Furman University

Furman head football coach Clay Hendrix announced on April 30 that Dru Duke had assumed offensive line coaching duties for the Paladins.

Duke recently completed his third season as coach of Furman's tight ends.

"I'm excited to have Dru as our new offensive line coach," said Hendrix.  "He's been an integral part of our staff from the day we arrived in 2017 and is extremely bright and a great worker.   He has prepared well for this opportunity, and I have complete confidence in him.   The work he has done with our tight ends over the last three years speaks for itself, including the terrific play of Ryan Miller this year.  This will be a really smooth transition as we get ready for our fall schedule.

Duke's first season as a full-time assistant coach in 2018 saw the Paladins win six of their final seven games to claim a share of the program's 14th SoCon championship.  In the Paladins 35-30, title clinching road win over Mercer, tight end Jake Walker caught a pair of touchdown passes, including what proved to the game winner midway through the fourth quarter.

In 2019 Duke was part of a Paladin offensive staff that helped the Paladins average a league leading 33.5 points per game, which keyed Furman to an 8-5 campaign, FCS Playoff appearance, and AFCA No. 19 final national ranking.

This past season he oversaw the play of three quality Paladin tight ends, including Miller, who earned consensus All-SoCon honors after catching a SoCon leading six touchdowns.

A Easley, S.C., native and 2018 Furman graduate with a degree in math & economics, Duke joined the Paladin program as a walkon linebacker in 2014.  After one year in uniform he began his coaching career as a student assistant, working with both the Paladin offensive line and later with Furman's defense.