We are back with another season of handing out helmet stickers to the players who stuck out in our minds after a win or loss. As you well know, Duke took down the Clemson Tigers this past Monday night. Here are the players we felt deserved recognition.
BRIAN’S PICK: DUKE STUDENTS
What a week Duke fans. I am still trying to collect my breath from easily the biggest Duke football win in my lifetime. There were so many great memories from the game both on and off the field, and I am looking forward to that momentum continuing into this weekend’s game against Lafayette.
With that being said, I have to follow Coach Elko’s lead and give my helmet sticker to the Duke students. Guys, you came out and you helped keep Wallace Wade LOUD the entire game. I honestly was concerned that the Clemson fans would have the advantage when it came to crowd noise, but the entire student section quickly extinguished those doubts with every play both on offense and defense.
Duke students, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE keep this momentum going and show up for the remaining six home games at Wallace Wade. This team has busted their tails getting ready for the season, and they deserve the support for every snap in Durham. Keep up the good work, students!
JAMIE’S PICK: RILEY LEONARD
There were several guys who deserved a helmet sticker this week. It made it tough to single out just one player. I could make a case to give a helmet sticker to multiple coaches too. But, who am I kidding? By now, you guys know me. My helmet sticker is going to none other than QB1 Riley Leonard. He did not have the best day we have seen passing, going 17-33 for 175 yards, but, that’s okay. He made the absolute right decisions on multiple occasions, when he threw the ball away as he was either under some pressure or the receivers were just blanketed. Shoutout to the offensive line – most of it was due to receivers just being covered. They did a great job keeping Riley upright. One of the plays that stood out in the passing game to me was when Riley dropped back in the second half, went through his progressions quickly, then turned to his last read, and hit Jordan Waters for a big gain. That particular play should be on his film for NFL scouts. They love to see a QB going through his progressions against a good defense.
Of course some of the biggest plays of the game were made with his legs. We often heard Riley being referred to as “sneaky” athletic. I think we can move past that now. He is not sneaky athletic. He is one of the most athletic quarterbacks in college football. RG3 even referred to him as “Vanilla Vick,” which made me laugh. But, as you guys know, making me laugh is not difficult. One of the biggest, and most exciting plays of the game was the go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter. Riley escaped a potential sack, got into the Clemson secondary, and there was ZERO chance that corner was stopping him. He accelerated and tiptoed down the sideline for the score. Dabo sobbed. That was the loudest I have heard Wallace Wade in quite some time. One more thing, come on Professor Taylor, give Riley a break! Helmet sticker Riley Leonard.
JOSH’S PICK: JEREMIAH LEWIS
Talk about a “welcome back” moment for sixth year Duke safety, Jeremiah Lewis! After transferring to Northwestern for the 2022 season, Lewis returned to Duke this summer to play in his final season of college football eligibility. Duke fans knew Lewis had taken on more of a role at Northwestern, being responsible for 70 tackles compared to a previous high of 45 at Duke. What Duke fans did not know was how much of an impact Lewis would have right out of the gate in the much-anticipated opener against Clemson.
Lewis started in that safety spot vacated by Darius Joiner, and nearly had a first quarter interception off of an errant Cade Klubnik pass. But the interception drop did not deter him. Neither did an injured thumb in the first quarter. Lewis fought through the pain and wound up with 11 total tackles, 1 pass break up, and 1 fumble recovery in what is the biggest Duke win in years/decades. Lewis fought through first quarter adversity and showed us all what leadership looks like. For that, he was an easy choice for my first helmet sticker of the season.
SCOTT’S PICK: JAQUEZ MOORE
What an exciting way to start off the season with a huge win over #9 Clemson! My helmet sticker for Week 1 goes to junior RB Jaquez Moore. With Jaylen Coleman out with an injury, Moore stepped up with the “next man up” mantra Duke is famous for. After a breakout season last year for the Blue Devils, Moore started this season with another stellar performance. He finished the game with 1 reception for 28 yards, and 8 carries for 43 yards and 1 TD. Moore, along with the offensive line, was able to help keep Riley Leonard upright and not get sacked during the game. His 9 yard TD run with 10:33 left in 4th quarter was the next-to-last nail to seal the coffin for the Tigers. He was able to stretch out the run and sneak into corner of the end zone by the student section before going out of bounds. As he scored the TD, this was the moment for me that Duke fans knew the upset was going to happen on Labor Day. Jaquez Moore gets a well-deserved helmet sticker.