Duke’s Leonard injured throughout loss to Notre Dame

• David Hale, ESPN Staff WriterOct 1, 2023, 12:20 AM ET

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  • ACC reporter.Joined ESPN in 2012. Graduate of the University of Delaware.DURHAM,
  • N.C.– Duke lost Saturday’s game against Notre Dame

on a 30-yard goal run by Audric Estime with 31 seconds to play and might have lost its starting quarterback, Riley Leonard, one play later.Leonard went down with an apparent leg injury on Duke’s last play after Notre Dame’s Marik Liufau struck him for a sack. Leonard fumbled the ball and a knee bent inward. He lay on the field for a number of moments, being attended to by medical personal, prior to being helped off the field.He left the medical camping tent after both groups had actually departed postgame, using crutches back to the tunnel, where colleague Jacob Monk helped him back to the locker room.Editor’s Picks 2 Related”I simply let him understand I’m constantly there for him,”Monk stated after the 21-14 loss.”I slipped up the last play of the game. I can’t let that take place.

So I just let him know I’m here for him constantly.”Leonard, who is No. 19 in Mel Kiper Jr.’s leading 25 draft prospects for 2024, finished 12 of 27 passes for 134 lawns and a goal and also ran for 88 lawns, captaining Duke to a 14-13 lead with less than a minute to play in the game.Duke coach Mike Elko stated he did not have an official update on Leonard’s condition postgame, and he said the team would assess the quarterback’s development this week. Duke is off in Week 6 prior to returning to action versus NC State on Oct. 14.