Duke's rebuilt defense shows encouraging opener, with Kyon Loud emerging

The Blue Devils held Tulane to 258 yards, 54 rushing yards, no touchdowns, and a 3-of-14 third-down rate. Bryce Davis's two sacks and three tackles for loss highlighted the opener, while transfer cornerback Kyon Loud's starting role, coverage work, and leadership have strengthened optimism about the rebuilt secondary. Illinois will provide a tougher evaluation.