Blue Devils Gain Pre Season Respect

SONY DSCGREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Defending national champion Florida State is the consensus choice to repeat as Atlantic Division champion and defeat Miami in the 10th annual Dr Pepper Atlantic Coast Conference Football Championship Game, according to a poll of media members in attendance at the 2014 ACC Football Kickoff at Grandover Resort.

Reigning Heisman Trophy winner and Walter Camp National Player of the Year Jameis Winston, who led the Seminoles to an unbeaten season and their third national title as a redshirt freshman in 2013, was chosen to repeat as ACC Player of the Year.

Florida State was picked as the likely overall ACC winner on 104 of 112 ballots cast. The Seminoles were picked to finish atop the Atlantic Division by 109 voters and amassed 780 total points. Clemson received the remaining three-first-place votes and placed second with 660. ACC newcomer Louisville placed third at 564, followed by Syracuse (368), NC State (326), Boston College (301) and Wake Forest (136).

Miami’s 26 first-place votes placed third among Coastal Division teams, but the Hurricanes’ 614 total points led overall. Defending division champion Duke received 33 first-place votes and finished with 597 points, followed by Virginia Tech with 571 points and 23 first-place votes. North Carolina was just behind in fourth place with 570 points and 27 first-place votes, followed by Georgia Tech (322 with one first place vote), Pitt (319 with two first-place votes) and Virginia (142).

Winston is one of 15 returning starters for Florida State, which seeks its third straight ACC title. The Seminoles own 14 ACC football championships in 23 seasons as a conference member, tying Clemson for most league titles all-time.

This marks the third time in four years that the Seminoles have led the ACC media preseason voting. Florida State was also voted first in 2011 and 2012, and in each of its first 14 seasons after joining the ACC (1992 through 2005).

Winston led the preseason ACC Player of the Year balloting with 99 votes, followed by Clemson defensive end Vic Beasley with six. Duke wide receiver Jamison Crowder, Miami running back Duke Johnson and Virginia Tech quarterback Brenden Motley received one vote apiece.

Last season saw Winston, of Bessemer, Alabama, become the youngest player to win the Heisman Trophy (19 years, 342 days) and just the second freshman to receive the honor. A dazzling playmaker, he led the Seminoles to a 14-0 record and engineered the game-winning drive in a 34-31 win over Auburn in the 2013 VIZIO BCS National Championship Game.

Named the offensive MVP of the national title game, Winston also received the Davey O’Brien Award and the Manning Award as the nation’s best quarterback after setting national freshman records for passing yards (4,057) and touchdown passed (40) in 2013. His pass efficiency rating of 184.8 set an ACC record and led the nation.

ACC Championship Votes

1. Florida State - 104

2. Clemson - 2

3. Virginia Tech - 2

(4 voters made no selection)

Atlantic Division

(First place votes in parenthesis)

1. Florida State (109) - 780

2. Clemson (3) - 660

3. Louisville - 564

4. Syracuse - 368

5. NC State - 326

6. Boston College - 301

7. Wake Forest - 136

Coastal Division

(First place votes in parenthesis)

1. Miami (26) - 614

2. Duke (33) - 597

3. Virginia Tech (23) - 571

4. North Carolina (27) - 570

5. Georgia Tech (1) - 322

6. Pitt (2) -319

7. Virginia -142

ACC Player of the Year

1. Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State - 99

2. Vic Beasley, DE, Clemson - 6

3. Duke Johnson, RB, Miami - 1

4. Jamison Crowder, WR, Duke - 1

5. Brenden Motley, QB, Virginia Tech -1

(4 voters made no selection)

Turnover Margin: Room for Improvement in 2014

Anthony Boone 4-22-2011Organizational leaders are always looking to improve performance. This is true of football coaches as well as corporate CEOs, public administrators and small business owners. Critical self analysis is a vital step in performance improvement. While it is important to emphasize positives, identifying negatives is mandatory.

How can Duke improve performance in 2014? The Blue Devils need to reduce the number of turnovers committed in order to improve their performance and build on the success achieved in 2012 and 2013. Turnover Margin is a key statistic in football, taking the ball away from your opponent, while simultaneously valuing the ball when you possess it increases the opportunity to achieve victory.

Duke was Plus One (+1) in turnover margin last season with 26 gained to 25 lost. The gained turnovers breakdown into 18 interceptions and eight fumbles recovered, while the lost turnovers breakdown into 19 interceptions thrown and six fumbles lost. Obviously, reducing the number of interceptions thrown has to be a goal for Duke's offense in 2014.

A positive turnover margin increases a team's chances to win the game so it should come as no surprise that Duke was Plus Six (+6) in 10 wins, but Minus Five (-5) in the four losses last season.

