Duke football head coach Manny Diaz and the rest of his staff are on a mission to keep the Blue Devils atop the ACC standings despite a plethora of losses on the offensive side of the ball. The Blue Devils lost star quarterback Darian Mensah and star wide receiver Cooper Barkate to the transfer portal. Both committed to Miami. Duke boasted one of the best all-around offenses in the ACC in 2025. The Blue Devils led the conference in points per game (34.6), passing yards per game (285.4), and passing touchdowns (34). Manny Diaz, head football coach at Duke, shouts during the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl against Arizona State at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. | Gaby Velasquez/ El Paso Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesDiaz led the Blue Devils to their first ACC Championship since 1989 over Virginia, and despite finishing the season with just a 7-5 record, the Blue Devils had the tools to compete at the top of the conference once again in 2026. Now, Diaz and Co. brought in several intriguing pieces via the transfer portal to potentially fill those voids, though it is very unclear how these recruits will translate to the Power Four level. San Jose State transfer Walker Eget is the projected starting quarterback, and his range of success seems to be very wide. Sep 27, 2025; Stanford, California, USA; San Jose State Spartans quarterback Walker Eget (5) throws the football during the first quarter against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images