3 Burning Questions Remaining for Duke Football After Bye Week

Coach Manny Diaz and the Duke Blue Devils will begin a nonstop eight (or nine) game stretch beginning this weekend in Atlanta against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Well-rested and healthy after a bye week, the Blue Devils will return to the thick of ACC play.

Despite not playing this week, Duke still received votes in the latest AP Poll, though they have yet to be ranked despite their 4-0 start. As the rest of the league sorts itself out and the contenders take shape later in October, some inquiries remain for Duke, all of them on the offensive side of the ball. Here are three burning questions remaining for the Blue Devils after the bye week.

How Will Walker Eget Perform in ACC Play?

Eget Duke — Sep 26, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Walker Eget (2) looks to pass against the William & Mary Tribe during the second quarter at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After a slow debut in Durham, the Blue Devils veteran transfer quarterback has completed a career-high 62.4 percent of his passes for 721 yards, six touchdowns, and one interception through four games. You could see Eget starting to find consistency and make accurate throws with the football on all levels of the field.

However, the ACC play will get tougher, the pressure more intense, and coverages more difficult. How will Walker Eget perform with more bodies in the pocket and against quality defenses such as North Carolina and Miami? The answers will come in the coming weeks, beginning against the Yellow Jackets.

Does Duke Have Offensive Tackles Against ACC’s Best Pass Rushers?

Like Eget, the Blue Devils' starting offensive tackles, Nick Del Grande and Braden Miller, are still finding their groove as the offensive line builds more continuity. I don’t have a ton of questions about Duke’s interior front, led by veteran center Matt Craycraft. However, some great pass rushers are remaining on the schedule for Del Grande and Miller.

The first early test will be the pass-rush duo of Melkart Abou Jaoude and Jaylen Harvey in two weeks when Duke hosts North Carolina in Durham. If the Blue Devils' offseason acquisitions keep those two at bay, that will bolster confidence down the stretch as Duke competes for a spot in the ACC Championship.

Will a No. 1 Wide Receiver Emerge?

Burton Duke — Sep 26, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; William & Mary Tribe defensive back Brendan Robinson (25) attempts to tackle Duke Blue Devils wide receiver Jonah Burton (6) during the first quarter at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

So far, it looks like Idaho State transfer Jonah Burton has emerged as the No. 1 perimeter target for the Blue Devils; is his role guaranteed? I’m not so sure, especially as Duke gets further into conference play, and they’ll need to find someone consistent enough to handle a large target share if absolutely necessary.

Burton, along with Jared Richardson, Kavon Simmons, Jaivon Solomon, and Jayden Moore, has made plays for the Blue Devils' passing game. Whichever of the five makes the most plays in the coming weeks will likely become the emerging No. 1 outside pass-catcher.

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