Duke Opens Against Stanford With Surprise Onsides Kick
Yahoo Sports
The short version
- Duke opened its game against Stanford with an onsides kick on the first kickoff.
- The kick was prepared through film study of Stanford's kickoff lineup, per Yahoo Sports.
- Coach Manny Diaz is known for aggressive gambles, including Miami's turnover chain.
- The onsides kick was successfully executed.
The Blue Devils recovered an onside kick on the opening kickoff against Stanford after spotting a weakness on film, per a report.
Duke opened its matchup with Stanford with an onsides kick on the game's first kickoff, and the gamble paid off with a recovery for the Blue Devils.
According to Yahoo Sports, the call was not simply a stunt. Duke's staff had studied Stanford's kickoff alignment on film and identified a realistic chance that the kick would work.
The play fits a pattern for head coach Manny Diaz, who has a reputation for aggressive risk-taking dating to his time at Miami, where his turnover chain became a national talking point.
Diaz took over at Duke after the Miami stint and has continued to encourage his players to embrace chances on the field.
A post on X by the account @TheCoachHotRod, shared September 20, 2026, broke down what Duke saw on film to set up the surprise opening play.
Written by the Matchday Live desk from reporting by Yahoo Sports.
Read the original report at Yahoo Sports ↗