It was a one possession game in what proved to be Duquesne Football’s NEC Championship game on the road at Merrimack when a big play was needed, and Jack Dunkley seized the moment.
The then freshman defensive lineman hurried the quarterback, got a sack and forced a fumble Duquesne recovered and then four plays later the Dukes created separation on the scoreboard, helping secure a championship.
Now two games into his sophomore season, he has picked right back up from where he left off being a clear standout in contests which Duquesne traveled to play multiple FBS programs.
“He just works extremely hard, is long, and he’s a tough, physically put together kid,” Duquesne coach Jerry Schmitt observed. “He just works really hard and I’m glad he gets rewarded. We’re looking for big things from him moving forward.”
Dunkley started last year with not much expectation to play and did not make the travel squad halfway through the season, but it was his mindset which helped him stay the course.
“I really wasn’t expecting much playing time, and my name was called and I was ready,” he stated. “Every single day you’ve got to go to work, and you never know when your name is going to be called. You’ve just got to fight every single day.”
In this young season, Dunkley has amassed five tackles and two sacks, also forcing a fumble against Toledo and Boston College.
While neither game resulted in wins, both individual results did showcase Dunkley’s ability and that it has only provided more fuel to keep working daily to achieve more.
Schmitt consistently mentions Dunkley’s example to his team, especially younger players who can get tired on practice or may not have a starting role on the team.
While Duquesne is 0-2, there is plenty of motivation for Saturday afternoon’s contest at Youngstown State, the team which ended its season a year ago at the NCAA DI FCS Championship First Round.
“We left a lot out on that field last year, so we’re going into this week with a little chip on our shoulder and we’re looking to end up on the other side of that scoreboard,” determined Dunkley.
