Duke football kicker Gavin Strange lined up for a 33-yard field goal against Georgia Tech with just 4 seconds left, a chance to send the game to overtime. But the snap was off-target, the kick went no good, and Georgia Tech (2-3, 1-1 ACC) promptly kneeled it out, escaping with a tough 28-25 victory. This marked their sixth straight win over the Blue Devils (4-1, 1-1).
The Heartbreak and the Hero Who Stepped Up
Man, that loss had to sting. Duke had really fought their way back into it, outscoring Georgia Tech 15-14 in the second half and even taking their first lead with only two minutes left on the clock. But the Yellow Jackets answered right back with a score of their own, setting up Strange’s high-stakes field-goal attempt. What makes this whole situation even wilder? Gavin Strange was literally thrust into the starting kicking role on super short notice. Cosme Salas, the usual guy, went down with what Coach Manny Diaz described as a “freak injury” during Thursday’s practice. Diaz himself admitted, “We really didn’t know until Thursday to Friday” that Strange would be the man for the job.
Manny Diaz’s Unwavering Faith in Gavin Strange
You’d think after a game-losing miss like that, a coach might be frustrated. But not Manny Diaz. He didn’t just offer some generic comfort; he absolutely gushed with respect for Strange. “I’ve got so much respect for Gavin Strange, thrust into duty this week,” Diaz said. “I thought he was extraordinary, I thought he had tremendous courage.” Think about that: “extraordinary” and “tremendous courage” right after the scoreboard reads a loss because of that final play. Diaz didn’t stop there, calling Strange “a baller” and highlighting his background as a multi-sport athlete in high school. “He’s just that type of guy,” Diaz emphasized, adding that the “team has a lot of confidence in him.” And it wasn’t like Strange was completely out of his depth. He had already drilled another 35-yard field goal earlier in the game and nailed both of his extra point attempts. Diaz even revealed that in a Friday field-goal period, the first time they really knew Strange was the guy, “he went out there and knocked them all in.” The coach clearly believes this performance, despite the outcome, will only deepen the team’s respect for him: “I think today we’ll show even why, and they’ll respect him even more.”
What’s Next for Duke and Salas’s Return
So, where do the Blue Devils go from here after such a gut-wrenching finish? They’ll be looking to regroup next week when they host UNC at Wallace Wade Stadium. The big question, of course, is the status of Cosme Salas. Diaz hopes to have him back, but that “freak injury” from practice still hasn’t had a true evaluation. Diaz expects to “know more about when we get back early next week.” Regardless of who’s kicking, it’s crystal clear Gavin Strange has earned his coach’s unwavering respect, even if the game didn’t go their way this time.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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