Another fast start from Riley Leonard helps Duke football beat NC A&T, improve to 3-0
Through three games, Duke has yet to trail and quarterback Riley Leonard’s fast starts are a big reason why.
The sophomore completed his first 11 passes, including a pair of first-half touchdown throws, Saturday night as the Blue Devils remained undefeated with a 49-20 win over N.C. A&T before a crowd of 32,802 at Wallace Wade Stadium.
Winless in the ACC while going 3-9 last season, Duke (3-0) matched last season’s win total in dominating fashion. After never facing a deficit while beating Temple, 30-0, and Northwestern, 31-23, in the season’s first two weeks, the Blue Devils needed less than 10 minutes of game time to build a 21-0 lead over the Aggies (0-3).
Leonard completed 11 of 12 passes, all in the first half, for 155 yards and two touchdowns for Duke against N.C. A&T. He also rushed for two touchdowns, gaining a team-best 66 yards on his five carries. That included a 56-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
In Duke’s first two wins, Leonard started the game with 15 consecutive completed passes against Temple and seven completions in eight attempts against Northwestern.
Against N.C. A&T, Leonard’s first pass went to tight end Nicky Dalmolin for a 38-yard touchdown play.
“I really think it’s our preparation, our coaching coming in every week,” Leonard said. “We know exactly what the defense is gonna give us. So, from the first play of the game, we had a perfect play drawn up, and it’s our job to go out there and execute it.”
On Duke’s second drive, Leonard completed passes covering 14 yards to Jordan Moore and 15 to Jontavis Robertson.
His 4-yard touchdown pass to Moore gave Duke a 14-0 lead.
Duke defensive tackle Aeneas Peebles’ sack of N.C. A&T quarterback Jalen Fowler forced a fumble that Duke’s DeWayne Carter scooped up and ran 35 yards for a touchdown giving the Blue Devils a 21-0 lead at 6:53 of the first quarter.
For the third game in a row, Duke built a lead of 21 points or more in the first half. That’s part of Duke first-year coach Mike Elko’s instructions, for his team to set its own high standard regardless of the competition.
“We just try to come out of the locker room playing at a standard that meets us,” Elko said. “We talk about it all week. It’s something that’s really important to us. Obviously, for three games we’ve been able to come out and start that way.”
When Duke got the ball again, Leonard connected with wide receiver Sahmir Hagans on a 41-yard throw down the right sideline to the Aggies’ 3. Two plays later, Leonard scored on a 2-yard touchdown run and the rout was on with the Blue Devils up 28-3 with 9:41 to play before halftime.
Duke battles NC A&T in college football action
After Leonard’s 56-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, Jaylen Coleman added a 12-yard touchdown run to give Duke a 42-6 lead.
Through three games, Leonard has completed 48 of 66 passes (73%) for 723 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions.
The unbeaten Blue Devils’ next game is against another 3-0 team, Kansas. The teams meet at Lawrence, Kansas, Saturday at noon. The Jayhawks won, 48-30, at Houston on Saturday.
