Is Riley Leonard Playing this week vs North Carolina? Duke QB's status explored

Military Bowl Presented by Peraton - UCF v Duke

Duke starting quarterback Riley Leonard suffered a toe injury during the Oct. 28 game against the Louisville Cardinals and has not seen the field since. He has been plagued with injuries after having an outstanding 2022 season.

So far this season, Leonard is 95-of-165 (57.6 completion percentage) for 1,102 yards with three touchdowns and as many interceptions.

But what is the latest on Leonard and will he be able to make a return for today's game?

Riley Leonard injury update

Leonard is not expected to be available for the Week 11 game against the 24th-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels. Coach Mike Elko previously said he would miss some games, indicating the Week 11 matchup is off the table.

A timetable for his potential return is unclear and he may even be out for the rest of this season.

Leonard suffered a high ankle sprain earlier in the season. However, the two injuries are not related as they are on opposite feet.

In his place will feature true freshman Grayson Loftis, who in his first start, was able to pick up a 24-21 win over Wake Forest. He was just 7-of-19 for 86 yards with a touchdown pass and an interception while running eight times for 17 yards (2.1 yards per attempt).

What happened to Riley Leonard?

Riley Leonard suffered a toe injury late in the game against Louisville last month. With seven minutes remaining, Leonard was taken out of the game.

Pete Thamel of ESPN reported the quarterback was expected to miss "an extended period of time," but the exact nature of the injury has not been made public.