What a Win Would Mean for Duke, per Manny Diaz

While speaking with the media for the second time this week, Duke's head coach, Manny Diaz, explained what a win over the Clemson Tigers would mean for the program.

The 51-year-old head coach was asked if the 2023 win over the Tigers was something that Duke could build off of. It is important to note that Diaz was not the coach at the time of the victory over Clemson.

Diaz's Thoughts

• "That was a very impressive game. I was up in [Penn State] watching that on a Monday night. It was a great national platform for what Duke football can be," Diaz said. "I think we're still riding the wave of that. I think the improvement of our program, and not just where we are, but where we are going. That's really the important thing is where this thing is going."

• "I don't know that there's anything that can happen this weekend that in one way or another can really justify our existence or deny it," Diaz continued. "This is a program that continues to attract [talent similarly to Darian Mensah and Cooper Barkate]. Our mindset is that we should feel like our best should be able to compete with anybody's best."

Diaz's confidence in Duke's resurgence in the college football landscape is based on the fact that NIL has greatly influenced the attraction to programs across the nation.

• "The sport has fundamentally changed. The ability to now win anywhere is obvious when you look around the country," Diaz said. "That being said, Dabo Swinney has an outstanding staff. [Clemson] knows what [it] is doing, they have outstanding players, and it's easy to take our eye off the ball."

• "It's really hard to win in college football right now," Diaz continued. "I still think we confuse logos and legacies with current status. That's why these leagues are all the way that they are right now. It's hard to beat anybody because everybody has guys who can play. Everyone is really well-coached, and it comes down to mindset and preparation. I know that the team we're playing on Saturday will come in with a great mindset, and they'll be prepared.

As always, make sure you stay up to date with all Duke content by following us on Facebook, by clicking HERE and following us on X (formerly Twitter) HERE