Walker Eget has one thing that Dan Mahan didn't in the QB competition:
Experience.
There's simply no substitute for that.
With that experience came one key intangible that Eget displayed time and time again during his tenure as the starting QB at San Jose State before he chose to transfer to Duke this offseason.
Toughness.
Eget knows how to take a hit and keep on going. Eget tore his ACL in October of 2024 and then played through the entire 2025 season with the injury before finally getting surgery to repair it this offseason. That willingness to play through pain earned him the respect of his San Jose State teammates, and it's something that has undoubtedly done the same in his short time in Durham:
“All the players loved him,” Haddy Barghouti of the Mercury News said, via Duke Wire. “Nothing but praise for Walker, and definitely with his toughness, that gained all the respect from the coaching staff and the players.”
Walker Eget's toughness is a trait that Manny Diaz couldn't ignore when picking Duke's QB
Eget's turnovers were a cause for concern among the fanbase when discussing the QB competition between him and Mahan. He threw 19 interceptions across 18 starts at San Jose State, but most of his issues with turnovers last season came after he injured his other leg and was severely hobbled down the stretch.
Coming into the final three games of the season a year ago, Eget had thrown 17 touchdown passes to just three interceptions. He threw no touchdowns and six interceptions over San Jose State's final three games. Those performances made his numbers look worse than they actually were, and it's how he played up to that point that should bring a lot of optimism to what he's going to be able to do with a better supporting cast around him for the Blue Devils.
And make no mistake about it: Eget was not handed this job. Mahan really pushed him. The sophomore made this a competition, and Eget had to go out there and earn the job. It wasn't easy.
But that's how it should be.
Now, Duke can move forward with a veteran QB who should be able to complement one of the best rushing attacks in the ACC. Eget can be more than just a game manager, though that will be his primary gig as the starter for Diaz.
Duke is going to run the ball first and foremost, but Eget has the ability to stretch the field vertically with a big arm. The Blue Devils have an underrated WR group, led by transfers Jared Richardson and Javen Nicholas, to go along with some talented youngsters who are ready for the spotlight.
Eget won't bring the same ceiling to the position that Darian Mensah did last season, but he's proven to be a more than capable quarterback, and one who will lead the charge for a Duke team that has been highly disrespected in the preseason despite its standing as the defending ACC champions.
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