The saddest words are “What might have been.”
They’re also the toughest to forget, as Mike Elko has now learned twice.
“People say, ‘Ah, you’ll get over it,’” Elko said. “Sure. Just like the Bowling Green-Toledo game in 2013 on fourth-and-9.”
Elko was defensive coordinator for then-Bowling Green head coach Dave Clawson back then, and his team wiped out an early 21-0 deficit to take the lead late. Toledo had one last do-or-die possession and reached third-and-26 with under a minute and a half left. Their quarterback scrambled for 17, setting up a fourth-and-9 that lives in Elko infamy. Quarterback Terrance Owens threw a touchdown pass to give Toledo the win and Elko agita for the next decade and counting.
In September, Elko relived the pain, this time with even higher stakes. Back in ’13, Bowling Green entered the game at 5-2, and the loss merely put off bowl eligibility for another week. The Falcons finished 10-4, still won their division and were victorious in the MAC title game.
This year, Duke appeared to be having a special season. The Blue Devils returned most of their core of key players, with many coming back for their fifth COVID season, after being convinced by Elko that this season may be one for the history books.
Duke opened with a win over Clemson as the only game in town on Labor Day evening and used it as a springboard to a 4-0 start. That’s when Notre Dame came to town for an even bigger spotlight game than Clemson.
That was the message Elko had preached to his Blue Devil returnees — when you win the biggest game ever, it sets the stage for even bigger ones down the line. If Duke topped Notre Dame, it would be looking at a showdown with Florida State in October, with a potential College Football Playoff berth on the line.
The dream seemed close late in the game as Duke battled back from an early deficit to take a one-point lead. The Irish got the ball back for one last-ditch possession in the waning moments.
Stop us if you’ve heard this one before.
The clock moved under one minute left in regulation and Duke got a stop on third down, setting up fourth-and-16 with 51 seconds left.
Former Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman, now with the Irish as a grad transfer, took the snap and stood in the pocket as the Notre Dame line tried to hold off Duke’s pass rush. The clock ticked away, but Duke’s secondary had everyone covered.
Finally, Hartman decided to cut and run. He paused at the line of scrimmage after rolling out and pump-faked a few times. No Blue Devils bit on the fake, and he put his shoulder down and ran for the sticks. Four Duke defenders converged, but Hartman was able to slip past and dive over the line.
First down, Irish.
“Any time you get into that type of situation, you make the call you think is the best call for the moment,” Elko said. “I still hold to the call we made at the moment, but when it doesn’t work out you rethink everything.”
It didn’t work out.
There were still seven games and a bowl left in the season, but the end of Duke’s Mike Elko era essentially came on that play thanks to the happy feet of a longtime thorn in the Blue Devils’ side.
Two plays later, Audric Estime squeezed through a gap in the disheartened Duke defense, broke two tackles and ran 30 yards for the go-ahead touchdown.
There was still time on the clock for Duke to make a miracle comeback of its own. Instead, things took yet another turn for the worse.
On the second play of the Blue Devils’ drive, Riley Leonard took the snap and looked downfield. His protection broke down almost immediately, and he stepped forward in the pocket to try to avoid Howard Cross, who was bearing down on him. As he reared back to throw, Cross hit him, knocking the ball loose.
Leonard turned his body while in Cross’ grasp, trying to follow the path of the fumbled ball. So, when Cross came down on his legs with the full weight of his body, Leonard’s ankle bent awkwardly to the side.
He missed the next game, then, after an aborted comeback led to another injured ankle, his season was over. Duke moved on to a redshirt freshman and then a true freshman to man the quarterback spot.
At the end of the season, Leonard transferred to Notre Dame, of all places, to replace Hartman. Elko moved on to Texas A&M. And all parties involved were left to wonder what might have been. How special might Duke’s season have turned out, if not for fourth-and-16?
