Duke Football Making Key Changes Down the Stretch

The Duke Blue Devils are entering the final stretch of the 2025 College Football season. This is the most important stretch for this team, and what they do from here on out is going to determine how their season ends up being.

They want to have a successful season, and to do that, they are going to need to make sure they are in the best position to be successful. That is something they have done well for most of the season. That is something they have been working hard on.

This week, the Blue Devils are going somewhere that is hard to win. That is Death Valley to take on another ACC rival, the Clemson Tigers. The matchup with the Tigers is going to be an important one for the Blue Devils as they are looking to bounce back.

Can they do it in a tough environment with a team that is looking to get a big time win as well? It is going to be interesting to see how the offense is going to handle all the noise when the crowd gets loud this Saturday.

Oct 18, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz runs out before the first half of the game against Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Duke Made Changes During Their Bye Week

Head coach Manny Diaz and his coaching staff are entering a stretch of games that will be looked at the end of the season. Duke was on their bye week last week, and they made some changes for this stretch of games.

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

"Health is trending up as Duke enters a five game stretch that will define how this season is remembered," said Adam Rowe of 247Sports.

"The staff tweaked the practice calendar to keep players fresh while maintaining intensity. Diaz referenced a late-season surge in the weight room as proof of investment. "We had 10 to 13 guys hit PRs on lifts," he said, adding that the mindset is simple: Duke is a really good team that has not yet become as good as it can be."

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 know November is when legacies are set, and the table stakes inside the ACC remain obvious with only two teams unbeaten in league play and a pack with one loss. The margin for error is thin."

"Duke's path is equally clear. Hit more deep shots, erase explosives on defense, cash in points every time the ball crosses the 30, and carry the coverage gains forward. Do those things on the road and the Blue Devils will give themselves a real shot on Saturday."

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