'Fire Darian Mensah': Duke QB is object of fans ire after disappointing loss to UConn

The life of a quarterback. One minute they love you and the next minute they want to throw you in the transfer portal.

Darian Mensah has arguably been the best quarterback in the ACC, and he showed last week against Clemson with 361 yards and four touchdowns in a 46-45 win in Death Valley. This week, Mensah experienced the downside of the position when his late fumble sealed Duke's fate in a 37-34 road loss to UConn. 

The loss drops Duke's record to 5-4 this season, still one game away from bowl eligibility. Next week the Blue Devils will host Virginia with North Carolina and Wake Forest to close out the regular season. 

​The Blue Devils came up short in the end

It was a back-and-forth game with a number of lead changes. Duke took a 28-23 lead into the fourth quarter, but UCconn came back behind the arm of their highly-touted quarterback Joe Fagnano to take a 29-28 lead early in the fourth.

Mensah led the Blue Devils back with a 10-yard touchdown pass — his third of the game — to Jeremiah Hasley to put Duke back in the lead 34-29. The two-point conversion failed and eventually, that would prove to be the difference.

UConn went back ahead 37-34 after Fagnano threw his third touchdown pass of the game, a 19-yarder to Skyler Bell for the 10th lead change of the game.

Mensah had a final shot to get the Blue Devils into field goal range and play for overtime, but he was sacked by Bryun Parham and lost control of the football. UConn defensive lineman Trent Jones recovered the loose ball to secure the victory. It was Mensah's third turnover of the game.

Fans react to Mensah's play in loss

Mensah didn't have a bad game by any stretch. He threw for 222 yards and three touchdowns, but the three turnovers did not endear him to the Blue Devils fan base. 

Fans should save some of that anger for a defense that gave up 467 yards and failed to force a turnover or cause too many negative plays.