Duke Blog
August 15, 2011
2011 Duke Football Preview
By Chris Bunn
Its that time of year again. Got the window flags ready, face paint aplenty and enough beer to help me forget if Duke actually loses to Richmond for a third straight time.
Duke seems poised to have an uphill year after finishing 2010 with what is now a disappointing record (thank you David Cutcliffe, seriously) at 3-9. In the middle of the Franks-Roof era, getting three wins in a season would have been glorious. We’re talking about an era in which most of the die hards got the season schedule, thumbed down the list of games and tried to figure out, which one could they win. One. Singular.
Now, thank Cut, Duke fields a team that is capable of beating anyone on its schedule. Anyone. Plural.
Returning is pretty much everyone of importance on the offensive side of the ball as Duke returns over 93% of the offensive production from a year ago highlighted by Sean Renfree. Over his last five games, Renfree through for over 250 yards in each contest with no interceptions in four of the five.
Helping him out is a stable of weapons that should produce a record settting season at the Wade. The running backs, who split carries like a stable, all return. The best of them is Desmond Scott, a former four star all purpose back that led the team in rushing in 2010. Backing him up is a log jam but keep an eye on Juwan Thompson, perhaps the best athlete on the team, as a breakout star.
The receivers are familiar as the Killer V’s return, supplemented by Brandon Braxton who averaged 12.9 yards per catch last season which was good enough for second on the team. Assuming a larger role this year, I expect him to give Duke a third receiver capable of going off for 100+ yards any given game.
The offensive line also looks to be the best of Cutcliffe’s tenure as the team loses Bryan Morgan, a three year starter, and Brandon Harper, a UFA signed by the Jaguars. However, despite the losses, Duke actually returns the fifth most starts in the ACC with 77, which is 41st nationally. With a heightened focus on the running game, the Duke offense should experience much more balance and be a more potent threat in the redzone. I expect them to top 400 points for the first time under Cutcliffe.
Defensively, the Blue Devils return six starters but return twenty lettermen, which should make the shift to a 4-2-5 a bit easier.
Leading tackler Abraham Kromah is gone as well as Damian Thornton from the linebacking crew but promising rookie Kelby Brown returns from a knee injury for his sophomore season. As it stands now, the other linebacker spot remains an open competition. Many players could jump up and grab it including Austin Gamble, Auggie Campbell or true freshman David Helton.
The line returns two starters but loses 44% of their tackles as Patrick Egboh and Wesley Oglesby have graduated. This is a unit that will rely on two sophomores heavily, Sydney Sarmiento and Justin Foxx. Both showed flashes of ACC level talent as true freshmen but will need to become consistent pass rushers to take some heat off of a secondary that gave up 242 yards passing a game last season.
In that secondary, that will hold in a nickel package for the majority of the game, the top four tacklers return and lose only Chris Rwabukamba. Ross Cockrell was the first true freshman to lead the team in interceptions and showed a lot of progress and promise as the season wore on. The safety position looks like the deepest place in the defense as Walt Canty, Matt Daniels and Lee Butler combined for 15 passes broken up and 214 tackles. I expect this unit to finish in the top 75 in passing defense after finishing #102 in Phil Steele’s Passing Defense Ratings.
Richmond: The season opens with Richmond, owners of a two game win streak over Duke. However, this Spider team isn’t the same having gone 6-5 last season in the FCS as opposed to coming off a national championship the last time Duke and Richmond squared off. If Duke wants to be a bowl team this season, starting off with a win against Richmond is imperative. Since Mike London and Dave Clawson are no longer on the sidelines I expect Duke to win.
Stanford: The Luck of the Cardinal. Andrew Luck is back but Jim Harbaugh is not. The Cardinal will travel to Wallace Wade and should come in as a top ten team. Stepfan Taylor is an elusive back that also has home run capabilities. The defense will probably not stack up to last years squad, one that gave up 200 yards per game passing so I think Duke will hang in it for three quarters but ultimately lose.
Boston College: The Eagles could very well have the ACC OPOY and DPOY and not go bowling. Duke is a game they will be circling on their schedule as a must win if they have post season dreams. In Frank Spaziani’s two years at BC, his home record is 10-4. This will be an uphill battle for Duke, especially running the ball so I expect a loss for the Blue Devils.
Tulane: The Green Wave actually boast a player that would be one of the anchors for Duke’s defense this season. Trent Mackey, a transfer from Duke, was a 1st Team Conference USA linebacker last season with 124 tackles. He’ll be joined by seven other returning starters on defense, which is the good news. The bad news is that that defense gave up 37.2 points per game last season and ranked 67th in pass efficiency defense, all against the 25th EASIEST schedule. They also ranked dead last in Phil Steele’s special teams ratings. This should be a high scoring affair and I like Duke to win at home.
Florida International: At first glance, this could be chalked up as an easy W for Duke but it is absolutely not. Just four years removed from a 1-11 season, FIU went bowling last season and got the win. In their four BCS games last season, FIU went 0-4 but was within a touchdown at halftime of each game and actually outgained both Rutgers and Maryland. Here, they get Duke at home for homecoming and return 15 starters. FIU has an opportunity for a ten win season and Duke will need to play at their best to pull out a win. Since the Golden Panthers are 0-15 vs. BCS teams, I’m going to call Duke to get the win and cross my fingers.
Florida State: Quite honestly, this game should be a blowout. Duke will hang in for a quarter or so and put up a few points but the Seminoles have more talent and depth all across the board. Throw in the fact that FSU is 6-0 in Durham and have put up over 50 points in each of the last five contests at Wallace Wade. Duke will take a tough loss and focus its attention on Wake Forest.
Wake Forest: Another game that will be circled on the calendar. Wake has won the game I affectionately call the Tobacco Derby 11 straight times dating back to the last millennium. In order for Duke to go bowling, this is a must win. Wake will return nine starters on defense but will have to replace three of the top five tacklers. Sophomore DT Nikita Whitlock was named a 2nd Team Freshman All American with 10.5 tackles for a loss. The key will be the Duke passing game against a Wake secondary that will bring everyone back but need to make big strides. I think this is the year, Duke finally breaks through with a win.
Virginia Tech: Coach Cutcliffe had played the Hokies very well prior to last years debacle. Tech will be well into the season adjusting Logan Thomas to the starting role at QB and the defense likely wont miss a step and should still be one of the best units in the ACC. Jayron Hosley, the NCAA leader in Interceptions in 2010 returns in the Hokie secondary. Along with Eddie Whitley, the Hokies should have the best secondary in the league. Along with a deep receiving corp and a strong dual quarterback, VT looks poised to contend for the ACC crown and will walk out of Wallace Wade with a victory.
