Riley Leonard throws the ball against the Clemson Tigers during the first half of a big 28-7 win at Wallace Wade Stadium on September 4. Lance King/Getty Images CNN —
You might think that being the star quarterback of a football team and helping lead your school to a famous upset victory would help a request in asking for a homework deadline extension.
Well, for Duke quarterback Riley Leonard, he found out that is not the case.
On Monday night, Leonard played a starring role in helping the unfancied Duke Blue Devils topple No. 9 seed Clemson 28-7 to record the program’s first win over an AP top-10 ranked team since 1989 in their 2023 season opener.
The junior quarterback threw for 175 yards and rushed for 98 yards, including a 44-yard touchdown run as Duke outscored Clemson 22-0 in the second half to record a memorable victory.
In a video posted on social media after the game, Leonard requested an extension to homework which was due in on the day of the game.
However, even with the excellent performance, Leonard’s professor was not swayed.
Donald H. Taylor, professor in the Sanford School of Public Policy, responded to Leonard’s request with a congratulatory message before explaining his reasoning.
“Wesley Williams and the other linemen who were in the class, they said they prepared ahead and did it ahead of time, so why didn’t the quarterback?” Taylor said.
“So no way, man. No extension.”
Duke faces the Lafayette Leopards on Saturday, so Leonard will need to make sure he has completed any outstanding homework assignments to avoid any such issues this weekend.