Duke head coach Mike Elko gives his thoughts on their season following Military Bowl win over UCF

Across the nation, Duke is known as a basketball school. But after this season, college football fans might want to rethink that. Under the leadership of Mike Elko, Duke has capped off the 2022 season with nine wins and a victory over UCF in the Military Bowl. After defeating the Knights 30-13, Elko gave his thoughts on the game and the Blue Devils’ year.

“Yeah, I mean, they fought so hard in the second half. You know, we didn’t play great on offense at times in the second half,” said Elko. “Our defense had to go out there and make a ton of stops, and they did. I’m just so proud of how much those guys have bought into what we’re trying to do and how much they’ve gotten better all year.

“These guys. These guys are amazing. What they’ve done in 12 months to change the image of this program, the trajectory of Duke football, this University. These kids behind me are absolutely amazing. I love them all.”

Elko put together an impressive first year at Duke. Finishing the year with nine wins is no small task. Nor is winning your first bowl game leading the program. And to close, Elko encapsulated the feeling of winning the military bowl and finishing the season strong.

“It’s amazing. It’s amazing. I mean, it’s such a fitting way for this group to go out. We talked about it all week. That this story should end with these guys on this stage as the Military Bowl Champions. I’m just so happy for them,” Elko said.

The Blue Devils dominated the Knights thanks to another solid performance by quarterback Riley Leonard. Leonard has been one of the better dual-threat quarterbacks in the country this season, and that did not stop on Wednesday. Against UCF, the sophomore quarterback completed 19 of his 28 pass attempts for 173 yards, had ten carries for 63 yards, and added two rushing touchdowns.

The Blue Devils will have to add a few pieces over the offseason, but having Elko and Leonard around for 2023 should give the rest of the ACC pause. Duke looks to be a serious contender going forward, especially if this season is any indication of things to come in the future.