Miami, Fl: The Hurricanes get a little extra time to prepare for this game as they take on Virginia in a Thursday night game the previous week. The offense is once again led by Jacory Harris although Stephen Morris is pushing for the starting job. Four starters on the line and four of the top five receivers return to what could be the most potent offense in the Coastal. Hosting the Blue Devils for homecoming with a date with Florida State looming means that Miami will be sure to try to wrap up a win as soon as possible. However, it could also be a trap game with the FSU game having large conference title implications. I think Duke goes score for score for three quarters until Miami’s depth takes the win.
Virginia: David Cutcliffe is undefeated against the Wahoos and last years game was a score-for-score shootout. This will be the second year for Mike London and he gets the benefit of 18 returning starters including 10 on defense. It will also be the second year in the 4-3 defense so there should be huge improvements on the defensive numbers. The quarterback position is still unresolved but has a mix of veteran starters and highly touted freshmen. This should be another tight game and will come down to the battle in the trenches where Virginia has a slight edge. Home team eeks out a win and drops Duke for the first time since Cutcliffe took over.
Georgia Tech: Duke actually had a chance to go up by 11 late in the third quarter last season but a pick-six swung the momentum and the scoreboard in the Yellow Jackets favor. Tech went on to win but Duke showed a much improved understanding of how to stop the option. With more time to study it and a defensive scheme that should put more athletes on the field, this will be Duke’s best shot at a win yet. Josh Nesbitt is gone as is Anthony Allen. So are five of the top seven tacklers from last season. With an entirely new secondary, I like Sean Renfree to have his way through the air and Duke to steal a November win.
North Carolina: Hurricane Butch has come and gone and he left nine major NCAA violations in his wake. However, he left the cupboard full with NFL talent and it is up to interim head coach Everett Withers to right the ship. Right now, its impossible to tell what we’ll get from the Tar Heels. Will they rally around Withers and live up to their talent level? Or will they fall apart without Davis, quarterback T.J. Yates, and so many defensive mainstays? I’m going to say this is the year Duke takes back the Victory Bell for the sheer fact that they have fewer distractions and more certainty around the ball club.
Overall, I’ve got Duke definitely getting 4 wins, with a good chance for 5 and a coin flip for that 6th win at Chapel Hill. With that win, Duke would become bowl eligible for the first time in nearly 20 years and I will be there to witness it.
Chris Bunn is a contributing writer for Phil Steele, 5th Down Football, and now Football Nation.
September 26, 2010
Army Marches Through Duke
By Chris Bunn
There’s something to be said about being a Duke football fan. You would think by now, we’d be immune to the pain. Immune to the pain of overly optimistic expectations that almost always come crashing down; immune to the heartbreak and agony. But I’m not.
Yesterday was miserable. A miserable offense, a miserable defense and miserable heat. In fact, the only time I smiled
was with the emergence of Kelby Brown.
Brown exists as the lone bright spot from a day that went entirely against Duke.
Perhaps we should have known with the ominous foreshadowing that was a near pick six off of QB Sean Renfree’s second pass. Perhaps that thought should have been solidified when he through another near pick six on his fifth pass. After that, Army had built a 14 point lead that would prove to be the margin of victory.
It wasn’t just that Duke made mistakes (5 turnovers to Army’s 0) it was the fact that Army imposed their will on a Duke squad that many, including myself, predicted to win.
That’s my fault.
I grossly overestimated the Blue Devils talent. It appeared after two seasons of vast improvement that Duke was heading for a possible bowl this year. It appeared we would have a formidable offense and a competent defense. It appeared Duke would be 3-1 after 4 weeks or at the worst 2-2.
Instead, the Duke defense is giving up 44.5 points per game, bad enough for third to last in FBS football against Elon, Wake Forest, Alabama, and Army. Aside from the Tide there isn’t exactly an offensive juggernaut in the group.
What we Duke fans are having to face is the sad truth that Cutcliffe’s recruits aren’t ready for big time football. At least, not all. Kelby Brown, who went in for injured MLB Damian Thornton, played excellently in extended time and made many wonder why he hadn’t been on the field to begin with. Brown easily has the best play recognition skills of all the linebackers and might be the hardest hitter.
Sydney Sarmiento also heard his name called often yesterday as Duke switched to the 4-3 to contain the run. The DT registered 3 tackles on the day.
Unfortunately, no one was spectacular on defense, except for Brown, and conceded Army anything they wanted. 3 of Army’s 4 possessions in the first half ended in touchdowns. However, after Army scored their fifth touchdown of the day, Duke forced them into 4 consecutive punts. Army was also 8-17 on third downs.
After yesterday’s game, I searched the schedule looking for a game Duke might win. If Duke can’t beat Army, what makes anyone think they can beat Navy? Virginia looks like a vastly improved team and although Cutcliffe hasn’t lost to UVA, his team just doesn’t look equal.
Truth is, next weeks game at Maryland may be Duke’s last hope for a win this season.
September 24, 2010
Pivotal Test For Blue Devils
By Chris Bunn
What were they supposed to do? The defending national champion Alabama rolled into Wallace Wade stadium last weekend and dominated from start to finish. The Crimson Tide showed just how good they were and how wide the gap is between a national championship and Duke football is. However, many players left us wanting more. Josh Snead and Desmond Scott were actually able to find room on the ground for some big gains and have made many fans all but forget last years putrid running game.
The offensive line did surprisingly well against the Alabama line giving up only one sack and only two QB hurries. However, Renfree was rushed very often and forced more throws than he would have liked.
The Blue Devils looked outclassed in that showdown, however, I like to remain optimistic and look ahead.
The defense, as matador-like as they’ve been, shows a bit of potential in the likes of Justin Foxx (R-FR) and Kelby Brown (FR). With so many young guys on the field, its no wonder there have been more mistakes in coverage and assignments. The good news is that is all very fixable. The bad news is that it may take some time.
This weekend, time is not on their side.
Staring at 1-2 on the season, Duke is in another make or break game if they want to go bowling this postseason. A win this weekend puts them back at .500 and gives them momentum heading into a game at Maryland next weekend. A loss likely sends the season into the gutter for good.
Army comes to town with what will be the first of three triple option offenses on the Duke schedule. They will march into Wallace Wade Stadium with the 7th ranked rushing attack in the country. However, they also drag along the worst passing game.
