Duke Offensive Line Plans Reload With Experience for 2026 Season

Duke’s 2026 season features an experienced offensive line that returns two starters and adds graduate transfers, with center Matt Craycraft and left guard Jordan Larsen providing continuity after the departure of three NFL-bound linemen as Duke prepares for a Sept. 5 opener against Tulane. The group is expected to anchor the running game and benefit from Craycraft’s durability and Larsen’s extensive starting experience, backed by healthy, versatile pieces including seventh-year lineman Micah Sahakian and Bradley Smith. In South Bend, Notre Dame’s linebacking corps is led by Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa and Jaylen Sneed as the program eyes a strong 2026 season starting Sept. 6 at Lambeau Field against Wisconsin. Viliamu-Asa is on multiple national watch lists and has stressed gratitude for health and the chance to maximize his remaining eligibility, while Sneed emphasizes focus and maturity in his fifth year. Notre Dame’s defense is projected to be deep across the front seven, with a potentially elite defensive line and a five-deep linebacker rotation, plus versatile safeties and a high-upside secondary highlighted by players like Leonard Moore and Brauntae Johnson. Overall, Notre Dame enters 2026 with championship expectations driven by veteran leadership, key transfers, and a strong freshman class, with early tests like the Wisconsin game shaping the season’s trajectory.