10 Duquesne football players represent the program on the 2023 Phil Steele Preseason All-NEC teams.
No Duquesne players ranked on the preseason first-team rankings, but the second team is full of Dukes. Seven members of the Dukes rank on the second team, wide receiver Joey Isabella, offensive lineman Michael Dorundo, defensive lineman Kevin Kurzinger, linebacker Shane Stump, defensive back Tim Lowery, and kicker Brian Bruzdewicz.
Quarterback Darius Perrantes, defensive back CJ Barnes, and punter Michael Berarducci were placed on the third team.
Ayden Garnes has the NEC on notice entering his redshirt-sophomore campaign as a second-team honoree for his ability at defensive back and third-team due to his kick return skills. Garnes averaged 21.5 yards per return in 2022 in eight runbacks for Duquesne.
Perrantes, alongside head coach Jerry Schmitt and defensive back Ezekiel Daure, represented the program earlier this month at NEC Football Media Day in New York.
The Dukes face Edinboro at home on Sept. 2 to begin the 2023 season before facing their most formidable challenge of the year. Duquesne battles West Virginia in Morgantown the following week, which begins a stretch of four-straight road games.
This season marks the first time since 2019 that Duquesne begins the year in their home facilities. The Phil Steele rankings are accumulated from the college football magazine’s FCS coverage at PhilSteele.com.
