Manny Diaz emphasizes team identity during Duke's early season schedule

Duke head coach Manny Diaz says early season college football games require teams to focus on internal development rather than opponent scouting. Diaz noted that high turnover via the transfer portal makes previous matchup history between schools like Duke and Tulane less relevant. Duke enters the season with a significantly different roster, including the departure of quarterback Darian Mensah and receiver Cooper Barkate to Miami. Tulane also faces a transition period with new head coach Will Hall replacing Jon Sumrall, who left for Florida. Diaz said the absence of exhibition or preseason games forces coaches to prioritize learning their own team dynamics while managing personnel changes. He views the opening weeks as a critical phase for integrating new players into cohesive units before the full rigors of conference play begin.

• 7:40 PMYahoo Sports — Duke's Manny Diaz discusses struggles of early season games