The Black Knights have five rushers with over 100 yards already in an offense that emphasizes balance and unpredictability. Jared Hassin had a big game against Eastern Michigan, rushing for 68 yards and 3 touchdowns. With size bigger than most linebackers, 6’3” 235, Hassin will be tough to bring down single handedly. He is tied for the team lead in rushing with Patrick Mealy. Mealy is a shorter yet stout back that possesses a little more speed. Team them with QB Trent Steelman (awesome name) and you have a potent rushing attack.
The knock on Army, like I alluded to, is there poor passing game. Steelman doesn’t throw often and hasn’t completed more than five passes in a game this year. In fact, Army might not throw the ball at all if Duke’s defense continues to give up yards on the ground.
Offensively for Duke, the Black Knights are susceptible through the air, when thrown at. Hawaii is the closest match of the Army opponents so far to Duke and they were able to throw for 343 yards. However, with the emergence of Scott and Snead, I expect Duke to run the ball much better than Hawaii did and give Renfree some help.
Army does like to throw out different defensive sets, which bothered Duke in last years game, that is, until Sean Renfree came in in relief and helped seal the game.
I expect Army to put up a strong fight. They certainly know how to run and Duke certainly has shown some weakness there.
However, I think we’ll see some strides taken by the Duke defense this week and see an offense set loose.
PREDICTION (2-1 ON THE YEAR)
DUKE 30
ARMY 21
September 10, 2010
Duke vs Wake Forest Preview
By Chris Bunn
Duke hits the road this week for an ACC showdown with Wake Forest. The Deacons are on a ten game winning streak in the series, however, the last two trips to Winston-Salem have been Deacon wins by the skin of their teeth. If not for a failed field goal attempt at the end of each of the last two games, Duke might be have a bit more confidence.
The Blue Devils know the importance of the game as Coach David Cutcliffe has said this game is more important than when the defending champs, Alabama, come to town next weekend.
If Duke expects to finally reach a bowl this year, a win is imperative.
It won’t be easy as Wake Forest is led by a stable of running backs including former Cary High star, Josh Adams. Adams has emerged as the feature back for Jim Grobe’s offense that will focus heavily on the ground game this season. The reason for that is the gaping hole at QB. Ted Stachitas is used to filling that gap.
At Nease High School, Stachitas had the unenviable position of following Tim Tebow. This season, he follows another heralded signal caller in Riley Skinner. However, Skinner wasn’t always heralded as he began his career as the back up to Ben Mauk, a national record setting QB in high school that has gone on to have an up and down career including a stop at Cincinnati.
Stachitas, however, was underwhelming in his debut throwing for only 84 yards on 7 for 13 throwing. If Wake expects to move the ball, the offense must be 2 dimensional.
Wake’s passing defense gave up a surprising 292 yards through the air to Presbyterian, a team that went 0-11 last season in the FCS.
By comparison, Duke surrendered 281 yards passing to Elon, a team rated #6 in the FCS preseason poll and led by one of the top passers regardless of level, Scott Riddle.
Elon defeated Presbyterian 41-7 last year.
I expect Sean Renfree to pick apart the Wake secondary unless the Deacon front line can get pressure on him. I also expect the Wake running game to be able to control the ball and the clock.
The team with the last possession wins. For Duke’s sake, lets hope it doesn’t come down to a field goal.
PREDICTION
Duke 34
Wake 28
September 8, 2010
Duke Opens With Sell Out, Win
By Chris Bunn
Duke opened the 2010 season with a 41-27 victory of the visiting Elon Phoenix. Quarterback Sean Renfree threw for 350 yards and two touchdowns in his starting debut in front of a sell out crowd at Wallace Wade stadium. The talented redshirt sophomore hooked up with the Killer Vs, Donovan Varner and Connor Vernon, 17 times for 152 yards. Desmond Scott was the leading rusher for the Blue Devils with 15 carries for 77 yards.The Duke defense did pick off two passes but surrendered 406 yards of total offense to the Phoenix. The most deflating statistic might be the 6.0 yards per carry given up to a team without it’s leading rusher.
OBSERVATIONSRenfree looked incredibly poised and showed off his ability to check down on his targets and find the open man. He didn’t rush many throws and didn’t get himself in trouble. While the Elon secondary can be called patchwork at best, Renfree did well to weigh his options and make the smart decision.
The running game definitely is improving. The line was opening up holes much better than in last season’s opener against Richmond and the running backs were hitting them much quicker.
Desmond Scott should be the starter but he is losing ground quickly to true freshmen, Josh Snead and Juwan Thompson. Snead, in my opinion, is the best homerun threat of the group while Thompson is the strongest between the tackles. Scott is clearly the better receiver and knows the schemes, however, I’ll be very interested to see how the battle for carries shakes out as the freshmen get more comfortable in the offense.
Duke absolutely dominated time of possession. This might be a necessity if the Duke defense continues to give up 6 yards a carry.
The 3-4 scheme created more of a pass rush and allowed Duke to utilize their speed better on the ends. The linebackers were able to get into the backfield and disrupt Riddle on multiple occasions. It seemed like every other play, Riddle was picking grass out of his facemask.
The defensive backs must be taught to play the man and not the ball because they had several opportunities to turn around and make a play on lofted balls but did not react. This concerns me going forward.
Senior Austin Kelly did not start however true frosh Brandon Braxton did see time on the field. This surprised because it is a redshirt that need not be burned as WR might be Duke’s deepest position.
I really want to see Josh Snead and Juwan Thompson returning kicks. They are simply playmakers.
Brandon Connette had a 48 yard run late in the game. A curious call as Duke was in a position to kneel and run out the clock. The one time I’ve ever frowned at a Cutcliffe coaching decision.
LOOKING FORWARD
Duke takes on Wake Forest this weekend to open ACC play on the road. The Deacs dominated Presbyterian, who finished 0-11 last year, 53-13. They amassed 415 yards on the ground by 10 different rushers. However, they also gave up 292 yards through the air (68 on a trick play involving a bounced lateral) to a poor Blue Hose passing game.
Wake has a 10 game winning streak in the series and if Duke expects to make a bowl this season, it’s a must win game in Week 2.
August 30, 2010
Week 1: Elon vs Duke
By Chris Bunn
It’s that time of year again. The field is painted. The vendors are stocked. You can practically smell the bratwurst and burgers already. The 2010 season is about to kickoff and Duke welcomes yet another tough FCS opponent to Wallace Wade Stadium, this time the Elon Phoenix are prepping for the Blue Devils.
The Phoenix enter the season ranked #6 in the FCS, narrowly losing in the playoffs to Richmond. A team Duke knows all too well.
Believe it or not, Elon may have the edge at quarterback in this matchup. Elon starting QB Scott Riddle is a fourth year starter in Pete Lembo’s Run and Gun system. Riddle already owns the Southern Conference record for career passing touchdowns with 78.
