The Duke Blue Devils walked away from Week 1 with a 17-3 victory over Tulane at Wallace Wade Stadium.

It was a great effort from the Blue Devils on the defensive side of the ball, but the offense still has several things to figure out. Duke now heads into an early road test against Illinois this Saturday.

The Illini aren't necessarily considered a powerhouse in the mighty Big Ten this season, but it will be a challenge for the Blue Devils to walk away with a signature win on the road. Here are three key storylines to follow on Saturday.

Can Walker Eget Show Improvement and Secure Starting Job?

It's no secret that Walker Eget was not good enough in his Duke debut. The San Jose State transfer may already be at risk of losing his starting job if he does not show improvement in Week 2.

Eget finished the contest against Tulane 13-of-26 (50%) passing for 131 yards. He missed several throws that would have resulted in big plays against the Green Wave and has to show some level of improvement in Week 2.

The sixth-year player didn't look comfortable, and redshirt freshman Dan Mahan is waiting on the sidelines for a potential opportunity. When Manny Diaz brought in Mahan for a few plays early in the fourth quarter (none were throws), it seemed like there were some "boos" toward Eget when he returned to the field.

Simply put, Eget has to look competent against the Fighting Illini. If Duke stays competitive on the road against a Big Ten opponent and the game comes down to Eget's lack of offensive execution, ultimately costing the Blue Devils a win, a quarterback change could be in store.

I think fans should stay patient with Eget, given he underwent offseason surgery, missed the entire spring, and is in a new system. However, that can only be used to defend the newcomer for so long. He doesn't have to be a superstar, but he has to lead the offense and generate some sort of consistency.

Can Nate Sheppard Follow Up His Elite Debut?

Duke star sophomore running back Nate Sheppard put up one of the best performances in all of college football last weekend. As the lone bright spot for the Blue Devils offensively, Sheppard tallied 35 carries for 227 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 6.5 yards per carry. Sheppard accounted for 246 yards of total offense; the rest of Duke's offensive unit accounted for 135.

It's pretty clear this offense will run through Sheppard, but can he recreate the video-game-like performance against a Big Ten defense? Illinois opened up its regular season with a 42-23 win over UAB. The Illini allowed UAB to rush for 194 yards and a touchdown on 48 carries, averaging 4.0 yards per attempt.

It is probably wishful thinking to assume Sheppard will go for 200 or more yards and multiple scores once again, but he will be the catalyst for the Blue Devils on offense and will be fed the ball. This will also be a great test for Duke's new-look offensive line, which looked stellar in Week 1 against the Green Wave.

Sheppard is already turning heads, but another big-time game against a Power Conference foe could really put him on the map.

Can Duke's Secondary Prove It Is Taking a Step Forward?

Duke was terrible against the pass a season ago, ranking 15th in the ACC in passing yards allowed per game (276.8) and last in total passing yards allowed (3,875). With new faces in this season's unit, I thought they looked very solid in Week 1.

Western Kentucky transfer Dylan Flowers had three tackles and a pass deflection, and Montana transfer Kyon Loud had two tackles and a pass deflection of his own. This will be a big test for the secondary, which needs to improve from last season's product.

Against UAB, Illinois totaled 13 receptions for 182 yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback Katin Houser went for 182 passing yards and three touchdowns, and Collin Dixon led the Illini receiving corps with six catches for 70 yards and two touchdowns.

With all the improvement Duke must make offensively, the secondary also needs to show it is taking strides. This will be a fun challenge for fans to see where the Blue Devils are at in that regard. This is a big opportunity for Diaz and Co. to make some early noise against a marquee opponent.