Blue Devil Nation interviews with Issac Blakeney and Kelby Brown from the opening day practice.

Practice starts today for a Duke team looking to show the college football world they are for real, the 2013 season was not a fluke it was an indicator of a program that has turned itself around and is on the move up. Coach Cutcliffe will conduct a press conference at 12:30 pm and the team will conduct their first practice starting at 6:15 pm at the Brooks Practice Facility.

Optimism abounds these days in Durham. There is good reason for the optimism. Coach Cutcliffe is the National Coach of the Year, the team won a school record 10 games last season with 16 starters returning from that team, the Blue Devils have been to bowl games in back-to-back seasons, and recruiting is flourishing. To reiterate, there is good reason for the optimism. However, only viewing the future through rose colored glasses can be limiting, so with this article the question is asked: what's keeping you awake at night?

There are three concerns affecting my sleep pattern:

Number One - Quarterback Play!

Anthony Boone throws too many interceptions. Moreover, he has a tendency to throw multiple interceptions in a game. Last season Boone threw a total of 13 interceptions, he threw interceptions in six of the 11 games in which he played. In four of those six games, he threw multiple interceptions: four against Virginia Tech, three against N.C. State, two against Florida State and two against Texas A&M.

Behind Boone, the quarterbacks listed on the roster have combined to take zero snaps at the collegiate level. Thomas Sirk, Parker Boehme and Nico Pierre are all talented prospects who the staff is very high on but they have no experience. If Boone struggles or is injured, the quarterback situation becomes tenuous at best.

Coach Cutcliffe has stated he intends to stick with the two quarterback system which has been so successful the past couple of seasons with the departed Brandon Connette taking over at quarterback in short yardage situations. This means at least one of the young quarterbacks will be seeing action from the start of the season in short yardage situations. The experience the select quarterback gains during early season games could be critical before the season is over.

Number Two - Defensive Line!

Duke yielded 26.6 points per game in 2013 a 9.4 points per game improvement over the 36 ppg allowed in 2012. Can the defense maintain or better the improvements achieved? Play along the defensive line will go along way in answering the question. Three of four DL starters from 2013 have graduated, which leads to the question: are the new guys more talented?

Defensive tackle Jamal Bruce was last season's fourth starter so he is back to anchor the interior along with junior Carlos Wray who has played lots of snaps. The major concern is at defensive end and the ability to generate a consistent pass rush. Will projected starters Dezmond Johnson and Jordan DeWalt-Ondijo prove to be every down players who can both defend the run and pressure the quarterback? Can the staff devise a rotation at defensive end that takes advantage of all the players available to achieve success? The answers to those two questions are very important to the level of success the defense will be able to achieve in 2014.

Number Three - Injuries!

Injuries are an intangible so worrying about them is irrational. But no one ever accused sports fans of being rational so I opt to worry. A big part of the team's success in 2013 can be attributed to a lack of injuries. The team was relatively injury free in 2013 so key players were consistently on the field at key times. In contrast, the 2012 team was decimated by injuries. Will 2014 fall somewhere in between? Hopefully the number of injuries incurred is a lot closer to the 2013 numbers than the 2012 numbers.

Obviously, the objective is for no single player to be unavailable due to injury at any point during the season; however, this is football so injuries are a reality.

The objective of this article is not to attempt to counter the optimism surrounding the program. That optimism is both real and deserved. The objective is to infuse a bit of self reflection. The program is in great shape due to a lot of hard work on the part of the players and the staff. A lot of hard work remains to be accomplished in 2014.

As far as the fans go, it is imperative they fill up Wallace Wade Stadium and cheer the team to victory starting on August 30 with the Elon game and continuing through to the Wake Forest game on November 29.

Greensboro, N.C.—Led by preseason MVP and returning Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston (Bessemer, Ala.), defending national champion Florida State placed nine players on the 26-man preseason All-ACC team announced Wednesday.

The team was selected by the media attending the 2014 ACC Football Kickoff held this past Sunday and Monday at Greensboro’s Grandover Resort.

Winston, who became the youngest player and only the second freshman to win the Heisman Trophy, the nation’s most coveted individual football honor, heads a team that includes nine players who earned first or second team All-America honors last fall, including six first team selections.

Winston and Clemson defensive end Vic Beasley (Adairsville, Ga.) are two of only three returning consensus All-Americans this year in college football. They are joined on the team by returning first-team All-Americans offensive tackle Cameron Erving (Moultrie, Ga.) and placekicker Roberto Aguayo (Mascotte, Fla.) of Florida State, strong safety Anthony Harris (Chesterfield, Va.) of Virginia and specialist Ryan Switzer of North Carolina (Charleston, W. Va.).

Aguayo, who set an NCAA single season mark for points by kicking (157), was the 2013 winner of the Lou Groza Award, given annually nation’s best placekicker. North Carolina’s Switzer tied an NCAA record with five punt returns for touchdowns, while UVa’s Harris led the nation in pass interceptions with eight. Florida State’s Erving was named the winner of the ACC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy last fall, given annually to the league’s top blocker.

Joining them on the team are returning second-team All-Americans Duke wide receiver Jamison Crowder (Monroe, N.C.), who set an ACC single-season mark with 108 receptions in 2013; Blue Devil safety Jeremy Cash (Miami, Fla.) and Florida State offensive guard Tre’ Jackson (Jesup, Ga.).

Jackson and Miami running back Duke Johnson (Miami, Fla.) are the only returnees from last year’s preseason All-ACC squad.

