Though many expect the Duke ground game to be solid again in 2024, in order to win this year, the Duke football team is going to have to find a way to threaten teams through the air. That's why wide receiver Jordan Moore could be one of Duke's most critical players.
The former QB turned receiver has one final season of eligibility remaining and with it, might he be able to do something that no Duke wide receiver since Jamison Crowder in 2014 has done and top the 1,000-yard mark? That isn't a far-fetched idea.
Last season, Moore caught 62 passes for 835 yards and eight TDs. That came after he caught 60 balls for 656 yards and five scores in 2022.
All of that is impressive for a player who arrived on campus as a quarterback. Now, the 6-foot, 195-pounder is Duke's best pass-catching threat.
Fortunately, though, he won't be Duke's only weapon at receiver. Jalon Calhoun also returns to the mix after catching 50 passes for 666 yards and four TDs in 2023.
However, it is Moore who will be asked to lead the way. He had two 100-yard games last year and four other times he topped the 80-yard mark.
But will the uncertainty at QB keep him from being a 1,000-yard receiver? That's a fair question to ask.
With Riley Leonard now playing for Notre Dame, no one knows what the Blue Devils will get from its QB position this fall. That's because the two most likely options to start are rather unproven.
Texas transfer Maalik Murphy has all the physical tools and he looks the part in stature. But he has competed in only seven career games making just one start. He's attempted only 71 passes and completed just 56.3% of them.
Meanwhile, his competition, Grayson Loftis, is not much more experienced. A sophomore, he's appeared in only eight games as a collegiate attempting just 163 passes and completing only 55.8% of them.
Can either prove to be effective enough to not only win the starting job but to also hold it down for the duration of the season? What's more, will Duke be able to get good enough play from one of these passers to make the best use of Moore and Calhoun?
Since Crowder left Durham a decade ago, the most any Duke wide receiver has produced in terms of yardage was the 873 that Calhoun put up two seasons ago. Thus, he could also threaten the 1,000-yard mark this year.
Most believe that Moore is the player with the higher ceiling, though. He's had two solid years as a receiver and now, Duke needs him to become a star in the ACC if the passing game is going to be strong enough to help the Blue Devils keep pace on the scoreboard this fall.
Last year, Duke was 110th nationally in passing yards per game at just 180.8. That was 13th in the ACC.
This year, a new scheme and a new coaching staff will likely put more of an emphasis on the aerial attack in Durham. Thus, Moore could be the beneficiary and it could lead to his best season yet.