Duke Quarterback Review: Assessing Darian Mensah’s Performance vs. California

Would the former Tulane quarterback be capable of carrying over that success against a Golden Bears’ defense that had been moderately susceptible against the pass leading up to this matchup? Let’s take a look at how Mensah fared in his sixth start as the Blue Devils’ quarterback.

Mensah’s Stat Line

• In the 45-21 win over California, the sophomore quarterback completed 22-of-30 pass attempts for 265 yards and two touchdowns. Completing 73.3% of his passes, which was his third-highest mark this season, showed how efficient he can be when he is afforded time in the pocket.

• This is even more impressive when considering that the Blue Devils faced a 14-point deficit in the first quarter after the Golden Bears orchestrated two clock-chewing drives.

• Mensah’s completion percentage was not a product of checking the ball down underneath, as he averaged 8.8 yards per attempt. Despite facing a wave of adversity out of the gate, Mensah closed out the first half with five straight scoring drives. The Blue Devils’ offensive avalanche spurred a 24-point swing and earned Duke a 31-21 lead at halftime.

• It was a decisive performance for Mensah, who connected on multiple intermediate throws across the middle of the field to open receivers. Duke is currently fourth in the ACC standings, a position that was not expected heading into the season.

• If Mensah continues this play, the Blue Devils are a dark horse to win the conference. Miami and Georgia Tech have proven to be real commodities and should be taken seriously across the nation.

Who Helped Mensah the Most

While Mensah connected with eight different options in the passing game, Que’Sean Brown and Cooper Barkate were the two standouts in that department. Brown provided the explosive element for the offense, securing six passes for 104 yards and one touchdown.

Meanwhile, Barkate served as the go-to option on third down in the second level of the defense, collecting five receptions for 66 yards and one touchdown on a contested catch in the back of the endzone.

What’s Next for the Blue Devils

Duke is not riding the wave of a three-game winning streak into a bye week that will hopefully not break the momentum of the offense’s dominance over the last month.

After the bye, the Blue Devils host 13th-ranked Georgia Tech on Saturday, Oct. 18. It will be the first true test for Duke, which has yet to face a ranked opponent in 2025. A win over the Yellow Jackets would shake up the top of the ACC and prove that Duke could be a legitimate threat in the conference.