Spring practice is underway for Duke, officially turning the page from a 2025 season that finished with the outright ACC Championship for the first time since 1962.
The Blue Devils could only ride that wave for so long, however, as star quarterback Darian Mensah's stunning transfer decision left Duke as a rudderless ship in the middle of the ocean heading into 2026.
Duke ultimately landed San Jose State transfer Walker Eget in the portal, an experienced player with 18 career starts. But the Mensah sting is still very real, even if head coach Manny Diaz was ready to move on from it during his press conference following Duke's first practice:
"It's been a while, and we've kind of moved on," Diaz said. “I mean, the portal is the portal, right? ..."There’s no one in this program who is going to sit around as a victim. We’re excited about what’s next. We’re excited about who we have.”
Manny Diaz isn't dwelling on the past, but it's clear that Darian Mensah's departure is still on Duke's minds
Diaz doesn't want to dwell on the past. But it's obvious that Mensah's 11th-hour Transfer Portal departure has left Duke with significant motivation for the 2026 season. Eget might not have the pedigree or talent that Mensah possesses, but the fanbase, coaching staff, and locker room are all behind the San Jose State transfer.
Diaz might be done talking about the Mensah situation, as he should be. But it's still serving as motivation, as it should. It's the invisible chip on the shoulders of the locker room that will be obvious throughout spring practice and will carry over into the season.
Duke won't treat 2026 like it's a one-game season, but it might as well be. The Blue Devils will travel to Miami on November 14th with a chance to beat Mensah head-to-head, and little else that has happened before that will matter.
“When we’re at our best, we’ve got a pretty solid chip on our shoulder,” Diaz said. “I’d say there’s a pretty large one right now.”