Duke Football Recruit Backs Off Commitment Just Before Signing Day

As the calendar flipped to November, recruiting races around the country have intensified. With the early signing window scheduled to open on Dec. 3, programs and coaches are hard at work trying to solidify their incoming class and flip players to their team.

Duke is in the middle of an intense conference race at the moment. With a 5-5 record, the chaotic ACC standings had the Blue Devils in the hunt for a trip to Charlotte, but a crushing loss at home against Virginia might have dashed those hopes.

Nov 8, 2025; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah (10) throws a pass against the UConn Huskies in the second half at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

The Blue Devils had little room for error against No. 19 Virginia with ACC title implications on the line. The nation's eye was on Durham to see if the Blue Devils could topple the ranked foe and shake up the conference race. Instead, the Cavaliers handled the Blue Devils in their own building, 34-17.

Tackling the current roster and schedule while managing the future is the difficult tightrope that college coaching staffs have to balance. Manny Diaz has done a great job bringing in talent to make the program a contender within the conference.

Oct 18, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz looks on during the warmups of the game against Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

However, sometimes the recruits can slip through the cracks. This time, Duke is missing out on a big piece of its incoming class.

Edge Dane Bathurst Decommits From Duke

Carmel's Dane Bathurst (1) speaks with Drake Coellner (24) during the first half of a game against Fishers on Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, at Fishers High School. | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Dane Bathurst is a three-star recruit that Diaz and the Blue Devils started working on early and were very excited about. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound native of Carmel, Indiana, first joined Duke's 2026 class in February. Bathurst chose the Blue Devils at the time over Purdue, Louisville and South Florida.

However, a lot has changed for the edge rusher after a fantastic senior season. He wrapped up his final season of high school ball with 65 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and seven sacks in nine games.

Sep 3, 2021; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils helmet during pregame activities before the start against the Charlotte 49ers at Jerry Richardson Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Bathurst's big season caught the eye of many programs around the country. He received an offer from Vanderbilt on Oct. 15 and later visited the Commodores. More recently, he picked up offers from both Nebraska and Oklahoma.

The growth of his recruiting profile led one of the top players in Indiana to decommit from Diaz's defense, which has struggled mightily this season.

Sep 27, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz on the sidelines in the second quarter game against the Syracuse Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

“The path can be winding and difficult,” Bathurst wrote in a post on X. "But with God, uncertainty eventually turns into direction. Confusion becomes peace. With that said, I have decided to reopen my college football recruitment.”

"Thank you to Duke University, Coach Diaz and his incredible staff, especially Coach Bower," Bathurst continued. "Thank you for believing in me, not only as an athlete, but more importantly as a person. I wish you and your outstanding football program the very best."

Excited for this next chapter! Let’s get it!
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-@RobertMathis98 @football_Carmel @CoachWright25 @ASCEND_FB @RandyMFisher @NapLegend @AnthonyCoellner @DrakeCoellner pic.twitter.com/B8RAVd5Huc
— Dane (@DaneBathurst3) November 13, 2025

Shortly after announcing his departure from Duke's recruiting class, Bathurst scheduled a visit to Oklahoma. The Sooners, along with Vanderbilt and Nebraska, are expected to be the leaders in the reopened recruitment for his services.

Without Bathurst, Duke now has 16 commitments in its class and is ranked 14th in the ACC by 247Sports.

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