Duke fans will note that Thad Lewis became only the second ACC QB to throw for 10,000 yards in his fourth year as a starter last season. Riddle has already eclipsed that mark.
Riddle, who doubles as the Elon third baseman in the offseason, will lead an offense that returns seven starters. However, the biggest loss is All American WR Terrell Hudgins. Hudgins broke Jerry Rice’s FCS career records for touchdowns and receiving yards.
The offensive line lost three members of a unit that gave up 26 sacks, including two 1st Team All SoCon linemen in Chris Werden and David Harrison. While the offensive line may be a bit porous, the running game should be just fine as they return their top 4 rushers including 2nd Team All SoCon Jamal Shuman.
Defensively, Elon was one of the best teams in the entire country last season. The Phoenix ranked 4th in defensive yards per game (248 ypg), 3rd in defensive scoring (13.2 ppg), 2nd in third down defense (23.2% conversion rate) and 17th in turnover margin (+0.83 per game).
This unit returns just six starters after losing 1st Team All SoCon linemen Eric Ludwig and Andre Campbell. This leaves the defensive line searching for help and adds pressure to the linebackers and secondary. Fortunately, for Coach Jay Bateman, his top 3 tacklers return including captain Joshua Jones who registered 89 tackles, 2 sacks, 5 tackles for loss and 2 interceptions.
Dale Riley, #2 returning tackler, moves from LB to SS to help out with a secondary that lost almost everyone from the #5 ranked pass defense in the FCS.
MATCH UPS
Duke holds the talent and speed advantage at all positions with, perhaps, an exception at QB. However, Sean Renfree is undoubtedly a better NFL prospect and may have better tools, the fact remains that Scott Riddle is the most prolific passer in the FCS and Renfree has yet to start a college game.
Expect Duke to actually have a running game in this one as Elon is struggling to replace talent on the DL and expect Renfree to ease into his first start as the Phoenix have no experience in the secondary.
Riddle will do well but not well enough.
PREDICTION
Duke 38
Elon 17
August 23, 2010
From Blue Collar to Blue Devil
By Chris Bunn
Smithfield, North Carolina is a small, farming town most famously known for its hot dogs and tobacco. The town has a blue collar nature which is epitomized by the mom and pop restaurants and a school with strong agricultural programs. So the fact that a hard working kid from Johnston County is on the cusp of greatness should only surprise those on the outside.
Joshua Snead is that kid.
Snead enrolled at Duke University in the spring after graduating from Smithfield-Selma High School and has made an instant impact to the Blue Devil running game that could use his spectacular speed.
As a freshman and sophomore, Snead attended nearby South Johnston High School and led the Trojans to a 17-6 record and two state playoff births. In the summer of 2008, Snead left South Johnston and transferred to Smithfield-Selma to be coached by former NC State running back Anthony Barbour and his triple option offense. Barbour is the #5 all time leading rusher in Wolfpack history so it's fair to say he knows a thing or two about the running game.
Snead found himself in an offensive backfield with two highly touted seniors, DJ Bunn and Justin Dixon. Dixon was the #4 ranked sam linebacker in the nation and served as the bulldozer in the option. Bunn was an electric runner that played quarterback, however, rarely attempted more than ten passes in a game. Both were slated to play at UNC in 2009 under Butch Davis but due to academic reasons, Dixon is now at East Carolina while Bunn found himself spending a year at Hargrave before matriculating to UNC.
As a part of this backfield, Snead amassed 965 yards on the ground and 15 touchdowns. If that wasn't enough, he tallied 83 tackles and 2 interceptions playing safety. His durability has never been a question as he played over 90% of all snaps his junior year on his way to being named team MVP.
With Bunn and Dixon graduating, Snead became the feature back for the Spartans running game. He had as many as 55 carries in one game on his way to racking up 1932 yards and 27 touchdowns. Adding more validity to the claim of his durability, he also returned kicks, three of which to pay dirt. While the Spartans finished just 4-7, Snead was named team MVP (again), All Greater Neuse Conference and All Area. SuperPrep also chose him to the All Mid Atlantic team.
He was selected to the NC squad for the annual NC-SC Shrine Bowl, along with all the top players from the Carolinas, where he rushed nine times for 33 yards.
That's not even his full athletic resume.
He also found time to set school records in the 100 and 200 meter dashes (10.33 and 21.6 seconds respectively) and finished 5th (100m) and 6th (200m) at the state championships. As a sophomore, he won a 3A state title at South Johnston as part of their 4x100 relay team.
All while maintaining a 4.2 GPA.
A blue collar worker, a blue chip prospect and now, a Blue Devil.
August 6, 2010
Duke Raises The Bar in 2010
By Chris Bunn
In 2009, Duke shot off to a 5-3 start and aimed for their first bowl bid since 1994. Unfortunately, they fell shy of that goal, losing four straight to finish the year.
Entering the 2010 season, Duke is back after the same goal. Only this time, they are faster, stronger and battle tested.
Speed is the number one thing Coach David Cutcliffe has tried to bring to Duke football and he has succeeded. It starts at the skill positions. Wide receivers Donovan Varner, Connor Vernon and Tyree Watkins are all speedsters that are capable of home runs plays. They are joined by Austin Kelly, a big pass catcher with experience, and Corey Gattis, a shifty slot receiver.
At running back, Cutcliffe has done well to mix speed with power. The top three rushers from last season return, led by super sophomore Desmond Scott. The Durham native accounted for just 285 yards on only 70 carries. However, the promising stat is the 3.7 yards per carry as a true frosh. Even so, the Duke rushing attack scared no one last year. While the passing game finished 9th in all of the FBS, the ground game finished dead last. Duke, as a team, only accounted for more than 100 yards on the ground once, against NC Central, a game that did not even count towards bowl eligibility.
As a boost, Cutcliffe signed two promising backs in Josh Snead and Juwan Thompson. Snead wowed everyone in spring practice with his speed and agility and will like be third on the depth chart and returning kicks, come September 4th. Thompson, is a wrecking ball that sticks to running north-south. As a HS senior, he accounted for 1622 yards and 22 touchdowns. Jay Hollingsworth, a junior, returns as the veteran of the group and should see a lot of carries in goal line and third down situations.
But speed alone won’t carry the Blue Devils. Much of their success will be determined by first year starting quarterback Sean Renfree. Renfree, a top ten quarterback from the 2008 class, showed flashes of promise before an ACL injury sidelined him for most of the winter and spring. The 6’3” signal caller is known for his throwing touch, which will be important in Duke’s high paced passing attack. It’s said that Renfree is back at 100% and for Duke to reach a bowl, they’ll need him to be.
