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Riley Leonard has been a crucial part of the Duke Blue Devils roster. After appearing in seven games during his true freshman season in 2021, he was made the starting quarterback last year. Leonard ended his 2022 campaign with 2,967 passing yards and 20 TD passes.
He returned as the starter this season and has been one of the top-performing quarterbacks in the ACC. Using his dual-threat abilities, the 21-year-old was able to lead Duke to a four-game winning streak to begin the season, which ended with a 14-21 loss at the hands of Notre Dame.
The game also saw him sustain an ankle injury, and fans are now wondering if he will be playing against Louisville in week 9.
Riley Leonard injury update
Following the first injury, Leonard aggravated his ankle again when the Duke Blue Devils lost to the Florida State Seminoles 38-20 last weekend. This led to him being sidelined in the third quarter, bringing his night to an end.
For now, head coach Mike Elko has stated that Leonard's availability is uncertain.
"I think after talking to the doctors and everyone, Riley is going to be day-to-day. It's kind of where we're at with that", Elko said.
Thus, his availability might be a game-time decision on Saturday itself.
What happened to Riley Leonard?
In the final moments of the game against Notre Dame, Riley Leonard suffered from a high ankle sprain. As the Blue Devils had a bye week afterwards, Leonard had ample time to rest and rehabilitate.
However, the quarterback did not make an appearance during their 24-3 win against NC State. He did return to the field against Florida State, where he sprained his ankle again in the third quarter.
After the loss, Mike Elko stated that Leonard wanted to make a comeback to help the team win, but the staff did not give him permission to do so. This led to backup Henry Belin finishing the game.
"He wanted to come back in. He was begging me on the sideline to come back in. I didn't feel comfortable with where he was health-wise to bring him back, and so we didn't do it" Elko said.
Who will replace Riley Leonard if he is out in week 9?
With Leonard's availability against Louisville still uncertain, Henry Belin might take over the responsibilities of being the starting QB. He did start against NC State, where he went on to record 107 passing yards and two TD passes.
Thus he might be the next go-to choice for Elko if Leonard does not get the green light on his re-aggravated injury.
