When the football team learned in the middle of July that starting quarterback Zack Asack had been suspended for plagiarism and would be unable to participate in the upcoming season, backup quarterback Marcus Jones' cell phone was buzzing.
His teammates voiced concern, support and wonderment to the new leader of the offense. Jones, however, remained calm and collected as he focused on the task ahead.
"When I first heard it, it was from a couple of my teammates," Jones said. "I didn't really know what was going on. I told them to just lay back and wait until the facts came out. When the facts came out, I knew what I had in front of me."
Jones had battled with Asack in spring practice for the starting spot but ended up second on the depth chart behind his classmate, who started six of the final seven games in 2005 and threw for 966 yards. After the suspension, Jones found himself in the No. 1 spot.
Following Asack's exit, head coach Ted Roof addressed the team and made clear the facts of the suspension-Asack would be eligible to return next season-but for this season, the team would have to move on without him.
Roof also met with Jones individually and told the rising sophomore, who completed just two of seven passing attempts last season, that he had confidence in his ability to guide the offense.
"He told me that he believed in me, and he thought that I could take on the role to start at the beginning of the season," Jones said.
Jones said he feels prepared to take on the role.
He threw extensively to the wide receivers in the spring as he battled for the starting spot and spent the summer working on his timing with them.
Jones' focus, however, certainly changed following the suspension. The pressure to perform and succeed surrounded him after he became the clear starter.
Roof and the rest of the coaching staff hammered on his mistakes during the preseason practices, but Roof complimented his ability to learn from his errors.
"Everyday, he seems to be getting a little better at something," Roof said. "And the thing about Marcus is whatever mistakes he made the previous day, once they are corrected in the film room, then you don't see those same mistakes on the practice field the next day."
Jones said the hardest part of practice is taking everything he learned in meetings and the film room and translating it to success on the practice field the next day.
"When we have meetings, I have it all down, like bam, bam, bam," Jones said. "I know my reads, my assignments, and my coverages, but when we come out here on the playing field, it's all different. I have to put it all together."
When Jones was recruited to Duke, he was hailed for his versatility and athleticism. As a senior in high school, he played quarterback, wide receiver, safety, linebacker and punter. Last season, Jones not only played quarterback but also wide receiver due to Duke's lack of depth at the position. He caught 11 passes for 90 yards.
"It helps having been a wide receiver," Jones said. "I have a good idea where they are supposed to be, where they come out in their routes and where their angles are."
Jones's time for learning and gaining familiarity, however, is running short. Duke opens its season on Sept. 2 at Wallace Wade Stadium against Richmond. He said he is ready because his teammates support him and believe he will successfully lead the offense.
"I feel like I'm starting to become the leader that this team needs at quarterback," Jones said. "I'm playing my role. I feel like I'm doing what I'm supposed to do."
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