The 26 members of the preseason All-ACC have combined to be named this month on a total of 62 preseason watch lists for major national individual awards including the Outland Trophy (6), Nagurski Trophy (11), Bednarik Award (11), Maxwell Award (6), Lombardi Award (11) and Walter Camp Award (6). All three of the wide receivers and linebackers on the team were chosen for the Biletnikoff and Butkus Watch Lists, respectively, and all four defensive backs made the Jim Thorpe Award Watch List as well.

While the Seminoles led with nine selections on the team, Duke, picked to finish second in the Coastal Division this year by the media in its preseason order of finish, landed four players on the squad, followed by Clemson and Virginia Tech with three players each; Miami with two and Boston College, Louisville, North Carolina, Syracuse and Virginia with one honoree apiece.

Winston, who led the nation in 2013 in pass efficiency and threw for 4,057 yards and 40 touchdowns, is joined in the backfield by Johnson of Miami, who ran for 920 yards and a 6.3 per-carry average in less than eight full games, and FSU’s Karlos Williams (Davenport, Fla.), who racked up 730 yards and an 8.0 per-carry average while sharing the Seminoles’ tailback position.

Winston was named on 97 of the 99 ballots collected, the most of any of the honorees with Beasley (96) and Johnson (95) not far behind.

Wide receivers Crowder and Florida State’s Rashad Greene (Albany, Ga.) are two of the 11 first-team All-ACC players who made this year’s preseason team and are joined by Louisville’s DeVante Parker (Louisville, Ky.). This trio of wideouts combined for 239 receptions for 3,373 yards and 29 touchdowns. They are joined by versatile Florida State tight end Nick O’Leary (Palm Beach, Fla.)., who had 33 catches and seven TDs for the Seminoles.

In all, 21 of the 26 players selected to this year’s preseason team earned first-, second- or third-team All-ACC honors last fall, and that doesn’t include Louisville’s Parker who earned first-team honors in the American Athletic Conference.

Erving and Jackson lead an offensive line that also includes three other seniors in Syracuse offensive tackle Sean Hickey (Murrysville, Pa.), Duke offensive guard Laken Tomlinson (Chicago, Ill.) and Boston College center Andy Gallik (Evergreen Park, Ill.)

In addition to Crowder, Tomlinson and Cash, Duke was represented on the team by linebacker Kelby Brown (Matthews, N.C.).

Clemson leads the defensive unit with all three of its honorees on that side of the ball in Beasley, defensive tackle Grady Jarrett (Conyers. Ga.) and linebacker Stephone Anthony (Polkton, N.C.).

Two of Virginia Tech’s selections were on the defensive side as well with defensive tackle Luther Maddy (Delray Beach, Fla.) and cornerback Kendall Fuller (Baltimore, Md.) joining punter A.J. Hughes (Terra Haute, Ind.) on the squad. Fuller was the ACC 2013 Defensive Rookie of the Year and was a consensus first-team Freshman All-American.

Completing the unit are Florida State junior defensive end Mario Edwards, Jr. (Gautier, Miss.), who had 9.5 tackles for loss last fall, Miami senior linebacker Denzel Perryman (Coral Gables, Fla.), who was sixth in the ACC in tackles per game (8.3) and FSU junior cornerback P.J. Williams (Ocala, Fla.), who keyed the nation’s top pass defense.

A few random thoughts from ACC Kickoff

A Division Almost Too Close To Call

I'm not sure how many media members actually look at things like unbalanced schedules when selecting their pre season ACC predictions, but whether they do or not, there was one thing which they got right. Media members selected Miami to win the Coastal Division but it was far from a land slide. In fact, Duke, picked second, got the most votes for first place and Virginia Tech and North Carolina were right there as well, with the Tar Heels garnering more first place votes than Miami did as well. Georgia Tech, Pitt and Virginia brought up the rear of the projections, but none have the look of a bad team. What does all this mean? There is no clear-cut division favorite and the winner will likely have to get in during their last conference game of the season.  For the record, the picks I turned in are the exact order of the polling results, which means, they will in no way be right for the projections rarely line up with reality.  It is worth noting that Duke Football Coach David Cutcliffe expressed his displeasure in having to vote, calling the division too close to call.  He went on to say that you could take the reverse order of the results and by seasons end they could be closer to the final standings.

Hamming It Up

Jameis Winston was surrounded by media members like no other player in recent memory during the ACC Media sessions in Greensboro. Winston was in no way microphone shy and rolled into his answers as they came at break neck speed from an unusually exited media contingent. There is plenty of "ham," in Winston and why not for he is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and FSU brought a much-needed shot in the arm to the ACC by winning last seasons national title.

ACC On Solid Footing

Every year the media gets a "State of the Conference," address from commissioner John Swofford. You've likely read much of what came out of he meeting, but the short version is that the conference is perfectly aligned for future success and the foundation is a solid one. Next up for the ACC will likely be an ACC Network channel through ESPN and the leagues footprint is a very big one these days. Swofford and the league regained its momentum after unexpectedly losing Maryland to the Big Ten Conference by adding Louisville and from my vantage, that looks like a gain. The one thing which is a concern from those behind the scenes is that the Cards continue their academic ascent of recent years in order to catch up a bit to other league members academic standards. It wasn't that long ago that there was worry in the meeting with the Terps exit, but there is a real sense of calm with concern to the leagues future at this present time.