DURHAM – The update on quarterback Riley Leonard’s injured right ankle was about as positive as it could have been.

Coach Mike Elko said Leonard is “day-to-day” and “making really, really strong progress” after suffering the injury 10 days ago in the final minute of a 21-14 loss to Notre Dame.

“He was out moving around, throwing the ball this morning,” Elko said at his Monday afternoon news conference. “We’ll see what happens this weekend, but I do think the outlook is really positive for the rest of the season.”

There is nothing definitive about whether Duke will have its third-year QB against N.C. State this weekend (8 p.m. Saturday). Elko reiterated that he’ll be considered day-to-day.

Given how the injury looked and the immediate aftershock, that Leonard is expected back this season is fortunate.

When we last saw Leonard, he was sacked by Notre Dame’s Howard Cross III, with his right leg buckling and bending under the defensive tackle. Leonard was helped off of the field by teammates, and then several minutes after the Sept. 30 loss ended, he crutched his way across the field and into Duke’s tunnel to the locker room.

Leonard has completed 79 of 126 passes (62.7%) this season for 912 yards and three touchdowns, with his only interception coming against Notre Dame. He is Duke’s leading rusher, with 326 yards and four touchdowns on 47 carries.

How effective Leonard is as a runner, and the nature of dealing with an ankle injury, won’t play a factor in whether he plays against N.C. State.

“I don’t think it matters,” Elko said. “Obviously, Riley is such a huge competitor. When he’s ready to go, he’s going to go.”

The competitiveness means Leonard spent a lot of time last week rehabbing his ankle.

“He’s extremely competitive in every aspect of his life,” Elko said of his QB. “And so, he’s attacking this rehab about six, seven hours a day. I think he’s on a mission to get back and not miss any games. I think that’s his thought process.

“We’ll see whether that’s a reality or not. But when he’s ready to go, he’ll be our quarterback.”

Duke’s backup is Henry Belin IV, a second-year quarterback from New York. The 6-3, 210-pounder has a raw skillset that involves a cannon for an arm, but has needed some fine-tuning over the last year and a few months in the program.

Belin’s development was on display in the Blue Devils’ Week 2 win over Lafayette. He was 8-for-8 for 118 yards and a touchdown pass to Jordan Moore, and also ran in a score.

“He’s got tremendous arm talent, he can make all of the throws,” Elko said of Belin. “Any time we put him in position to go out there and execute the offense, he’s done it.”

Speaking of Moore, that could be another option at quarterback for Elko and his staff. The junior was a quarterback in his first season at Duke and was in a battle for the starting job with Leonard until about halfway through last year’s fall camp.

Moore has since found a home at receiver, where he is the Blue Devils’ leading receiver (24 catches, 313 yards, three touchdowns) this season. Moving Moore back to quarterback would give Duke a dynamic athlete and runner in the backfield and could alleviate some pressure from Belin — though it would also remove one of the Blue Devils’ two consistent receivers from the perimeter.

In other injury news from Duke, left tackle Graham Barton and cornerback Myles Jones are expected back against N.C. State. Elko said if Duke’s game against Notre Dame had been two days later, they could’ve played.