Duke's Maalik Murphy faces internal discipline for obscene gesture, coach says

Duke Blue Devils backmost Maalik Murphy caused immoderate contention implicit the play erstwhile helium raised his mediate fingers toward the entity aft throwing a touchdown walk against Virginia Tech.

Murphy threw for 332 yards and 3 touchdowns successful the 31-28 triumph implicit the Hokies. Each touchdown was thrown to Eli Pancol.

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Duke Blue Devils backmost Maalik Murphy, #6, smiles during the 2nd fractional of the crippled against Virginia Tech Hokies astatine Wallace Wade Stadium successful Durham, North Carolina, connected Nov. 23, 2024. (Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images)

However, the middle-finger incidental was capable to spark a absorption from Duke caput manager Manny Diaz, who said Monday the backmost faces interior subject implicit it.

Diaz explained that Murphy’s motion was directed toward violative coordinator Jonathan Brewer pursuing "banter" betwixt them earlier the game. 

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Duke Blue Devils caput manager Manny Diaz watches from the sideline against the Miami Hurricanes during the 2nd 4th astatine Hard Rock Stadium successful Miami Gardens, Florida, connected Nov. 2, 2024. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

"There was a signifier successful the mediate of past week erstwhile we throwing station aft station aft post, and we weren’t completing them," Diaz said. "And it was again and again and again and again. And astatine the extremity of that, determination was a remark made successful jest that, ‘If you propulsion a station for a touchdown successful the game, past you tin flick maine off,’ from Coach Brewer."

The mediate fingers were captured connected the ACC Network broadcast. Brewer said helium saw Murphy marque the motion connected a replay.

"Some things you accidental connected the tract erstwhile you’re coaching evidently isn’t meant to beryllium taken virtually erstwhile you’re trying to get aft idiosyncratic successful that world," helium said.

Duke backmost Maalik Murphy, #6, looks to propulsion during the 2nd fractional of an NCAA assemblage shot crippled against Virginia Tech successful Durham, North Carolina, connected Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)

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Duke finishes the play connected Saturday against Wake Forest.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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