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Riley Leonard declares Duke is 'an everything school' amid football team's 4-0 start

PeterWarrenPhoto2by: Peter Warren09/29/23thepeterwarren
NCAA Football: Lafayette at Duke
James Guillory | USA TODAY Sports

Duke quarterback Riley Leonard has led the Blue Devils to one of its most exciting starts on the football field in recent memory. The success has got people calling Duke a “football school,” a tongue-in-cheek reference to its success as a men’s basketball powerhouse and traditional reputation as a “basketball school.”

Leonard pushed back on the narrative Friday on The Pat McAfee Show, saying that the Blue Devils are successful in many different sports

“We’re like an everything school if you really pay attention to it: great field hockey team, great lacrosse programs, great volleyball program and a great track and field team,” Leonard said. “I just feel like we’re so good at so many different things, and a lot of people don’t give those sports credit.”

The Duke field hockey team is currently 8-1 on the season while the women’s volleyball team is 10-3. The men’s lacrosse program went 16-3 last season and lost in the national championship game. Blue Devils track and field/cross country director and head coach Shawn Wilbourn won the 2023 ACC Women’s Coach of the Year award.

The athletic programs at Duke have combined for 17 NCAA national team championships over the years. The women’s golf program has the most with seven, including the school’s most recent title in 2019 The men’s basketball program has five national titles.

Riley Leonard explains why he loves going to school at Duke

Riley Leonard is in his third year at Duke, and said he loves going to school in Durham, N.C. He said the people and their dedication to excellence are what he loves most about the place.

“Everybody’s so unique here and everybody’s gonna push each other to be the best version of versions of themselves,” Leonard said. “Nobody’s skipping classes here. Everybody wants to be the best version of themselves. That’s what I love about this place. It’s true excellence over here.”

Leonard is off to a great start this season in both the pass and run game. He is 67 of 99 throwing the football for 778 yards and two touchdowns. The dual-threat quarterback has also rushed for 238 yards on 29 carries with four touchdowns.