David Cutcliffe

NSJ 2024 Coach of the Year

January 16, 2025 Shawn Krest

When Duke hired Manny Diaz to replace Mike Elko, the decision was questioned in some circles. Most notably, the sports staff at a North Carolina newspaper, who like to think they know something about football, […]

Hot seat report for NC coaches

August 31, 2024 Shawn Krest

After a brief taste of college football this past weekend, we get a full schedule of games this weekend. That includes all seven FBS teams in North Carolina, who kicked off their respective seasons starting […]

Duke FB hopes to keep rolling

August 30, 2024 Shawn Krest

DURHAM – Way back in 1989, Steve Spurrier coached Duke to an 8-4 record, including a trip to the All-American Bowl in Birmingham. It was the second straight winning season in Durham for the Ole’ […]

He’s our Manny: Duke hires former Miami coach Diaz

December 8, 2023 The Associated Press

Duke hired Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz as its head coach on Thursday night. The school announced Diaz’s hiring in a news release and is finalizing plans for a news conference Saturday to introduce […]

Duke looks to take care of business against reeling peer Northwestern

September 13, 2023 Shawn Krest

Duke enters Saturday’s game against Northwestern in an unfamiliar position for the program. The Blue Devils need to show no mercy against an opponent that has fallen on hard times. For most of Duke’s football […]

NSJ 2022 Coach of the Year: Replacing a legend, Elko turns Duke around in 1st season

January 1, 2023 Shawn Krest

From 2007 to December 2021, ACC football teams had a total of 45 different head coaches. Through it all, Duke had the same coach. That changed following the 2021 season, a disappointing one coming on the […]

Deacons class of NC football at season’s midway point

October 19, 2022 North State Journal Staff

The pecking order in college football is becoming clearer, and that is also true in North Carolina. While the start of the season included NC State edging ECU, UNC’s barn-burning win over App State and, […]

Duke, Northwestern eye 2-0 starts

September 7, 2022 Cory Lavalette

There was a time when a Duke-Northwestern football game would have been the rare opportunity for either team to put a notch in the win column. The arrival of former player Pat Fitzgerald in Evanston […]

Elko wins debut; Leonard, defense lead Duke to shutout

September 2, 2022 The Associated Press

DURHAM — Riley Leonard threw for two touchdowns and completed his first 15 passes of the season, boosting Duke to a 30-0 victory over Temple as coach Mike Elko won in his debut Friday night. […]

Blue Devils, Owls debut first-time coaches

August 31, 2022 Cory Lavalette

DURHAM — When the Blue Devils run onto the field Friday night at Wallace Wade Stadium, Mike Elko won’t be the only one making his head coaching debut. Stan Drayton comes to Temple after nearly […]