Ensuring his health will be a stronger offensive line. Four of the five starters return as well as versatile tight ends, Brandon King and Brett Huffman. This is easily Cutcliffe’s biggest (each starter is at least 6’3” ) and best offensive line in his tenure. Senior Bryan Morgan returns to anchor the line with Kyle Hill, a freshman All America two seasons ago.
Defensively, Duke will have to replace a lot of experience and talent but the staff believes they’ve recruited enough speed and hard hitters to make the transition easy. Each unit of the defense lost key contributors and in the defensive line’s case, several.
Ayanga Okpokowuruk, Vince Oghobaase, and John Drew all vacate the line. Drew was dismissed for an on campus gun incident while Oghobaase and Okpokowuruk are taking their shot at the NFL.
As a result, new defensive coordinator, Jim Knowles and old guard Marion Hobby are switching things up. Duke will utilize a 3-4 defense to put more of their speedy linebackers on the field and cover up the gaping hole at defensive tackle. Fortunately, the three starters, Patrick Egboh, Charlie Hatcher, and Wesley Oglesby, are veterans with 41 career starts under their belts. The line should hold up well but creating a pass rush will be an issue.
The linebacking corp is an intriguing spot for this year’s team because five of the top six return but the upperclassmen are being pushed by the young guns. Kevin Rojas, a redshirt freshman who excelled in the spring, is expected to join the three seniors, Adam Banks, Damian Thornton and Abraham Kromah. Sophomores Tyree Glover and Austin Gamble, two heavy hitters, and August Campbell, a physical freak that blew away all other linebackers in the weight room, are pushing them for playing time.
The secondary looks to be the bright spot for the Duke defense that gave up 29.9 points per game last season. Catron Gainey is gone at free safety but should be easily replaced by Jordan Byas, another speedster. Johnny Williams, the former slot receiver, moves over to cornerback and will see a lot of action either starting opposite of Chris Rwabukamba or behind Ross Cockrell. Matt Daniels is the stud of the secondary, gathering 83 tackles and 6 pass break ups last year. He’s the hammer in the backfield and if opposing receivers aren’t careful going over the middle, they’re likely to feel the hammer drop.
Now, the third year is usually when you see what direction the team will be heading under a new coaching staff. So far, Duke has done nothing but progress since Cutcliffe settled down in Durham but three questions linger as we enter this pivotal season.
1) Ever since Cutcliffe turned down Tennessee and reasserted his commitment to the program recruiting has picked up. What kind of steps in recruiting should Duke fans expect now?
2) Will the game plan of speed, speed, speed begin to pay off?
3) How will the young talent progress as they continue to push the veterans ahead of them for playing time?
September 4th can’t get here soon enough.
Send me feedback at cbunn@elon.edu
November 2, 2009
Duke - UNC Preview
By: Christopher Bunn
Coming into the season, much was made of the decision to move the Duke-UNC football game from its annual spot of closing out the season, to the middle of the ACC schedule. The move was rumored to have been made in part because of how poor the game typically was, after all UNC and Duke tend to have 2 of the worst teams in the conference. It was also rumored to be moved in favor of closing out the year with what seemed to be a better matchup, having NC State close out the season with UNC. Tom O’Brien even went so far as to say he hated it because it could mean a rematch in the ACC title game.
Have you ever seen a decision backfire completely only to somehow work out in the end?
In actuality, the move was made for better attendance since the game was typically scheduled during Thanksgiving, which means far fewer students and families that travel for the holiday. The result is a matchup of two teams riding emotional highs.
After both State and UNC struggled to open up ACC play, it appears Duke is the best team on Tobacco Road and proof could come this weekend. After dismantling NC State on the road, Duke has surged through ACC play with two more wins and now stands in second place in the Coastal division at 3-1 in conference play.
UNC is coming off a huge upset of nationally-ranked Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, its first conference win of the season. While UNC still occupies last place in the ACC all alone, Duke should not overlook them. They won’t.
Duke enters the game 6th in the country in passing offense led by senior Thad Lewis who has 340+ yards in every ACC game with 10 TDs and only 2 INTs. Much like the Virginia game, the key will be what happens when Duke has the ball, which Coach David Cutcliffe has got to love.
Duke’s potent passing attack will be matched up with a stingy UNC defense, which stands #1 in scoring defense, total defense and rushing defense in the ACC. They also rank 3rd in the conference in passing defense. However, the only team with a comparable offense to Duke’s that UNC has played is Florida State. UNC surrendered 395 yards through the air to Christian Ponder along with 3 TDs.
Duke averages 20 more yards through the air than the Seminoles.
On the flip side of the ball, Duke possesses a defense that has played exceptionally well since giving up 44 points to Kansas in week 3, part of the reason Duke is 4-1 since that game. The best comparison for UNC’s offense of the teams Duke has faced so far is Virginia, a team that likes to establish the run but will flounder if you force them to pass.
Duke did a great job of stuffing the run against Virginia and if not for a couple of long pass plays after a 4th and 1, would have held the Cavs to under 150 yards on the game.
Keep in mind, Virginia beat UNC a few weeks ago, 16-3.
If this game were played on paper, there would be no doubt in my mind that Duke would go in to Kenan Stadium and dominate. However, this game is always close and if Duke had even an average kicker the last few years, it would at least have won 2 of the last 3. All that said, UNC still hasn’t lost in this series since 2003 and prior to that it was 1989 when Steve Spurrier ran up the score on the Tar Heels then posed for the now infamous picture in front of the scoreboard.
The way I see it, Duke and subsequently Thad Lewis, Vince Oghobaase, Vinny Rey and Requan Boyette are due and would love nothing better than to solidify themselves as a contender for the ACC crown and furthermore, solidify UNC as the cellar dweller in the ACC.
Blue Devils 27
Tar Heels 17
Expect to see the victory bell leading the Devils out of the gate when the take on Georgia Tech for the division lead.
October 26, 2009
Duke Slides by Maryland
By: Christopher Bunn
In what I’m dubbing the Monsoon Melee, Duke was able to hold off the Terrapins in a sloppy matchup on Saturday in front of 24, 000 strong at Wallace Wade, a crowd surprisingly large considering the conditions and events of the weekend.
On Duke’s opening drive, Maryland forced them to go three and out after Donovan Varner dropped a sure first down pass. It was the only three and out on the day for the Devils. Duke followed with a strong defensive stand on 4th and 2 when the Terps marched down to the Duke 32 yard line.
