How Dan Mahan’s Duke Future Potentially Affected by QB Decision

The Duke Blue Devils have decided on a starting quarterback.

It was announced on Tuesday that San Jose State transfer Walker Eget will be the team's starting quarterback for their Week 1 bout against Tulane on Sept. 5. A battle for the starting QB spot had been present throughout fall camp between Eget and redshirt freshman Dan Mahan.

Sep 6, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; San Jose State Spartans quarterback Walker Eget (5) passes the ball during the first half against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Granted, this move doesn't come as a surprise to most. Eget has two years of Division I starting experience while Mahan has none. Still, Mahan presented a lot of dual-threat potential despite being just a redshirt freshman.

With the move now made, let's break down how this could potentially affect Mahan's future in Durham.

Oct 18, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Dan Mahan (12) runs out before the first half of the game against Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Dan Mahan Is Still Young

As we already mentioned, Mahan is a redshirt freshman and has lots of time left in his college football career. A player so young earning the starting quarterback role for any high-major team usually catches fans by surprise, so it's not a shock to see the young Mahan set to sit on the bench for another season.

However, in today's college sports landscape, entering the transfer portal is always in the cards. There's no way to know whether Mahan could elect to hit the portal after this season, but there's no point in speculating on it, given that no one ever really knows the chances that any player could hit the portal. Just take a look at Darian Mensah this past offseason.

Manny Diaz, head football coach at Duke, shouts during the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl against Arizona State at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Nonetheless, Mahan is 6'2" with true dual-threat ability. Coming out of high school, he held offers from programs such as Boston College and Wake Forest, and even picked up a late offer from Florida.

Mahan's time as the Blue Devils' starter might not be right now, but it definitely could be in the future.

Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz celebrates defeating the Virginia Cavaliers during the 2025 ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Future in Durham Is Bright for Mahan

At the very least, Mahan had shown enough promise despite being so young for Diaz and Co. to at least consider a QB battle throughout camp. Mahan likely always had an uphill climb to earn the role, but he was in legitimate contention.

Going forward, there is absolutely a path for Mahan to be Duke's starting quarterback in a year. He will enter his third year in the program and has already proven he's good enough to be in the mix to earn the starting job. Additionally, 2026 is Eget's final season of college eligibility.

Nov 29, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose State Spartans quarterback Walker Eget (5) throws against the Stanford Cardinal in the fourth quarter at CEFCU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Who knows what Duke will do in the portal next offseason, but if Mahan sticks around, he will assuredly be in the mix for the starting spot in 2027. If Eget gets off to a rough start this season, maybe Diaz considers giving Mahan a chance to run the offense in 2026.

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