Duke Freshman Surprises with Dominant Defensive Performance

The Duke offense started slowly last Saturday in Berkeley before exploding for a 45-21 win over the California Golden Bears. Quarterback Darian Mensah tossed two touchdown passes in the win, and several Blue Devils' playmakers shined as the offense scored 38 unanswered points to end the game after trailing 21-7 early on.

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

Amid the offensive powers, the defense's turnaround in the second half fell under the radar. The Blue Devils' defense shut out the Cal offense, led by standout freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, in the second half and held them to just 41 rushing yards for the night.

A key part of the defensive performance came from an unlikely source, who stepped up in the place of the injured Blue Devils and wound up leading the team in tackles with a breakout performance.

Oct 4, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; Duke Blue Devils defensive end Vincent Anthony Jr. (7) celebrates his sack of California Golden Bears quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (3) during the second quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

LB Elliott Schaper Leads Blue Devils Defense in Win Over Cal

Elliott Schaper, a true freshman linebacker from Austin, Texas, was thrust into action in Berkeley after injuries to a few linebackers forced coach Manny Diaz to use his depth in the front seven.

Fortunately for the Blue Devils, Schaper stepped up with one of the best performances around the country in Week 6.

Aug 28, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz looks on before the game against the Elon Phoenix at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images | James Guillory-Imagn Images

A former three-star recruit, according to 247Sports, Schaper pulled down 12 tackles, which led the Duke defense. He also made a handful of big plays, including two sacks and an interception that led to another touchdown for the Duke offense.

A huge day for Elliott Schaper just got bigger 😈 pic.twitter.com/ch7CjlbnbR
— Duke Football (@DukeFOOTBALL) October 5, 2025

The breakout showcase may have earned Schaper more snaps on defense moving forward, especially while the rest of the Duke defense tries to get healthy. It was just the second game in which Schaper had recorded a tackle on defense. He made three tackles against Syracuse the week prior.

Diaz has historically run defenses that are aggressive in the turnover department and can create havoc in the backfield. Schaper did both, which could make him an important piece when the Blue Devils host No. 13 Georgia Tech next week.

Sep 30, 2023; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke helmet of Duke Blue Devils cornerback Chandler Rivers (0) with its slogan during the second half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

According to Pro Football Focus, Schaper was about as reliable a tackler as a team could have. He finished with a tackling grade of 84.4 and a pass rush grade of 87.4. However, his overall grade of 54.6 was pulled down by some weaknesses against the run. Schaper's inexperience against the run led to a 30.3 rush defense grade.

Aug 28, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz reacts during the warmups before the game against the Elon Phoenix at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images | James Guillory-Imagn Images

The Blue Devils had the week off to get healthy, but it could also have been a week for Schaper to get more first-team reps and more comfortable in the middle of the Duke defense.

Only time will tell if the big performance will stick, but Diaz has to feel confident in his young freshman in a major area of need for the Blue Devils.

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