After the initial drives of both teams, the offenses started to click, however, not how offenses typically do in the rain. With both teams coming in averaging under 100 yards per game on the ground (bottom two in the ACC), everyone expected there to be a lot of passing. But as the rain began to pick up, we began speculating just how ugly this game would be if both teams had to run the ball.
Both tried, neither succeeded.
Duke QB Thaddeus Lewis had his 3rd consecutive 300+ yard game, completing 30 of 43 passes for 371 yards and 2 touchdowns. Without a running game, Duke turned to it’s leader and told him to air it out like they have the last few weeks. And, like the last few weeks, he delivered. Lewis is 3-1 in his last 4 games and is making a great case for 1st Team All ACC despite heavy competition.
Donovan Varner and Connor Vernon both had 100 yard receiving games and both would have had touchdowns were it not for a bad call taking away a touchdown from Vernon. The V Boys continue their stellar play this year ranking in the top 5 in receiving yards in the ACC. Austin Kelly also ranks in the top 10 in receptions and yards.
When a late Duke drive in the 4th quarter was halted by a Lewis fumble on the 1 yard line, despite a video replay that seemed to point to the contrary, Maryland had a chance to comeback and when the game. However, Vinny Rey picked off Chris Turner at the Maryland 36 to apparently seal the Terps fate. However, the Terps forced Duke to punt when a 3rd and 8 turned into 4th and 31. With two minutes left, Duke sent the punt team on and for the second straight game, sealed the win. Kevin Jones sent a punt high in the air with Tony Logan back to receive for the Terps. Logan completely muffed the punt allowing Brandon King to recover it. David Cutcliffe sent in the victory formation and locked up back to back ACC for Duke for the first time since 1994.
October 12, 2009
Mid Season Review
By: Christopher Bunn
Half of the season is behind us and Duke stands even at 3-3. Although the record is neutral, Duke’s progress couldn’t be further from the term.
Duke stumbled out of the gates with a pride-deflating loss to defending FCS champ Richmond. There were talks of quarterback mutiny, disparagement at the coaching, and a renewed hopelessness in the fan base. However, the next week Duke pulled off a convincing win at West Point. Leon Wright’s back to back pick sixes earned him ACC Defensive Player of the Week honors and sealed the Duke victory. With optimism boosted back into the program, Duke hit the road to take on a dynamic Kansas offense. Todd Reesing picked apart the Duke secondary as Kansas rolled to victory.
With a banged up backfield, Duke decided to turn to highly touted freshman, Desmond Scott to ignite the running game. Against NC Central, he did just that. Scott carried 16 times for 100 yards and a touchdown as Duke won the inaugural Bull City Classic, 49-14.
The blowout seemed to spark a fire under the young devils as they came out hungry for turkey when Virginia Tech came to town. A new team emerged from the tunnel that day, a team eager to prove itself as legitimate BCS level squad and one that would fight for 60 minutes of football. Duke clawed its way into a competitive game with a top ten team that has dominated the series since Tech joined the ACC. 3 tossup plays swung the game in the Hokies favor. A controversial reception in the first quarter tied the game at 7, Matt Daniels hesitation on a 3rd and 34 deep ball led to another Tech touchdown, and a missed pass interference call in the end zone on Tech all contributed to a Duke loss. Of course, the loss can’t be pinned on these three plays, Duke had ample opportunities to score, having 3 drives stall inside the 30, including a 1st and goal.
Even though Duke lost to Virginia Tech, it showed the players that they could compete with the best in the ACC and that this was the new Duke.
Hitting the road again to face friendly rival NC State, Duke again set out to prove something. That they could WIN in the ACC. Duke had a game plan and they stuck to it. Throw the ball. Thaddeus Lewis had the best game of his career completing 40 of 50 passes for 459 yards and 5 touchdowns. Without a single interception. Lewis’ career day was complimented by a great defensive performance, at least in the second half. State scored on their first 3 drives but after that the Duke defense didn’t allow a single point (State returned a kickoff for a TD for their only other score). After two botched punt returns led to 14 Duke points, the Blue Devils celebrated their first win over the Pack since 1993 and first ACC road win since North Carolina in 2003. The performance also earned Lewis, National Player of the Week honors.
So now Duke stands at 3-3 with 6 ACC games remaining including 2 against Top 25 opponents. With home games against Maryland and Wake Forest and road trips to North Carolina and Virginia, Duke is looking at a legitimate bowl possibility. Duke needs to win all four games but it remains a possibility with the biggest threat coming from UNC, the worst offensive team in the league.
Halfway Honors:
Offensive MVP: Thaddeus Lewis. With an offensive line that changes its lineup more than pimp changes suits, Lewis proved to be one of the best passers in the ACC. Lewis stands 3rd in yards per game, completion percentage, touchdowns, and fewest interceptions among QBs with at least 100 attempts. The only QB in the league to place in the Top 3 in each category. And some people think he’s not even the most talented QB on the team?
Defensive MVP: Leon Wright. It’s hard to argue against what All American DT Vince Oghobaase is doing despite constant double teams but I will. Wright sealed two games for Duke this season with interceptions and is leader in the defensive backfield. A unit that is young, inexperienced and oft-tested (of the top 6 tacklers, 4 are DBs). Without Wright, Duke could be standing at 1-5. He’s a game changer.
September 15, 2009
Duke Picks Off Army, prepares for Kansas
By: Christopher Bunn
Leon Wright picked off consecutive passes and returned them to the house to seal a victory for Duke on Saturday en route to being named ACC Defensive Player of the Week.
Duke seemed to struggle early on falling in a 10-0 hole to an Army team that seemed more than ready for the game. The sluggish start could be put on a number of players but it seemed starting QB Thad Lewis got the most heat, arguably unfairly. Lewis only completed 5 of his 16 passes including a 14 yard touchdown pass to true frosh Connor Vernon, who has stepped up and looks to be the best WR on the team.
With the running game struggling again, Coach David Cutcliffe was forced to make a decision, stay the course and hope Lewis turns it around or put in back up QB Sean Renfree and see what the youngster can do. Cutcliffe went with the latter and it proved to be the correct decision. Renfree came in and threw a TD pass to Brett Huffman on his first career pass. Duke fans hope that foreshadows a brilliant career for the QB of the future.
After Renfree connected with Donovan Varner for a TD on the first play of the 4th quarter, Duke took firm command of the game.
Army tried to rally late in the 4th but Leon Wright picked off a pass near the far sideline and ran it back to put the game out of reach. However, Wright wasn’t finished yet. The very next play from scrimmage, Army went to the air again and Wright took it back again. Firmly sealing the game for Duke. Army added a late touchdown as Duke won 35-19.
