Duke football head coach Mike Elko (Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports)
Duke Football: Mike Elko on Watch List for Major National Award
Mike Elko was ACC Coach of the Year last year, his first season at the helm in Durham. And once again, the 46-year Duke football gem is also in the running for national hardware, as his Blue Devils (5-1, 2-0 ACC) rank No. 16 this week in the AP Top 25 Poll, tied with the 1994 team for the program's highest ranking in the past 50 years.
He is one of four ACC coaches on this week's announced 26-deep midseason watch list for the American Heart Association's 2023 Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Award. The other three are No. 21 Louisville's Jeff Brohm, No. 10 UNC's Mack Brown, and No. 4 Florida State's Mike Norvell.
"The award is given each January to a college football coach for contributions that make the sport better for athletes and fans alike by demonstrating grit, integrity," Tuesday's press release explains, "and a winning approach to coaching and life — both on and off the field."
No Duke football head coach has ever won the award. But Elko's touch is beginning to bring levels of widespread recognition and respect to the program that few ever thought possible.
"I think one of the things that we spend an awful lot of time around here on is mindset," Elko told the media on Monday after watching his squad beat NC State, 24-3, in Wallace Wade Stadium on Saturday night, "learning how to compete, learning how to chase greatness, learning how to look in the mirror every day and figure out how I can take a little bit and become better in every aspect of my life."
At 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday (ABC), Mike Elko's Blue Devils would one-up their historic Week 1 home win over then-No. 9 Clemson if they knock off No. 4 Florida State (6-0, 4-0 ACC) in Tallahassee.
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Duke football is 0-21 in its all-time series with the Seminoles.
Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI.com for more Duke football news.
