Duke Blue Devils finally won their first game against the No. 9 team in the nation, the Clemson Tigers. It was a cleanly orchestrated rushing game which QB Riley Leonard took full advantage of and after the game, he made a humble request to his college professor, in order to get a homework extension.
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His 7-28 upset win against Clemson was accounted as a huge feat since the college waited 19 years for it. Fans actually swarmed the field after the last snap, making the moment even more special. Despite the win, Leonard had another thing to worry about. Yes, his homework.
Riley Leonard’s Humble Plea to Professor Taylor
Riley Leonard led the Duke Blue Devils to a stunning victory against Clemson. The Duke’s quarterback tried to seize the moment to make a humble plea to one of his college professors. With the cameras rolling and the crowd’s cheers still echoing, Leonard took the opportunity to request an extension for a school assignment he had missed the deadline for. On the field, Leonard was captured saying,
“Professor Taylor, if you’re seeing this, please let me turn in my homework late because it’s due tonight. I think at 12, so it may already be 12.” As one can expect, the video of the humble plea ended up attracting innumerable reactions.
Dear Professor Taylor,
Please excuse @rileyleonard13_, he was busy becoming a LEGEND! 😈
Sincerely, @DukeFOOTBALL pic.twitter.com/bOzb6GsXup
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) September 5, 2023
That’s really cool. It’s kinda funny but also shows the character of that young man being mindful of his academic responsibilities. It’s a shame more student athletes aren’t following suit.
— EMAW4EVER1 (@marksetzel1) September 5, 2023
Such a Duke thing to be worried about. Congrats, on the win! And dude showed off the wheels tonight!
— FlameVol (@Flame_Volunteer) September 5, 2023
Adding on-field interviews to the ways to request an extension in my syllabus ✍️
— Dylan McLemore (@voiceofD) September 5, 2023
As it turns out, Leonard has already fallen behind on his semester. However, his recent performance on the gridiron might help him make up for it. Standing at 6’4”, the QB recorded 175 throwing yards in the game against the Tigers. He ran 98 yards and had 1 TD which literally riled up the Clemson team. The Devils had 22 consecutive points out of which, 15 came in the fourth quarter.
Story of Riley Leonard’s Unusual, Yet Effective Pregame Ritual
Every player has some or the other ritual and Duke’s QB Riley Leonard is no different. Before every game, Leonard has an unusual ritual which helps him in staying grounded. Apparently, he makes his mother send him a text, which simply says, “You suck.”
Duke quarterback Riley Leonard requests that his mother sends him a text saying “You Suck” before every game.
She does. And the same message is on his wristband. pic.twitter.com/qBUigNilAa
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) September 5, 2023
The ritual sure looks like a peculiar way of staying humble and keeping his ego in check. Moreover, Leonard even wears a wristband with the same phrase. Such rituals aren’t always logical, but it is how it is. However unorthodox they may sound, evidently they work for the player, and eventually for the entire team.
