Duke’s defense will be short a couple of players the first quarter of the season, the school has announced.
Defensive tackle Brandon Boyce and safety Phillip Carter have been suspended for the first three games of the upcoming season. No reason, not even the vague “unspecified violations of team rules,” was given for the twin suspensions.
Duke opens the season at home against North Carolina Central and hosts Wake Forest the following Saturday before traveling to Northwestern in Week 3. Boyce and Carter would be eligible to return for the Sept. 24 game at Notre Dame.
Both players will be permitted to practice with the team throughout the week through the length of their game suspensions.
A redshirt junior, Carter has played in 21 games the past two seasons, including two starts last season. He entered summer camp as the starter at the Rover safety position.
Boyce played in 13 games as a true freshman last season, totaling 24 tackles and four tackles for loss.