort

A Duke football win is a win for Duke basketball, and vice versa.

Matt Giles

Duke football versus UConn (David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports)
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The first ESPN College GameDay appearance in Durham for a Duke football game, on tap for next Saturday following the Blue Devils' 41-7 win at UConn this week and first 4-0 start since 2018, should deliver a boost to second-year head coach Mike Elko and his gang in the recruiting department.

Of course, the global popularity of the opponent coming to Wallace Wade Stadium, No. 11 Notre Dame, adds to that.

Imagine if No. 17 Duke prevails over the Fighting Irish in primetime on ABC in storm-fielding fashion, as it did against then-No. 9 Clemson in Week 1, again displaying the potential of the school's Cameron Crazies when they serve as Wade Wackos.

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Meanwhile, the latest gridiron success may have indirectly aided the Duke basketball program's most critical recruiting chase.

Montverde (Fla.) five-star forward Cooper Flagg, an admitted Duke basketball fan who ranks No. 1 overall on the 247Sports 2024 Composite and will be at Countdown to Craziness next month, was on an official visit at reigning basketball national champion UConn this weekend and attended the Huskies' loss to the visiting Blue Devils.

If nothing else, Duke football's dominance in Hartford on Saturday should be a sign to Flagg that the top money-making sports in Durham are collectively growing mightier under Mike Elko and Jon Scheyer.

So, in what appeared to be a cryptic post by the Duke football program touting the final score against UConn, the social media team seemed to give a show of support for the second-year Duke basketball head coach's pursuit of Flagg via the following all-caps message: "FLAG PLANTED."

Putting the extra "G" at the end of "FLAG" would have been way too obvious of a move by the official Duke football account, potentially leading to cries over some cross-program recruiting violation.

Instead, the Blue Devils' post looks perfectly sly. There's no way to prove whether it is or isn't a message to UConn fans regarding their chances in the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes.

RELATED: Insider Sees 'No Hope' for UConn in Huge Duke Recruiting Race

But it's safe to assume Duke knew the 6-foot-9, 200-pound phenom was on hand.

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI.com for more Duke football and basketball news.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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