Duke Football heading into Fall training camp

A decorated Duke Football star back in the day and an Ace Parker award winner, we got to find out about that, is the analyst for Duke Football on the radio and the executive director of the Blue Devil Network. How are you, sir? I've missed you. What's going on? I have missed you dearly. The only thing that has gotten me excited about this football season is knowing that I might be getting the call from you and alas, here we are. So happy to be in the fall again even though it still feels like we're in the pits of hell.

Wait, wait a second. We're not that far removed from you playing. We're what, like 11 years from Dave Harding strapping it up and playing. So when they called it, right? When they called it fall practice, did you look at them like they had six heads?

No, it is a killer and it still gets me. I don't know if anybody else is like this, but as the season starts getting closer, what, we're now like two weeks and change from kickoff, maybe a little bit less. Like you, you start talking about a fall sport and you know, the summer beach season seems to be behind us and you just think that it's getting cooler. It just like what pumpkin spice lattes are now out and about, which I, are you trying to trigger me? I'm triggered as well. So we could, that could be the entire segment, but I see that I was in a Home Depot the other day that got all the fall decorations out there.

And then you walk outside and get punched in the face by a hundred degree weather. So yeah, I am offended that they call it the fall, but I guess I'm drinking the Kool-Aid too. Exactly. Dave Harding is joining us here on the Adam Gold's show.

All right. Last year, Duke won nine games. I remember you and I talking before the season and there were a billion unknowns. Weren't sure who the quarterback would be. I think you knew that it would be Riley Leonard, but there were a lot of things to shake out.

What would happen to Jordan Moore? Obviously throughout the season, we found out that he became an outstanding wide receiver. Nine and four last year. I mean, look, I don't know how they're going to be able to come close to that, but at the same time, I'm not sure they're not a better football team.

So when you look at them, what do you see? I see a lot less uncertainty than we had when we were sitting at the same place a year ago. So in that, I see a team that is actually improved from that nine and four team and the one that came away with those results. I don't think anybody gave them a shot at getting anywhere close to that nine win mark a year ago. Even if you had taken what was uncertain and said it goes the way the Blue Devils had hoped, you probably wouldn't have given them nine wins.

And so we're sitting here again, you just sub out uncertainty for more difficult schedule. And we're basically saying the same thing, or the narrative is, we don't know if Duke has a chance at beating Clemson or beating Notre Dame or any other of the teams in this definitely more difficult year. But what I've seen on the field during fall camp or summer camp, whatever you want to call it, has been a team that looks a year better. And when you look at the momentum that they had at the end of the season last year, I mean, nine wins, and it could have been more. You know, they could have been more nine wins, and it could have been more, you know, they, they very easily could have had the win against North Carolina, they were, you know, on the road against Kansas plan. Well, I see Riley Leonard, to your point about quarterback, playing much better football. Kevin Johns, the offensive coordinator at this point last year, not only did he not know exactly who his quarterback was going to be, obviously, he had an idea, but he's admitted that he didn't even know what the personality of the offense was going to be.

What are the guys capable of? And all of those question marks can be cast aside. So I think the big question now, Adam, is, has Duke improved physically, schematically, the players understanding, I mean, Riley Leonard's definitely doing more with the offense than he was at this point a year ago, just because he understands it better, has that delta or that difference accommodated for the rise in what you're going to see from a competition level?

I think there's a good chance that it has. I think playing Clemson week one, probably the best case scenario for Duke football, because you've got a new offensive coordinator with Clemson, you've got a quarterback that isn't as experienced. And you know, week one, anything can happen. So there's a chance to come out and shock the world, being in Durham helps also.

And then kind of go from there. We got to take it, and this is so cliche, but one week at a time. But I do think that the trends and the improvement has gotten better. It's what we can hear in the background. Everybody's very excited. Well, you're at the stadium, right?

Yeah, I am. I'm looking out over the 50 yard line. I'm almost in the Adam Gold seat, where you sit in the press box. They've got it roped off just down the way it's the cushiony one.

Velvet ropes, a little plaque. Yes. I can't remember. You might've been playing the last time I was in the Duke football press box. I'll be perfectly honest here. I'm a hockey guy. You know that.

I'm a hockey guy now. You brought up the Clemson game, so I agree with you. I think Clemson in week one, if I were Clemson, I would be terrified about this game. So many parts returning for Duke. And you and I have talked about this.

I've always wondered why. After your era, and you guys had a great offensive line when you guys played Florida State for the title and were in the middle of that bowl run. But the offensive and defensive lines have been sporadic at best, but now the offensive line is a strength.

I mean, the experts think that Duke has one of the best three or four offensive lines in the entire league. And you've got, it's one thing to have an NFL caliber defensive end, but when you have an NFL caliber defensive tackle. Hey Carolina Panthers fans, Chris Lee and Dennis Cox here. We're excited to offer you all the inside information on your team with the newest member of the Capitol Broadcasting Podcast Network Panthers playbook twice a week. We'll keep you updated on your Carolina Panthers. We're talking about locker room insight, exclusive interviews, and of course, in-depth looks at all of the Panthers wins.

