Duke Blue Devils quarterback Maalik Murphy made a controversial move after throwing a touchdown pass against Virginia Tech, raising his middle fingers towards the sky. The 20-year-old signal-caller threw for 332 yards and three touchdowns, all to Eli Pancol, in a 31-28 win over the Hokies.
The post-touchdown celebration sparked a reaction from Duke head coach Manny Diaz, who said on Monday that Murphy faces internal discipline for his actions. Diaz explained that Murphy’s gesture was directed at offensive coordinator Jonathan Brewer, who made a “remark in jest” during a team practice earlier in the week.
According to Brewer, he had made a comment about the need for a quarterback to complete a post route for a touchdown, and Murphy took it as a challenge. The middle fingers were captured on the ACC Network broadcast, with Brewer himself spotting the gesture on a replay.
Duke finishes its season on Saturday with a matchup against Wake Forest.