Blue Devil Country

Duke Football: Manny Diaz Reacts to Wallace Wade Crowd

Perhaps Duke football supporters will show up in masses to root for the Blue Devils in two weeks, no matter what the weather brings.

Matt Giles

Duke football
Duke football / James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
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Less than 30 minutes before kickoff in Durham on Friday night, it looked as though most Duke football faithful were going to pass on showing up for Manny Diaz's debut as the Blue Devils' head coach.

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Sure, the heavy rain a few hours earlier undoubtedly contributed to what was a notably sparse crowd at the time. Even so, one had to wonder if fans were still just too emotionally scarred from now-first-year Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko's build-and-bolt abandonment of the program last November to "put themselves out there again" in the Manny Diaz era.

However, the Wade Wackos, the student section for Duke football games, saved the day, so to speak. They began pouring into Wallace Wade Stadium minutes before kickoff, and they did their part to wake up the fanbase for Diaz's bunch.

And the Blue Devils responded to the students' enthusiasm — not quite to the standard that Cameron Crazies have set for Duke basketball games in Cameron Indoor Stadium but an encouraging sign just the same — by putting on a show in the second half to the tune of a decisive 26-3 victory over Elon.

"Student section was awesome," Diaz, whose defense tallied the program's most tackles for loss in a game (16) since 2007, remarked in his postgame press conference after Duke Blue Devils On SI asked the 50-year-old for his thoughts on the crowd. "It's funny: I didn't look through the [new Devils Deck] as much as I wanted to during the game. I was kind of busy.

"But I did notice the students. I thought they were phenomenal. And then, especially today, I mean, it was like build-an-arc rain from 2-4 this afternoon. And you worry about would that deter some people from coming. So, I thought our players fed off the energy of the game — of the crowd. Especially after we started rolling in the second half, it was a fun atmosphere to be around."

The former Miami head coach's energized Duke football team is now gearing up for a road battle against Northwestern at 9 p.m. ET Friday (FS1).

Should the Blue Devils emerge victorious against the Wildcats, chances are the Wade Wackos and season-ticket holders make their way to Wallace Wade much earlier — rain or shine — than they did for the Elon game when Diaz's gang hosts UConn on Sept. 14 at 6 p.m. ET (ACCNX).

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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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