This weeks 3 stars:
- Leon Wright - simply put, he stomped on the throat of the Army comeback, sealing a Duke victory
- Sean Renfree - 7/8 106 yards 2 TD. First career game. If it weren’t for Wright’s plays, Renfree would have stolen the show.
- Vince Oghobaase - they should charge him rent as much as he’s in the opposing backfield. Will likely deal with double teams and formideable offensive linemen this week against Kansas.
- Connor Vernon - the true freshman looked to be the best playmaker on either side of the field. He displayed sure hands and good speed and agility. My bet is he has bypassed Austin Kelly, who in turn did not play up to par despite a late TD grab, on the depth chart and will start this week vs. Army.
- Vince Oghobaase - Essentially the only good player on defense against Richmond. However, the Spiders soon realized this and avoided him most of the second half. Surprisingly, Cutcliffe did not adjust very well to the second half changes.
- Johnny Williams - I wasn’t going to put him in because of his boneheaded taunting penalty, considering we were losing at the time of the penalty, then I realized I couldn’t come up with anyone else. I’ve already stated why I don’t think Lewis should be here but I’ll explain why Williams does. Williams did have the biggest play of the game for Duke and did pretty well in the open field on punt returns. Shoutout to Walt Canty for an absolutely punishing block he laid during one punt return.
September 9, 2009
Duke drops the ball against Richmond
By: Christopher Bunn
All preseason, Coach David Cutcliffe preached to the press that Duke was a bowl team. On Saturday, he was made to look a fool. Duke dropped a surefire win against Richmond at Wallace Wade on Saturday night in front of what at first appeared to be an excited home crowd. Things quickly went downhill from the kickoff.
On the Blue Devils first possession they were forced into a punt. The punt blocking scheme failed, opening up a big hole for the defensive line leading to blocked punt by the Spiders.
Duke phoned it in from there.
After Thad Lewis routinely refused to throw over the stagnant linebackers into an open secondary, the offense stalled all game with the exception of the one play that Lewis looked deep over the middle, which turned into a Johnny Williams 68 yard TD reception.
Aside from the big play, which was inappropriately replayed later in the game as Richmond led 24-9, Duke was unable to get anything going on the ground, amassing a grand total of 19 yards AGAINST AN FCS SQUAD. This speaks volume to how bad the offensive line played and how ineffective the running backs were running between the tackles.
Statistically, Thaddeus Lewis had a great game. In actuality, he missed some crucial throws, refused to utilize the intermediate passing game, and consistently made poor reads.
Defensively, the Blue Devils looked hesitant and tired. The only bright spot seemed to be Vince Oghobaase who did a solid job of clogging the middle and forcing Eric Ward out of the pocket. The pass defense looked terrible, however, missing assignments, guarding the player rather than the ball (this can be argued as a good defense, however, Duke’s defensive backs were often in position to make plays had they simply turned around and made a play for the ball).
I was going to type a paragraph about the kicking game but then I decided against it. If you’ve ever seen a Duke football game before, you can safely assume Duke had a poor night on special teams. Again.
Borrowing a hockey idea (how often does that happen) here are my three stars for the game:
August 29, 2009
Depth Chart Update
By: Christopher Bunn
Duke has released an updated depth chart nearing the end of practice as the Blue Devils gear up for the first test of the season in the defending FCS champion Richmond Spiders. A few observations about the new 2 deep:
I’m not really surprised to see Patrick Kurunwune as the third running back, which leads me to believe I have been correct in assuming PK Thunder will handle a role similar to Clifford Harris last year, which was essentially a fullback type role. What does surprise me is to not see stud freshman Desmond Scott listed anywhere. Some thought he would find the field somewhere whether it be returning kicks or in the slot or splitting carries. Fact is, Duke seems to have found depth at running back and enough playmakers at receiver to keep him off the field. My bet (and wish) is that Scott will redshirt and come in as the #2 back next fall.
Despite the star recruit apparently missing out on the 2 deep this fall, the roster is still wrought with young talent. A total of 18 freshmen and sophomores make up the 2 deep, including 8 true freshmen. This says to me the young kids are talented but also that Duke is not going to be very deep. Injuries could ruin this team.
Brandon Harper was recently moved back to the defensive line, most likely just to have some bodies on the D-line in practice. Kinney Rucker’s injury severely shortens the lines depth and likely led to frosh John Drew losing his redshirt.
The defensive backfield is going to be average this year but should be an upgrade over last years unit and a foreshadowing of whats to come. The safeties, led by veteran Catron Gainey and super soph Matt Daniels, are stingy and will lay you out as if you slapped their mommas. ACC receivers need to be wary of crossing the middle on the Blue Devils this season as David Cutcliffe has loaded up on some hard hitters.
And they’re not going anywhere. Gainey and Wright will graduate this year, however, the other 6 in the defensive backfield are freshmen and sophomores. Look for them to be mistake prone but by the end of the season they could very well be the best defensive unit on the team.Also new are the kick returners. Last year, Cutcliffe threw whatever playmakers he had on the return unit but this year it appears Johnny Williams has solidified himself as THE playmaker. He has been impressive returning punts in practice and should assume the job this fall. However, on kick returns, look for Requan Boyette and Patrick Kurunwune to add ball security to the unit that cost the team some valuable possessions (the Wake Forest game stands out immediately).
August 21, 2009
Quick Duke Update
By: Christopher Bunn
With Training Camp in full swing and the team preparing for the opening week showdown with the defending FCS Champion Richmond Spiders, there have been several players notified of their inclusion into some of the preseason award lists.
-Vince Oghobaase has been nominated to the Bronco Nagurski Watch List, given to the nation’s best defensive player, as well as the Outland Trophy Watch List, the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List and the Lott Trophy Watch List. Oghobaase was also named First Team Preseason All ACC
- Kicker Nick Maggio was named to the Groza Award Watch List, given to, naturally, the nation’s best kicker.
- It appears that True Frosh John Drew has worked his way into the starting lineup very quickly. Seems my week 3 prediction was about 3 weeks later than actuality.
- Duke’s renovation of Wallace Wade Stadium is also in full swing but the current improvements are on schedule to be completed by opening kickoff, including a new video scoreboard, new restrooms as well as other grounds keeping improvements.
August 13, 2009
Training Camp Notes
By: Christopher Bunn
When Ted Roof took over the coaching gig at Duke, his first couple of years Duke led the nation in true freshman starts. While that does not appear to be the case this year, Duke will see a significant amount of playing time from freshmen, true and redshirt alike.
So far through the first week of camp David Cutcliffe has seen some freshmen step up at positions of need.
