Why Duke Can Still Succeed Without Darian Mensah

There's still hope for Duke without Darian Mensah.

Nov 15, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz reacts during the third quarter against the Virginia Cavaliers at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

The Duke football program will enter the 2026 season looking a lot different from what it thought it would at the beginning of the offseason.

Head coach Manny Diaz and the Blue Devils were riding high after securing the program's first ACC Championship since 1989. Diaz has turned out to be the perfect hire at Duke, winning nine games in his first season at the helm and then a conference title.

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. | Gaby Velasquez/ El Paso Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Duke was set to enter the 2026 campaign as a potential favorite in the ACC, with rising star quarterback Darian Mensah reportedly returning to Durham for a second season. Then, he flipped the switch.

Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah (10) celebrates after the Blue Devils score a touchdown in overtime during the ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Darian Mensah Departs Blue Devils at Last Second

Mensah publicly released a video announcing his return to Duke in 2026 amid growing speculation that he could enter the 2026 NFL Draft. However, it was reported that there were no talks of the California native potentially transferring.

Then, about three weeks after Mensah announced to Duke fans that he would be back, he announced his intention to enter the transfer portal with mere hours left before the entry window closed, sending the program and its fan base into shock.

Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah (10) reacts after winning the ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Duke went on to sue Mensah, as he had signed a two-year NIL contract with the Blue Devils after transferring there from Tulane following the 2024 campaign. Ultimately, the case was settled before it went to court, and Mensah left for Miami.

The last-second move sent the program into a spiral to piece together a competitive team after most of the top portal quarterbacks had already found new homes. Just days after Duke was at an all-time high in search of a College Football Playoff berth for the first time in program history, its expectations dramatically dropped.

Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah (10) looks to throw in the second quarter against the Virginia Cavaliers during the 2025 ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

However, Diaz's track record with the Blue Devils is nothing short of fantastic, and there's still reason to believe the Blue Devils can compete without the potential Heisman Trophy candidate.

Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz reacts with defensive tackle Aaron Hall (99) in the first quarter against the Virginia Cavaliers during the 2025 ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Duke Can Still Be Competitive in 2025

In Diaz's first year, he made it work without all the elite talent in the world. Maalik Murphy transferred over from Texas as an unproven, highly-touted recruit after struggling to see the field with the Longhorns. The Blue Devils weren't expected to do much in 2024.

Then, Diaz led the program to nine wins in his opening season, just the third campaign of nine or more victories for Duke since it joined the ACC in 1953. The Blue Devils capped it off with an appearance in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl.

Nov 8, 2025; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz watches from the sideline as they take on the UConn Huskies at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

"Duke is coming off an ACC championship and its second nine-win season in as many years under Manny Diaz, but it also suffered perhaps the biggest loss of any team in the transfer portal, losing star quarterback Darian Mensah to Miami," CBS Sports' Austin Nivison said. "It's reasonable to expect a big drop off from the Blue Devils because of that, but is it insane to think they could hit nine wins again?"

"Diaz has already proven he can patch together a nine-win team with duct tape and super glue, having led the Maalik Murphy-led team there in 2024. The ACC isn't exactly a gauntlet either."

Sep 27, 2025; Stanford, California, USA; San Jose State Spartans quarterback Walker Eget (5) throws the football during the first quarter against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

Duke landed on San Jose State transfer quarterback Walker Eget, who threw for over 5,000 yards to go along with 30 touchdowns and 19 interceptions in two seasons as a starter. Beyond that, the Blue Devils are adding several other solid portal players.

Is it reasonable to assume Duke will win eight or nine games in 2026? Probably not. Nonetheless, Diaz has been here before, and his track record suggests the program will be competitive once again, even without its former star quarterback.