Why Diaz Can Do More With Less for Duke Again

The Duke Blue Devils have remained relevant in college football over the past few seasons thanks to their incredible coaching.

Mike Elko joined the program in 2022, taking over for the retired David Cutcliffe, and orchestrated some impressive seasons for the Blue Devils while building a long-lasting recruiting class in 2024, just before he was hired to take over as Texas A&M's head coach. In came Manny Diaz, who has put Duke on the main stage of college football after winning the ACC Championship in 2025.

Diaz Duke — Manny Diaz, head football coach at Duke, celebrates a 42-29 win with his team against Arizona State in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. | Gaby Velasquez/ El Paso Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Each year, Diaz (and Elko) has done more with less in some aspects. Great coaching is a virtue in this day and age of college football, and Duke has it with Diaz. The question is, can he continue to do more with less in 2026?

A Tough Offseason Brings Questions for Duke Football

After winning the ACC Championship over the Virginia Cavaliers and winning the Sun Bowl against Arizona State, Manny Diaz seemed to have a roster ready to make another confident run at defending the conference crown until the transfer portal blew the doors wide open on that thought process. The departures of quarterback Darian Mensah, safety Terry Moore, and wide receiver Cooper Barkate have hurt the Blue Devils' chances of repeating in what seems to be a competitive ACC.

This is also factoring in the losses suffered in the NFL Draft: Duke and Diaz have new starting receivers, inexperienced pass rushers, a quarterback competition, and new starting offensive tackles for 2026. These are key positions for maintaining the program's success. In fairness, the talent does intrigue at wideout and offensive tackle, but the questions remaining at edge rusher and quarterback are fair.

Diaz ACC — Jul 24, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz speaks to the media during the ACC Kickoff at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

How this offseason has played out reminds me of when Duke was ranked 11th in the ACC preseason rankings in 2024, only for Diaz to coach a team led by quarterback Maalik Murphy to nine wins and a bowl game victory over Troy, including a 5-3 conference record and seventh overall in the conference standings.

Last year, Duke was sixth in the preseason rankings and finished as champions. They will likely be ranked lower again this upcoming season after Miami's run to the national championship and an active portal from Virginia and Clemson, but Diaz has been in this spot before; Duke is an overachiever in the best ways, and they always leave their opponents and critics surprised when they turn around and win consistently.

Diaz Is Prepared for the Preseason Critics and May Have the Team to Overachieve Again

Diaz has overachieved in Durham for the past two seasons. 2026 will be his biggest challenge yet, but the talent is there to overcome this. I love the established talents on both sides of the ball, whether that is running back Nate Sheppard or safety DaShawn Stone. Transfer wide receiver Javen Nicholas and quarterback Walker Eget could surprise.

Diaz has shown that he is a great coach despite his days at Miami. All great coaches have been able to overcome with less at any level thanks to discipline, culture standards, and, yes, coaching. The third-year head coach has an opportunity to put it to use and overachieve once more.

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