Sean Schroeder has stepped up in practice since starter Thad Lewis went down with a minor ankle injury. Although Schroeder is expected to redshirt, word out of practice is that he has looked crisp with his throws and could play if both Lewis and backup Sean Renfree suffer injuries.
Connor Vernon and Tyree Watkins are the two freshman receivers pushing for playing time. Veteran Austin Kelly noted that both could see the field prominently this fall if they can continue their excellent play in practice.
Injuries have already thrust one freshman into the two deep. John Drew, a massive DT, seems to be on a mission to declare himself the starter at NG. With incumbent Kinney Rucker out indefinitely, the Nose Guard spot seemed to be up for grabs with Charlie Hatcher the odds on favorite. Drew has different plans as he has been excelling in drills and simulated plays. My bet is he earns the starting job by week 3.
Freshmen aren’t the only ones making noise in training camp. The veterans have also stepped up into leadership roles for the team and the newcomers. Fans were a little surprised to see Vinny Rey selected as a team captain last year but there is no doubt why he was selected. Rey stands out as a player and a leader for the Blue Devils, even taking to mentoring Tyree Glover as he adjusts to the college level.
Among the veterans making noise on the field, Jay Hollingsworth has seriously stepped up his game since leading the Blue Devils in rushing as a true frosh last year. He seems to be more explosive, spelling a nice 1-2 punch with Requan Boyette who seems to be back to 100% after missing last year with an injury. Wouldn’t be surprised at all to see Hollingsworth beat out Boyette for the starting job, however, I expect both to have a similar number of carries.
Perhaps a sign of the bright future for the Blue Devils, the lineups will be a mix of veteran stars and rising young talent. One thing is for certain, Cutcliffe will be playing the best players he has and many of them are going to be around the program for 3 or 4 more years.
July 29, 2009
Duke Breakdown
By: Christopher BunnAs with every coaching change, player turnover is expected. Because of all the fresh young talent, there have been some shake ups on the depth chart. Here’s a breakdown of each position entering this fall.
QUARTERBACKS: Thad Lewis enters the season with a slim chance to become the all time career passing leader in Duke history. He needs roughly 2900 yards to do so. The SR QB is easily the best Duke has had at the position since Spence Fisher in the mid 90s. The returning All ACC selection should improve upon his numbers from last year, despite a downgrade in his weapons. Backing him up is highly touted R-FR Sean Renfree, a strong upgrade from Zack Asack, who has subsequently been booted from the team. Renfree will likely get snaps early in the season and hopefully will not be needed the rest of the year.
RUNNING BACKS: They were actually a pleasant surprise during the spring as Requan Boyette looked back to form and Patrick Kurunwune looked able to handle some carries as a third down back, filling in Clifford Harris’ role last year. Hollingsworth should be healthy, severely upgrading the running game from last years dismal performance. Then there’s this kid you may have heard of, Desmond Scott. It’s tough to say right now, whether he will be redshirted or not (I think he should be, he seems to think he will not be) However, he might be the most explosive player on the entire team.
RECEIVERS: Eron Riley is gone, so is the underwhelming Raphael Chestnut. However, super sophs Johnny Williams and Donovan Varner return to carry the load as well as Austin Kelly, who will likely be used as a “go getta.” (a deep threat who will be the prime target for jump ball situations in the endzone.) Look for true frosh Tyree Watkins to make a splash as well as Connor Vernon and Corey Gattis. Brandon King returns from injury to bookend the line with Brett Huffman. Both are tight ends that if they were featured (and they should be in Cut’s passing offense, which showcases a lot of flat and curl options) could end up All ACC or at least Honorable Mention.
OFFENSIVE LINE: Bryan Morgan returns at center for the third year and Kyle Hill, a frosh AA, moves to the blindside. The other three spots should be determined in training camp. Needless to say, this is the weak spot for the offense, per usual. I like Jarrod Holt, Mitchell Lederman and Brian Moore to fill in the other spots, however, whoever wins the jobs will have 0 starting experience. The future is looking up for the OL as David Harding, a heralded 09 recruit, is coming off a trip to the Under Armour All American game.
DEFENSIVE LINE: The Baas is back. Vince Oghobaase is back to anchor the defensive front along with Ayanga Okpokowuruk (no spelling reference needed, booyah!) Both have All ACC potential. Wesley Oglesby is back from an injury to give a boost to the line and could be a breakout star for a line that desperately needs him. The NG spot is now vacant with the injury to Kinney Rucker. Early favorite is Charlie Hatcher to fill in or stud frosh John Drew. A couple of other options are moving Okpokowuruk inside and moving Patrick Egboh to his DE slot or frosh Sydney Sarmiento, who enrolled early, could step in as well. Justin Foxx is another frosh that could compete for playing time. He’s a player with good end speed and a very good tackler.
LINEBACKERS: The All American tackling machine that is Mike Tauiliili is gone. He moved on to the pros where he could get time on the special teams this fall for the Indianapolis Colts. Vincent Rey is back and should step right into Mike’s role as the run stuffing, tackling machine. The problem is, Vinny has been just that the last few years, so the real question is, who steps up to Vinny’s role from the past two seasons? Damian Thornton is the leading candidate to fill the MLB role but I honestly think Rey will be moved to MLB with the OLB spots getting filled by Abraham Kromah and Adam Banks. Banks is extremely dedicated and solid in coverage. Kromah proved to be a valuable asset in special teams last fall and showed he could be a very good OLB in the ACC. Thornton will come in relief for Rey and frosh Austin Gamble could be a solid contributor.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: Leon Wright returns after missing the last half of the year with an injury. As shaky as his pass defense can be, it’s a good thing Cut stocked up on quality players for the secondary in his first two recruiting classes. Chris Rwabukamba should hold down the other CB spot, if not, look for Lee Butler or Zach Greene to take it in training camp. Taylor Sowell is a dark horse to get snaps at CB this year. The safety spots will be held by Catron Gainey, Matt Daniels and Jordan Byas, as it is likely Duke will often line up in a 4-2-5 set to counter the limited depth at linebacker. Each player brings a mix of talent, speed and experience to the table. Garrett Patterson is my dark horse to turn heads in camp along with Walt Canty who could either be an OLB or Safety at this level.
Overall, Duke is laying the foundation for years to come by getting the future on the field now. Even better, some of the most highly touted recruits are getting the benefits of redshirting as the veterans at their positions have shown the ability to play consistently at the ACC level. This may not pay huge dividends this fall but it will in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
Christopher Bunn is a Creator and Producer of the College Emmy-winning One on One Sports. You can visit the temporary website at http://org.elon.edu/estv/oneononesports.html.