Blue Devil Country

Duke Football: Cinematic Recaps of Mike Elko's Debut Win

Duke football deserves all the fanfare it can get right now.

Matt Giles

Duke football head coach Mike Elko (Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports)
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The Duke football players looked in sync and hungry for Mike Elko's first battle as a head coach.

Their execution, togetherness, and positive attitude resulted in Friday night's 30-0 home win over Temple, the school's first shutout against an FBS opponent since Steve Spurrier coached the Blue Devils to a 41-0 embarrassment of rival UNC in 1989.

This week, Duke's creative team rewarded the squad's efforts with a four-minute cinematic recap of the feel-good victory, including an inside look at pre-game pep talks from the coaching staff, a highlight package of the on-field action, and a few glances at the energized fans.

RELATED: How to Get Duke Students to Stay Past Halftime at Football Games

So pop some corn and relive the opener to the Elko era:

Then on Thursday afternoon, the official Twitter account of the Duke football program released a personalized highlight reel for arguably the No. 1 star from the Blue Devils' Week 1 party, Riley Leonard, a pleasant surprise to many in the fanbase.

The 6-foot-4, 210-pound sophomore quarterback from Alabama strung together 15 consecutive completions to begin the bout, on his way to finishing 24-for-30 with a game-high 328 passing yards, two touchdown passes, and zero interceptions. In short, he left zero doubt that he's the right man for the starting job this season.

That's not to mention Leonard's game-high 64 rushing yards via 11 carries, which displayed his seemingly above-average ability to escape traffic when necessary and rack up positive yardage on the ground.

Yes, Leonard is well-deserving of his hype video, albeit a relatively brief one:

Riley Leonard and the Blue Devils hope to snag Mike Elko's second W in as many weeks when they face Northwestern on the road at noon ET Saturday.

RELATED: Week 2 Odds Suggest Blue Devils Are Drawing Doubt

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country for more Duke football content.

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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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