Manny Diaz Wants Spotlight on Virginia, Not Distractions

Despite the season winding down with the ACC Championship berth on the line, the Blue Devils' head coach does not want the team losing focus on what's in front of it.

Nov 8, 2025; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah (10) and teammates run onto the field for warm up before the start of the game against the UConn Huskies at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

The Duke Blue Devils control their own destiny. If they win their remaining three games, the Blue Devils will clinch a spot in the ACC Championship game in Dec.

That being said, Duke's toughest remaining matchup is this weekend against the Virginia Cavaliers, who are coming off a 16-9 loss to Wake Forest in Week 11. In addition, Virginia also finished the game without starting quarterback Chandler Morris, who suffered a head injury late in the second quarter.

In terms of controlling their own destiny and potentially having a significant advantage at quarterback, the Blue Devils are in the driver's seat to fulfill their season-long goals and aspirations.

Nov 8, 2025; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers quarterback Chandler Morris (4) looks on from the field against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the first half at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

However, head coach Manny Diaz does not want the team to look too far ahead. Instead, he wants his players and coaching staff to focus on the task at hand, which is to find a way to beat Virginia on Saturday.

While speaking with the media on Wednesday, the 51-year-old head coach relayed that message to reporters.

Diaz's Thoughts

Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz high-fives players Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, during the NCAA football game against the Clemson Tigers at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina. | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

• "No, we haven't [addressed the parameters and what it means if we win out]," Diaz said. "They understand. They can see the standings. They know that was true even the week before. What they also know is none of that matters because there's still three games to play. Everyone [in the ACC] has two or three games [remaining]. There's so much that is going to change, and the only thing that really matters is winning a game here in our stadium this Saturday."

• "If that provides any type of motivation, well, guess what? Virginia has the same type of motivation, so it really evens out; it really doesn't matter," Diaz continued. "When November comes around, motivation goes out the window. It's really [about] who's mindset is ready to execute at a high level because you have two really good teams playing against each other."

Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah (10) warms up Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, ahead of the NCAA football game against the Clemson Tigers at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina. | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mindset is the key in the latter half of seasons in college football, and Diaz revealed how he wants his team to enter this game.

• "Everybody wants to win, Virginia wants to win too," Diaz said. "What you always go back to, especially when you lose a game, which both teams are coming off a loss, is our preparation. Let's go back to our process."

• "Let's find places in our process that let us down a week ago. Saturdays are preparation plus mindset. If we make this a big game in our heads, then [we] might try to do something that we don't normally do. If [we] just say this is the next game, and the preparation requires [our] best, then it becomes something that [we've] done before, and therefore, [we] can do it again."

Sep 30, 2023; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils helmet just before the game against Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

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