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Duke Football: 'Something Special' Growing in Durham

Originally posted on Duke Blue Devils on SI
By Matt Giles | Last updated Jul 29, 2025 8:24 AM ET

With 14 starters returning from a Duke football team that recorded a 9-4 overall record in the first year of the Manny Diaz era, not to mention the arrival of heralded transfer quarterback Darian Mensah, the Blue Devils expressed reason for optimism following the start of fall camp on Monday.

"I believe in our locker room," senior offensive lineman Justin Pickett said to the media on hand. "That's what makes us special here. That's what makes Duke special. A lot of people may not see that from the outside, but it shows up on tape.

"That's something special about this program, trusting each other and the building on that trust will help us get to where we want to go."

Back to work pic.twitter.com/JqyZK1BthW
— Duke Football (@DukeFOOTBALL) July 28, 2025

On the other side of the ball, senior linebacker Tre Freeman echoed those sentiments.

"It's really exciting that we get to come out here and play," Freeman noted. "Just like we always preach, you go through hard stuff, but your guys are what makes a family. That's what we try to do most.

"We know we are always going through something hard. Then we just try to eat and love on each other whenever we can and break bread."

The 2025 Duke football campaign gets underway with a home bout against the Elon Phoenix on Thursday, Aug. 28, at 7:30 p.m. ET (ACCNX).

This article first appeared on Duke Blue Devils on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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