With the news that Mike Elko has left Durham to return to Texas A&M, Duke is in the market for a new head coach. Elko did a terrific job in his first leading role, getting the Blue Devils into the Top 25 and going 16-9 over the past two seasons. This job is much better than it was 15 years or so ago, before Elko’s predecessor David Cutcliffe began to lead this program to respectability. Coaches now know you can win there, but it’s still a very hard job. That being said, there are a number of solid options with strong ties to either the area or Duke itself.
One sitting head coach we think will get some consideration is James Madison’s Curt Cignetti, who might be open to jumping from the Dukes to Duke. He has built JMU into a legit FBS program, earning Top 25 consideration in the two seasons immediately following JMU’s move up from the FCS. The Dukes are 19-4 over the past two seasons and 13-3 in the competitive Sun Belt. Overall, the 62-year-old is 52-9 in his James Madison tenure. He also is familiar with North Carolina, having spent two seasons in the state while he was the head man at FCS program Elon. Word is that Cignetti is also in the mix for the Indiana coaching vacancy.
Marshall’s Charles Huff is a Maryland native who learned under James Franklin and Nick Saban before getting the Thundering Herd job. The 40-year-old is considered a charismatic leader and a strong recruiter. He led the Herd to a win over Notre Dame in South Bend last year, part of a nine-win season. This year’s team beat Virginia Tech and came within a touchdown of knocking off NC State in Raleigh. Overall, Huff is 22-16 at Marshall. We think he would definitely listen if Duke comes calling.
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One former ACC head coach whom we hear Duke may pursue is Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz. He was 21-15 in three years at Miami and 16-9 in ACC play. The 49-year-old has also coached at FSU and NC State. Diaz is really bright and would probably fit in well at Duke, and like Elko, he’s regarded as one of the top defensive minds in college football. Last year, Diaz led Penn State to a No. 5 finish in yards per play allowed. This year, Diaz’ defense ranks No. 1 in the country in yards per play allowed, total defense and sacks.
Another top DC we expect Duke to consider is Ohio State’s Jim Knowles, who was Cutcliffe’s defensive coordinator in Durham for eight years. His defense at Ohio State is No. 2 in the nation in scoring defense and No. 3 in yards per play allowed. The 58-year-old Knowles, like Elko, has Ivy League roots, having played college ball at Cornell before beginning his career in Ithaca as a defensive line coach. Knowles has spent much of his coaching career working at high-academic institutions.
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Florida State offensive coordinator/O-line coach Alex Atkins has been a superb hire for Mike Norvell. The Seminoles were dreadful up front toward the end of the Jimbo Fisher era, and Atkins deserves most of the credit for getting that fixed. In his debut season in Tallahassee in 2020, Florida State averaged 200 rushing yards per game, the program’s best since 2016. In 2022, the Seminoles led the ACC and were eighth in the nation in yards per carry. They also led the ACC in yards per play. This season, FSU is undefeated with a chance to make the CFP. They’re No. 10 in scoring, No. 14 in yards per play and No. 9 in plays of 30-plus yards. Atkins also has coached in North Carolina before: As Charlotte’s offensive coordinator in 2019, he helped lead the 49ers to the first bowl game in school history behind their conference’s top rushing attack. The Chicago native has also spent three seasons as Tulane’s assistant head coach, so he has plenty of experience working at a high-academic program.
Tulsa OC Steve Spurrier Jr., son of Florida legend and former Duke coach Steve Spurrier, is a former Blue Devils player who, prior to this season, spent five years on Mike Leach’s staffs at Washington State and Mississippi State. The 52-year-old former Duke wideout is one we could see getting some consideration for the vacancy.
One wild-card option to keep in mind is NBC football analyst Jason Garrett, the former Dallas Cowboys head coach. The 57-year-old Princeton grad has never coached in college football, but he did get strong consideration for the Duke job a few years ago during the search that led to Elko. Garrett was 85-67 in his decade as the Cowboys’ head man. Would he want to jump into college coaching now? And if so, would Duke’s leadership want him? We’ll see.
(Top photo of Curt Cignetti: Eakin Howard / Getty Images)
