Duke football quarterback Maalik Murphy to be disciplined after inappropriate gesture

Duke football quarterback Maalik Murphy will be "disciplined internally" after an inappropriate celebration after Murphy threw an 86-yard touchdown pass to Eli Pancol on the first offensive play of the game in the Blue Devils' 31-28 victory at home over the Virginia Tech Hokies last weekend.

After the pass was completed, Murphy put both of his middle fingers in the air as a form of celebration, but it was unaware who or what the gesture was directed at.

Duke head coach Manny Diaz provided some context in his postgame press conference about the incident, and it's much more lighthearted than it seems at first glance.

"There was a practice in the middle of last week where we were throwing post after post after post and we weren't completing them..and at the end of that there was a remark made in jest that if you throw a post for a touchdown in the game, then you can flip me off, from Coach (Jonathan) Brewer."

So, Murphy took full advantage of the offer after a big time touchdown pass on the opening Blue Devils play.

Diaz went on to say that discipline will be taken within the program as the gesture is not representative of his program.

"It's something that's unacceptable in our program, doesn't represent who we are as Duke football, and certainly doesn't represent who we are as Duke University."

Murphy finished his final home game of the regular season 17-of-35 passing for 332 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions in the victory.