Duke quarterback Thomas Sirk has been granted an extension of eligibility by the NCAA. Based on the ruling, Sirk is eligible to participate in the 2017 football season.
“I’m so grateful to have a sixth year to continue my dream of playing college football and, academically, work towards another degree from Duke University,” Sirk said.
Sirk did not play for the Blue Devils this year, which was scheduled to serve as his fifth season of eligibility. He suffered a partial tear of his left Achilles tendon during a practice on August 25. Despite the injury, he was elected as a team captain for the 2016 season. Sirk had ruptured his left Achilles tendon on Feb. 9, 2016 and missed the 2013 campaign after suffering a ruptured right Achilles tendon in April of that year.
A 6-4, 220-pound native of Glen St. Mary, Fla., Sirk started 12 games in 2015 and completed 251-of-427 (.588) passes for 2,625 yards with 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions while rushing for a team-best 803 yards and eight scores on 163 attempts. Sirk’s 3,428 total offensive yards rank as the second highest single-season total in school history, trailing only Anthony Dilweg’s 3,713 yards in 1988.
In the ACC, Sirk finished the 2015 season ranking third in total offensive yards per game (285.7), fifth in passing yards per game (218.8) and 10th in rushing yards per game (66.9). In addition, he guided an offense that was one of just three units in the league to rank among the conference’s top five in scoring offense, total offense, rushing offense and passing offense, joining Clemson and North Carolina.
Sirk guided Duke to a 44-41 overtime win over Indiana in the 2015 New Era Pinstripe Bowl by compiling 318 yards of total offense while rushing for two touchdowns and throwing for a third score and was named the game’s co-MVP along with running back Shaun Wilson.