Sources: Duke QB Leonard has high ankle sprain
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Pete Thamel, ESPNOct 1, 2023, 05:56 PM ET
Duke junior quarterback Riley Leonard has a high right ankle sprain and has a reasonable chance of returning later this month for the Blue Devils, sources informed ESPN on Sunday.Leonard is expected to miss out on multiple weeks, sources informed ESPN. Duke has a bye this week prior to hosting NC State (Oct. 14), then playing at Florida State (Oct. 21)and at Louisville (Oct. 28). His return vs. NC State doubts,
sources informed ESPN.Leonard suffered the injury late in the Blue Devils’ 21-14
loss to then-No. 11 Notre Dame, and he left the field on crutches– a macabre ending where Leonard’s injury on a strip sack basically ended the game. He got sacked on a tidy play by Notre Dame’s Howard Cross, and Leonard’s ankle plainly twisted at an awkward angle.Editor’s Picks 2 Related Leonard required assistance from colleagues to leave the field and was
n’t putting pressure on his best foot. He later went to the injury camping tent, where Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman, who previously played in the ACC at Wake Forest, waited outside to check on him after the game had ended.The scene went viral after Hartman interrupted his postgame interview to check on Leonard.Leonard has been among the breakout players of the 2023 season, leading Duke(4-1 )to a No. 17 ranking in the Associated Press poll, the school
‘s greatest ranking considering that 1994. Duke was up to No. 19 in the latest poll launched Sunday.He has actually thrown for 912 lawns and three touchdowns and rushed for 326 lawns and 4 goals, his dual-threat capability keeping the opposition off-balance. Duke is relatively inexperienced behind Leonard, as redshirt freshman Henry Belin is the anticipated starter until Leonard returns.Belin, who has appeared in 3 profession games, would be making his very first start if Leonard isn’t healthy
vs. NC State. He finished all 8 of his pass efforts versus Lafayette.