Aug 30, 2024; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils running back Star Thomas (17) runs with the ball against Elon Phoenix defensive back DJ Hamilton (38) during the first half at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
Duke’s defense controlled most of the game and Maalik Murphy threw for 291 yards and two touchdowns in his Blue Devils debut during a 26-3 win against Elon on Friday night in Durham, North Carolina.
The season opener for both teams marked the beginning of Duke head coach Manny Diaz’s tenure.
Duke’s defense racked up 16 tackles for loss, including eight sacks. Elon had 140 yards of total offense, just 60 in the second half, 54 of them on its final drive for Jack Berkowitz’s 39-yard field goal with 18 seconds left.
Murphy, a transfer from Texas, completed 26 of 40 passes with one interception.
Diaz, the former head coach at Miami and most recently Penn State’s defensive coordinator, replaced Mike Elko, who took the job at Texas A&M after the 2023 regular season.
Elon starting quarterback Matthew Downing completed 11 of 17 passes for 72 yards. Phoenix safety Caleb Curtain, the Coastal Athletic Association’s Preseason Player of the Year, intercepted a pass.
Duke had just 62 rushing yards.
The Blue Devils, who led 10-0 at halftime, opened up a gap in the third quarter. Todd Pelino kicked a 42-yard field goal and Jeremiah Hasley’s 1-yard reception off a pass from Murphy created a 19-0 lead.
Duke took advantage of Murphy’s 7-yard pass to Eli Pancol with 4:11 left.
The Blue Devils battle before halftime against their Football Championship Subdivision opponent from about 35 miles away.
Duke had four sacks and forced three Elon punts in the first quarter, but led just 3-0 on Pelino’s 32-yard field goal.
The Blue Devils failed to convert a fourth-and-six from the Elon 28-yard line in the second quarter.
The Phoenix responded with a 10-play drive, but Berkowitz’s 49-yard field goal attempt bounced off the crossbar.
Three plays later, the Blue Devils were in the end zone thanks to Jaquez Moore’s seven-yard touchdown run. Murphy’s 55-yard pass play to Pancol was the big winner of the sequence.
–Field level media
