Debating Whether Duke Should Worry About This Issue

Duke is less than two weeks away from tipping off a new season in Charlotte against Texas. The Blue Devils are pushing some talented freshmen to the front lines early on in year four under Jon Scheyer, and so far, so good.

Cameron Boozer led the Blue Devils with 33 points and 12 rebounds in the team's exhibition win over UCF. It was a revealing night for Duke, in some good ways and some not as much. After a sloppy first half, they dominated the second half from the paint after a barrage of three-point shots didn't fall in the first half.

Oct 3, 2025; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer smiles during the Countdown to Craziness at the Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

One position that is worth monitoring early on this season is the point guard play and rotation. The Blue Devils have a couple of different options, but it will come down to who flows with the offense the best, providing scoring chances to Duke's bigger threats down low.

Caleb Foster's Veteran Presence

Jan 27, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster (1) dribble against North Carolina State Wolfpack guard Jayden Taylor (8) during the second half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils won 74-64. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

Caleb Foster is a vital piece to the puzzle for Duke this season. He's returning for his junior season with expectations to run the offense off the dribble and facilitate between the options on the wing and in the paint.

Scheyer has said he trusts the third-year player to pass the ball cleanly and score within reason, but Tuesday's showing against UCF did raise some questions.

Apr 5, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster (1) shoots against Houston Cougars guard Milos Uzan (7) in the semifinals of the men's Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Foster scored just three points, shooting 1-for-6 from the field with four assists. He didn't have his shot, which is fine for one game that doesn't even count. However, the offense didn't run well with him on the floor. The Blue Devils only outscored the Knights by six points with Foster in the game.

The veteran guard has taken on a bigger leadership role this season as an experienced player among a ton of new talent. It was a big deal that Foster decided to return to Durham rather than explore another option in the transfer portal. One of the players he has taken under his wing is freshman guard Cayden Boozer.

Mar 31, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; McDonald’s All American East guard Cayden Boozer (2) prepares to shoot the ball during the Sprite Jam Fest at Barclay's Center. Mandatory Credit: Pamela Smith-Imagn Images | Pamela Smith-Imagn Images

Boozer and Foster have battled together and against one another this offseason for a role in the starting lineup. Foster got the start against the Knights, but Boozer made a compelling case to take that spot at some point.

Both guys got off to a rough start, struggling to fight into the lane and play off the dribble. That's an area that is key to Foster's success within the lineup this season, but neither he nor the freshman found much success there.

Feb 5, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; Detailed view of the Duke Blue Devils logo on a uniform prior to the game against the Syracuse Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Boozer capitalized in the second half by adjusting to the speed of the game, which seemed to throw him off guard to start the game. He finished with nine points and five assists in two fewer minutes than Foster.

The Blue Devils found a rhythm with Boozer on the floor in the second half. Duke outscored the Knights by a whopping 27 points with Boozer in the game.

Oct 4, 2024; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster (1) shoots the ball during Countdown to Craziness at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Despite a slow start, Foster will still be critical to the team this season and will get every opportunity to prove he is the guy. He did pull in seven rebounds and made plays off the ball, which was something he failed to do a year ago as his minutes were trimmed.

Duke will have plenty of time to figure out who is best at running the offense, and maybe will get some more answers sooner rather than later. Foster will have a chance to bounce back when Duke travels to Knoxville to face No. 18 Tennessee on Sunday.

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