Scouting the opponent: Duke football set for road rematch against Northwestern

Before the Blue Devils opened their season Friday to a warm and sunny atmosphere and a crowd of more than 20,000 fans at Wallace Wade Stadium, there were no definitive expectations for what to look for in the team. Duke underwent considerable changes after a dry spell in its past few seasons. It won no conference games in 2021 and just one in 2020. Across the two seasons, the Blue Devils tallied just five wins. They were simply struggling to stay afloat as a challenger to any of the opponents they faced.

Yet, with new direction under former Texas A&M defensive coordinator Mike Elko, fans and analysts alike were curious about how the Blue Devils would fare. Duke began intense training in fall camp, and along with Elko's new coaching staff, there appears to be a new recipe for success. After the Elko era began with a 30-0 win against Temple, that recipe has already shown plenty of promise.

Starting quarterback Riley Leonard proved himself capable under pressure, logging 328 passing yards against the Owls. Teammates Jaylen Coleman and Jordan Waters also helped by logging more than 30 rushing yards apiece. As Duke kept the Owls on their toes and prevented much movement, the start could not have been any more perfect.

Now, the Blue Devils face a promising team in Northwestern. Last year, the Blue Devils excelled in their contest against the Wildcats, defeating them 30-23 in Durham thanks to a formidable defensive performance that featured five forced turnovers. Former Duke quarterback Gunnar Holmberg, wide receiver Jake Bobo and running back Mataeo Durant were the core of the offense, which finished with 558 total yards to Northwestern's 407. Yet, with new headliners for the Blue Devils such as Leonard, senior receiver Jalon Calhoun and junior linebacker Dorian Mausi, much will be different this time. A win could be more of a challenge for the Blue Devils. 

Though neither team has had much exposure—Northwestern has also only played a single game—the Wildcats are expected to bring a lot to the table. In Northwestern's lone game against Nebraska, the Wildcats won 31-28. Considering that they lost 56-7 to the same team last year, there already seems to be much improvement. 

Though Northwestern started slowly in the first quarter, it eventually got up to speed and carried that momentum through the rest of the contest. Junior quarterback Ryan Hilinski, along with junior running backs Evan Hull and Cam Porter, made plenty of noise on the offensive end. Hilinski finished with 328 yards on the day, while Hull and Porter netted 119 and 94, respectively. 

The receiving end had no trouble helping Hilinski, and Nebraska had no interceptions in the game. Along with an admirable defensive performance, led by junior Bryce Gallagher with nine solo tackles, the Wildcats had 59 tackles to slow down the Cornhuskers.

As the Blue Devils look to keep Elko's tenure on the right track, playing on their toes and protecting their quarterback seems to be the best bet. Given that Northwestern has a duo in Hull and Porter which can move the ball on the ground, Duke will likely need to tackle well come Saturday afternoon and win the turnover battle once again.