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Offer ends 9 19 no refund subscription auto renews. That's a different beast. And that's just a credit to recruiting and everything that you guys have done. Yeah, I think you hit the nail on the head there. When Duke was at its best in the 2013 to 16 range, they both lines of scrimmage were the best that they had been in quite some time. And I think for a school like Duke, you think like, what position group should be recruited easily to Duke University? I think it's the offensive line. It's a bunch of guys that just kind of are plod along, want to follow the rules.

If we're talking stereotypes here and you know, don't really have much interest in having fun outside of pushing people around on the football field and going to the buffet for lunch. And studying a little bit and great group of those guys. And we all know like the O line helps initiate what the tone of your offense is going to be. The defensive line does the exact same thing, disrupts what an offense is doing. And Duke has really good pieces in place for that. Now they've got a massive challenge in the first week of the season. You talk about Clemson.

Holy smokes. I mean, their defensive line, they got two of the best defensive linemen in the conference, potentially in the country, a great running back. But the challenge starts right out of the gate.

But yes, this is the best. Duke has been on both lines of scrimmage in close to a decade, maybe a little bit more. And that definitely bodes well for what they're trying to do, as long as they can stay healthy. I've always thought that smart guys, the offensive line is always the smartest position group on the field. And I'm not saying that to be patronizing to a four-time Academic All-American.

But I mean, it's the reality. And I've always wondered, man, it should be not easy, but it shouldn't be a problem for Duke to recruit along the offensive line. And obviously, there are a lot of good pieces there. But look at the home schedule.

I'm looking at this. We keep talking about overcoming the schedule. And we'll close on this, Dave Harding. Clemson, Notre Dame, NC State, Wake, Pitt. I mean, forget about Lafayette Northwestern.

I'm not trying to denigrate those two programs. But that's a heck of a home schedule, sir. Yeah. Luckily, I guess if you're a Duke fan, you're saying at least it's at home and you're not having to go to some of these more difficult environments to play. I think looking at a schedule in its entirety is not necessarily the best practice to do. And we all know there is a bunch of hype for certain programs going into the year. And by the time October, November rolls around, that's completely different. And a team that you maybe didn't circle initially is now potentially your best opponent or the toughest opponent.

Right. And so, yeah, the way that it looks right now, when you talk about some of the perennial names and the powers that we have seen within the conference over the past few years, it without a doubt looks to be challenging. I don't think that there's any question it's more difficult than the schedule that the program had last year. But again, I think it's important to look at it in the way I did as a player, kind of in segments. A coach will say you look at it one week at a time.

I think there is certainly merit to that. And when you're thinking about the actual game plan, yes, that's what you're trying to do. But I think you look at chunks, whether that's home stands or being on the road for an extended period of time, month by month, maybe. But it can be a two or three game swing and just try to go two and one in that stretch or three, you know, in this stretch, pick up a surprise within this this four game span.

And I think when you break a season down that way, it becomes a little bit more palpable or you can digest it better. And when you do that for Duke and consider that this is a game of trends and runs, ebbs and flows, there's energy and momentum that swings back and forth. I think it becomes much more realistic to think that Duke's got a really good shot this season. Nobody's going to give him a chance now, but they didn't last year. And I think that's part of what this team likes is, hey, it's it's an opportunity to go out, prove some folks wrong. I will say that was something that drove Riley Leonard, the Duke quarterback, and motivated him significantly last year. He's got to find a different narrative a little because he's getting some more respect.

I've even heard the Heisman talk thrown around behind his name. And it's funny talking to some of the coaches. It's like, all right, you shift from saying that you're disrespected to you've garnered some attention, you've garnered some respect. How do you go prove that you deserve to be there and then add on to it?

So it's a shift in the mindset and the way you look at things. I think it's a healthy exercise to go through, whether that's individually for a player or collectively as a program. And to have themselves in that position is great, especially when you consider it's just Mike Elko's second year.

Yeah, and when you guys head to Tallahassee, middle of October for week seven and you're 6-0, all the hype will be all over Riley Leonard. I'm just, I don't know, I'm just saying stuff out loud because I can. Dave Harding.

He is the man, executive director, Blue Devil Network, an Ace Parker Award winner. Just leave it at that. We don't need to tell people what that is.

Let them know. It does sound like you're a superhero. It is the Heisman of any award category. Let's just go with that.

Isn't that what the gold standard is? Something like that. Dave, you're the best. I appreciate your time, man. We will talk again as we get closer to Labor Day night with the Clemson Tigers in town.

Dave Harding, Blue Devil Network. I appreciate it, man. Take care. You got it. The speakers are working, so it's going to be fun. Yeah, you could almost, you could hear some background over at Wallace Wade. By the way, Ace Parker Award is a dedication to a sport and perseverance. So one of the truly good people that you get a chance to meet and become friends with, working in the arena that arena that we work in.