The Q&A comes in fresh today after chatting with Ranjan Jindal of Duke’s excellent student newspaper, The Duke Chronicle. Ranjan is the sports editor and was kind enough to take some time to answer our most burning questions. So keep reading for his takes on tomorrow’s game, the Blue Devil’s ceiling in the modern era of college football, and how the transition from Mike Elko to Manny Diaz is going.

1. The Blue Devils are off to a hot 5-0 start, including a dramatic, 1 point win over rivals UNC last week. Has the 5-0 started re-calibrated expectations for this season? How many regular season wins are you expecting at this point?

I generally expected Duke to start 5-0 at the beginning of the season, however, the way the Blue Devils have orchestrated multiple fourth-quarter comebacks has been impressive. There were multiple games Duke could have easily lost, but that shows its ability to win when the team doesn’t play its best, along with the coaching staff’s adjustments. Both of these could be very beneficial come ACC play. The schedule shapes up more favorably than it initially looked at the beginning of the season, which contributes more to the expectations changing in my opinion. I would say about eight regular-season wins is what I’m expecting, though I wouldn’t be surprised for it to vary either way. The key for me is the home ACC games against Florida State, SMU and Virginia Tech. If Duke can win two of these, it can be well on its way to an eight or nine win season, but dropping these are going to put the Blue Devils in a difficult position.

2. Even though it hasn’t been against the strongest strength of schedule, Murphy has been putting up great stats at QB at this point in the season. A 12-4 TD to INT ratio is certainly nothing to sneeze at. What’s made him so successful this season? Is it scheme, talent around him, or something else?

There’s a few things that have helped. Jordan Moore — one of the best receivers in the ACC — is a big-play threat who can turn 50-50 balls into 70-30 ones and outrun many defensive backs. The receiver room as a whole is very experienced and has eased Murphy into the process. I also think the scheme has made things simple for Murphy under new offensive coordinator Jonathan Brewer. The screen game is a big part of the offense, and those throws can get Murphy in rhythm and settle him down in crucial moments. Additionally, the RPO game allows him to look for slants over the middle — often to Moore or Eli Pancol — that are simpler reads in difficult moments. I would also give credit to Murphy himself, who has not played his best in every quarter, but stays mentally strong and does not get shy to throw the deep ball, which is his strength.

3. We still don’t know what to make of the Yellow Jacket offense this season… for every flash of brilliance, flawless drive, or huge play, they seem to immediately go backwards. With loaded skill positions, but a questionable O-line, how do you think the Duke defense will attack the Ramblin’ Wreck offense this season? Can you give us some names to look out for?

This Manny Diaz and Jonathan Patke-led defense is aggressive and is near the top of the country in tackles for loss. That has led to backfield pressure and forced mistakes from opposing offenses. However, the flip side to that is the vulnerability to give up big plays, especially on the ground. The Blue Devils did a great job containing Omarion Hampton in the second half of the North Carolina game, and the line really transformed the contest. I think Duke will approach Georgia Tech with continued aggression to take advantage of the offensive line, but also will try to contain Haynes King to limit the big play. King is by far the best quarterback (and dual-threat) one Duke has faced, and his ability to take care of the ball will challenge the Blue Devils. As far as names, junior defensive end V.J. Anthony leads the country in quarterback hurries, and linebacker Alex Howard has stepped up as a key tackling contributor. I would also watch out for Terry Moore in coverage, who has come up with multiple key interceptions.

4. Elko is a hell of a coach to replace, and I would be lying if I told you I thought Duke made an inspired hire in Manny Diaz. However, I’ve been wrong before. How has the transition been? What’s the biggest difference you’ve noticed between the 2 coaches?

This is a really important question, because in the first few weeks of Elko’s departure, there was a lot of uncertainty in the program. But Diaz individually met with players and convinced many who had entered the transfer portal to return to the program. I don’t want to discredit the work Elko did to turn this program around, because his coaching was remarkable. But there was a sense of “unfinished business” with this year’s team, and I think Diaz has done a phenomenal job cultivating that as motivation and starting the season off on the right foot.

It’s also clear that he loves Duke, he mentions it in virtually every speech or press conference. As coaches, they are both great at motivating teams and coaching tough defenses. Diaz has an attention to detail about him that is striking, and he is very intentional in everything he does. His story in coaching is actually very interesting, as he did not play in college but worked his way up through the graduate assistant ranks. I think he also wants a second chance in this league to prove that he can lead a team.

5. In a broader sense, in the current state of college football, what’s a realistic ceiling for Duke? What does a successful coach look like?

Diaz has discussed the support of the administration at length, and while Duke is obviously known as a basketball program, he has challenged the assertion that the Blue Devils can’t be good at both. He has constantly mentioned the alignment and support from the administration, donors and team since he has arrived.

Duke has built a model of success during the past three seasons — which I think is a product of great coaching from the top down, and preparation from the strength staff. There were no “generational talents” in the traditional sense, so I think winning can be sustainable at Duke. I think success looks like consistent 8-plus win seasons, similar to the other teams in the Triangle. I don’t see why Duke can’t have the same success as Dave Doeren at N.C. State or the North Carolina teams of the past five years. Diaz has player buy-in and has already been successful on the recruiting trail. The pool of talent is great in this area, and Diaz has constantly mentioned that Duke has so much more to offer than just football. Obviously this era of NIL is difficult for all Power 4 programs to compete at a high level, but I do think the sales pitch of this program is unique.

6. And finally, how do you think this game goes on Saturday? Despite the records, Tech looks to be about a TD favorite – do they cover?

I’m a big fan of Georgia Tech’s offensive potential, and think that Haynes King is a phenomenal quarterback. The Blue Devils have faced good rushing quarterbacks and solid passing quarterbacks, but not one that is both. I think the key is the turnover battle; for Duke to win, it needs to force one or two key turnovers and take care of the ball on offense. Three-and-outs have been an issue for this team, and it will be intriguing to see former Blue Devil defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci game plan against Murphy. Because of Georgia Tech’s ability to take care of the ball, the extra week of rest and the road environment, I see this as a 27-20 type of game in favor of the Yellow Jackets.

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Thanks again to Ranjan and the Duke Chronicle for taking the time to make us more educated ahead of tomorrow’s game.

Be there, be loud. We’ll see you at 8pm for kickoff.

Go Jackets!