Walker Eget wins Duke football QB battle, named starter for 2026 season

Duke football has named its starting quarterback for the 2026 season. Walker Eget was named as the Blue Devils' starter on Tuesday, Aug. 25. The sixth-year San José State transfer won the starting job over redshirt freshman Dan Mahan. ESPN's Pete Thamel was first to report the news, with a source confirming it to the Fayetteville Observer. Eget brings two years of starting experience after five seasons at San José State. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound signal-caller out of Santa Clarita, California, threw for 5,563 yards and 30 touchdowns in 18 starts. He was named as one of six ACC quarterbacks to the 2026 Manning Award Preseason Watch List on Monday, Aug. 24. Eget tore his ACL during the 2024 season and underwent surgery following the 2025 campaign. He missed Duke's spring practices while recovering and was cleared in time for fall camp. The quarterback position became one of Duke's biggest questions this offseason following Darian Mensah's transfer to Miami. The Blue Devils picked up Eget from the portal shortly after Mensah's departure. "To get a guy of Walker's experience and production, 5,000 passing yards over the last two years, where we were timing-wise in the portal, was really kind of a miracle," third-year head coach Manny Diaz previously said on ACC Network during 2026 ACC Kickoff. Now, Eget will take over an offense looking to build on Duke's 2025 ACC championship season. Along with Eget and Mahan, the Blue Devils also have Terry Walker III, Ari Patu, Blaine Hipa and Lawrence Gardner in their quarterback room. Duke opens the 2026 season Sept. 5 against Tulane at Wallace Wade Stadium. Anna Snyder covers Duke for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at asnyder@usatodayco.com or follow her @annaesnydr on X.  This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Walker Eget wins Duke football QB battle, named starter for 2026 season