Duke QB Riley Leonard needs homework extension after upset
DURHAM, N.C. (BVM) – Duke quarterback Riley Leonard was riding high after his team’s upset win over Clemson, but it wouldn’t take long for the Blue Devils student-athlete to remember he had some other obligations that night.
With a shoutout to “Professor Taylor” in a post-game interview, the junior quarterback pleaded for an extension on his homework that was due at midnight.
“Professor Taylor, if you’re seeing this, please let me turn in my homework late because it’s due tonight, I think at 12,” Leonard said.
Duke QB Riley Leonard had to ask "professor Taylor" for an extension on an assignment after upsetting No. 9 Clemson 😂
(via @theACCDN)
pic.twitter.com/KhyzsiKUn1— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 5, 2023
While Leonard will have to deal with his school work at another time, many would say he finished Monday’s game with a perfect grade. The Duke quarterback was 17-for-33 with 175 passing yards against the No. 9-ranked Tigers, and added an extra 98 yards on the ground. Leonard’s 44-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter would give Duke the lead, which eventually ended in the team’s 28-7 win.
The impressive victory was just what Leonard and the Blue Devils needed to start their 2023 campaign after a 9-4 finish last year had them trending in the right direction. The junior quarterback put himself on the map in 2022, passing for nearly 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns. While Leonard’s opening post-game moment found its way across social media, it wasn’t the only clip of his that took the internet by storm.
During the first quarter of the matchup, the ESPN broadcast highlighted an unusual pregame ritual that Leonard has with his mom. Before every one of his games, Leonard’s mother makes sure to send him a text that reads “You suck.” The message has also turned into a wristband that Leonard wears to “keep his ego in check.”
This is pretty unusual, Duke QB Riley Leonard's mom sends him texts telling him 'You Suck' before every game in order to help "keep his ego in check."pic.twitter.com/00uVxWMAtP
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 5, 2023
The two words have resonated with the junior signal caller who wasn’t heavily recruited coming out of high school. With his time in the spotlight now coming to fruition after his team’s Week 1 win, that message could certainly become a focal point for the budding star.
