Duke football quarterback Darian Mensah sat down with reporters on Thursday at ACC Football Kickoff 2025 and spoke about the defense he'll be playing with next season, which was one of the top units in college football in 2024. Mensah told reporters he's confident the Blue Devils will "shock some people" across the ACC in his first season in Durham, and a lot of that will be credited to the defense.
"I'm excited to play with them dudes, because they're really good," Mensah told reporters at ACC Football Kickoff. "And, I feel like we're going to shock some people this year in the ACC, and that's because of our defense. Coach [Manny] Diaz has done a great job with that group, as well as our [defensive] coordinator, so I'm excited for them boys over on that side of the ball, but also excited to play with them and not against them."
The Blue Devils boasted one of the best front sevens in all of college football in 2024, finishing second in the nation in tackles for loss (116), fourth in the nation in sacks (43), and 26th nationally in third-down conversion percentage (33.8).
Diaz is returning over half of the defensive production from a season ago, with several key veterans back in the program in 2025, both in the front seven and in the secondary. Rising senior cornerback Chandler Rivers is viewed as one of the top returning defensive backs in college football, and mixing in guys like Terry Moore and Wesley Williams, the Blue Devils are poised to be one of the top defenses in the ACC once again.
As for the offensive side of the ball, Mensah will be leading a revamped unit ready to compete at the top of the ACC. Duke returned running back Jaquez Moore, whose 2024 season was riddled with injuries, and is bringing in talented transfer receivers Andrel Anthony from Oklahoma and Cooper Barkate. Rising sophomore wideout Que'Sean Brown is also poised for a breakout campaign.
Mensah threw for 2,723 yards to go along with 22 touchdowns to six interceptions as a redshirt freshman at Tulane, and is seen as one of the top quarterbacks in the ACC. However, the Blue Devils have continuously been swept under the rug as a true contender both in the ACC and on a national scale.
The Blue Devils are searching for their first ACC Championship since 1989 and their first College Football Playoff appearance ever, and Diaz and the rest of his guys seem to be on the edge of greatness.