Duke football: Ohio State, Penn State coaches are top candidates to replace Mike Elko
The Duke football team had an incredible start to the 2023 season as they were 4-0 and ranked #17 in the country ahead of a huge clash with Notre Dame. The Blue Devils lost that game, however, and Duke limped to the finish line a bit after their hot start, but it was still clear that Mike Elko had done a great job with the team and that he was a fantastic football coach. Texas A&M football took notice of Elko, and now, he is their new head coach. The Blue Devils have a coaching search on their hands, and potential candidates are beginning to surface.
In a recent article from The Athletic, the top open jobs in college football were ranked from best to worst , and Duke football came in at #1. The Blue Devils typically aren't known for their football program, but it certainly seems to be trending up. The report from The Athletic also mentioned some early candidates, and there are some intriguing ones.
“Among those in the mix are Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz, NC State defensive coordinator Tony Gibson and Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, a source briefed on the hiring process told The Athletic,” The report said. “All three met with Duke on Wednesday, and the search is believed to be in the early stages.”
If Duke does manage to land Knowles or Diaz, that would be a home run hire for the program. Those two have done at good job at their current programs and it's evident as both Ohio State and Penn State have top defenses this season.
The college football world is tough for a program like Duke. The Blue Devils don't find a lot of success very often, and when they do, bigger programs that are struggling want to take their head coach. However, the program is in a good spot right now, and if they get the right hire, the Blue Devils should continue to improve.
