{"id":79380,"date":"2026-04-04T19:54:36","date_gmt":"2026-04-04T19:54:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/isport.com.ng\/?p=79380"},"modified":"2026-04-04T19:54:36","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T19:54:36","slug":"toughness-key-for-new-duke-rb-coach-rodney-freeman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/isport.com.ng\/?p=79380","title":{"rendered":"‘Toughness’ Key for New Duke RB Coach Rodney Freeman"},"content":{"rendered":"

‘Toughness’ Key for New Duke RB Coach Rodney Freeman<\/h1>\n
Duke’s new running backs coach is ready for action.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n

After the Duke football program lost its former running backs coach, Chris Foster, to the University of Florida, it quickly pivoted and brought in Rodney Freeman, who had previously been the running backs coach at East Carolina.<\/p>\n

Freeman spent two seasons with the Pirates after spending one year in the same position at Utah State. In Foster’s first season with ECU, it totaled 2,241 yards on the ground to go along with 23 touchdowns. In 2025, the Pirates ranked fifth in the American Conference in rushing touchdowns (31), seventh in rushing yards per game (176.3), and eighth in total rushing yards (2,292).<\/p>\n

Duke Run Game Was Elite in 2025<\/h2>\n

In his lone year with the program, Foster completely turned around a Duke run game that was lackluster in 2024. That season, the Blue Devils finished 16th in the ACC in total rushing yards (1,202) and rushing yards per game (92.5), while finishing 15th in rushing touchdowns (13).<\/p>\n

In 2025 under Foster, the Blue Devils were eighth in the conference in total rushing yards (1,934), ninth in average yards per game (138.1), and sixth in total touchdowns (26).<\/p>\n

After coming over from Greenville, NC, Freeman will now have a chance to work with rising sophomore running back\u00a0Nate Sheppard,<\/u>\u00a0who emerged as one of the best running backs in the ACC.<\/p>\n

The former 3-star recruit began the 2025 campaign at the bottom of the depth chart, but it didn’t take long for Sheppard to become\u00a0Duke’s<\/u>\u00a0workhorse back.<\/p>\n

\n
<\/div>\n
\n

As a freshman, Sheppard ranked second in the ACC in rushing yards (1,132), fifth in rushing touchdowns (11), and sixth in average yards per carry (5.7).<\/p>\n

\n
<\/div>\n
\n

Rodney Freeman Details Duke Run Game Outlook<\/h2>\n

Ahead of his first season on the Duke coaching staff, Freeman laid out his keys for success for the\u00a0Blue Devils<\/u>\u00a0in 2026.<\/p>\n

“They’re going to be disciplined,”\u00a0Freeman said.<\/u>\u00a0“They’re going to know what to do. They’re going to know when to do it, and they’re going to know how to do it.”<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

“They’re going to have a chip on their shoulder, and they’re going to play with a different level of toughness that I think is mandatory when it comes to this game of football, and I think that you have to have it to be successful in whichever position that you play.”<\/p>\n

Now at his third stop in four years, Freeman looks to continue the rush attack success in Durham.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

‘Toughness’ Key for New Duke RB Coach Rodney Freeman Duke’s new running backs coach is ready for action. 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