Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz sent out an exciting message about the state of the program following the Week 1 win.
The Duke Blue Devils were able to start the new college football season off on a high note, taking down the Tulane Green Wave.
Duke was able to get some revenge for last season when Tulane took them down. But from the opening kickoff, it was clear that the Blue Devils were in firm control of the game.
While it wasn't the most dominant win, at least score wise, Duke was able to pick up a big win to open the year. Duke held Tulane to just 54 rushing yards in the contest, showing a strong ability to defend the run.
Tulane went just 3-of-14 third-down attempts, not scoring until the fourth quarter. All around, it was a good win for Duke, helping to set the tone for the season after losing so much talent over the offseason.
The Blue Devils did win the ACC last season, but there were many doubters who believed that they would take a step back this year. However, at least so far, Duke has no plans to make that a reality.
After the win, head coach Manny Diaz didn't hold back his thoughts on the program. Diaz is excited for what he is building with the Blue Devils, sending a clear message on the state of football at the school.
"At a time, in an offseason when nobody really believed in Duke football, and it was easy to suggest that we would take a step back- not that we're proclaiming anything, but what I can proclaim is the guys in that locker room, they pushed back on that," Diaz said. "They believed in themselves. They believed in this program. They believe in how we win at Duke."
The Blue Devils can celebrate this win for now, but the sights do have to turn toward the next matchup against Illinois. Illinois does present some problems for the Blue Devils.
The Fighting Illini put up 42 points on UAB in their season opener, showing some strong offensive output. For Duke to win, they will need to at least match this high-powered offense.
Quarterback Walker Eget will need to play better after throwing for just 131 yards in the season opener. The passing game was one of the bigger weak points for the Blue Devils against Tulane, and this will be something to correct.
Kickoff for the Blue Devils and Illinois will take place at 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday from Memorial Stadium.