Returning fifth year senior quarterback Anthony Boone threw 13 interceptions and 13 touchdowns, for a one to one ration in 2013. Comparatively, Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston threw forty touchdown passes and 10 interceptions for a four to one ratio. Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron, who finished second in the Heisman voting, also compiled a four to one ration by throwing 28 touchdown passes against seven interceptions.

These numbers clearly illustrates the need for Boone to improve his touchdown to interception ratio performance in 2014.

Duke's early season loss to Pitt, in a 58-55 offensive shootout, featured four Brandon Connette interceptions, which quelled Duke's comback attempt. After falling behind big, the score was Pitt 51, Duke 35 at the end of the 3rd Quarter, Duke outscored Pitt 20-7 in the 4th Quarter; unfortunately, Pitt's points were via a 37 yard interception return for a touchdown. On the day, Pitt was Plus Four (+4) on Turnover Margin.

Let's take a look at the Turnover Margin in a couple of big games from this past season:

1. Florida State 51, Clemson 14: A highly anticipated showdown turns into a rout as Clemson turns the ball over four times, starting with their first play from scrimmage, compared to one turnover for Florida State. The Seminoles capitalize on their Plus Three (+3) Turnover Margin to crush the Tigers in Death Valley.

2. Oklahoma 45, Alabama 31: Perhaps the Crimson Tide was not focused on the task at hand because they expected to be playing for the National Championship instead of in the Sugar Bowl. Expectations aside, a team cannot turn the ball over five times and expect to win. Oklahoma was Plus Four (+4) on Turnover Margin and the Sooners rode those turnovers to a 14 point victory over the Crimson Tide.

Duke benefitted from the Turnover Margin statistic multiple times last season. The Blue Devils were Plus Three (+3) in the 35-7 win over Navy and Plus One (+1) in the 28-21 victory over Wake Forest.

In the 27-25 win over North Carolina, Tar Heels' quarterback Marquise Williams threw two interceptions, the first leading to a 3rd Quarter touchdown drive by the Blue Devils and the second ending the game as Carolina was attempting to get in range for a potential game winning field goal attempt. Duke was Plus One (+1) on Turnover Margin as they defeated their rivals for the second consecutive season.

Looking back at the painful loss to Texas A&M, in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, turnovers were the difference. Duke was Minus Two (-2) in the game. All the Johnny Manziel 2nd half heroics aside, Duke was leading 48-45 with less than four minutes to go in the game. Unfortunately, Anthony Boone threw a bad pass, which the Aggies turned into a 55 yard Pick Six and a 52-48 lead. Two minutes later Boone threw a second interception and the game is history.

What is the moral of the story? Value the football! Something Duke's offense must do a better job of in 2014, because no matter how unbelievably successful the Blue Devils were in 2013, there is always room for improvement, especially for an organization which is willing to engage in critical self-analysis. Head Coach David Cutcliffe and the Duke Blue Devils are willing to look in the mirror long and hard.

A Balanced Offense is Vital to Success

Josh-Snead-9-21-10Dominate passing teams can certainly win games as can dominant running teams. However, a balanced offense capable of both running and passing the ball provides a team the best opportunity to win championships. A prime example is 2012 BCS National Champion Alabama, which gained 51 percent of their yards on the ground and 49 percent through the air. In 2013, BCS National Champion Florida State gained 60.9 percent of their yards through the air and 39.1 percent on the ground.

There are plenty more examples including 2011 National Champion Alabama and 2010 National Champion Auburn that gained 57.1 percent of their yards on the ground and 42.9 percent through the air. It does not matter whether a team passes more or runs more, the important factor is a team's ability to do both.

In 2013, Duke won 10 ball games for the first time in school history, and achieving a balanced offensive attack was a significant factor in achieving success. The Blue Devils gained 58.2 percent of their yards through the air and 41.8 percent on the ground. Last season was the most balanced offense Duke has had during the Coach Cutcliffe era.

Successfully running the football was huge, as Duke averaged 178 yards per game on the ground. The read option was an effective piece of the offensive arsenal with Duke quarterbacks combining to rush for 551 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Can Duke be equally balanced in 2014? Of the 2,492 yards rushing last season, 1,247 yards, or 50 percent, where gained by players who will not be on the roster this year.

How will the Blue Devils make up those yards?

First, senior Josh Snead and junior Shaq Powell must be ready to carry a larger load. Those two running backs are experienced, talented players who most likely will carry the ball more times this coming season than they have in previous years. Obviously, their health is important.

Next, the staff will look toward redshirt freshman Joseph Ajeigbe to step up and help shoulder the load. Ajeigbe was very productive in the Spring Game with 59 yards rushing and 34 yards receiving so he will need to replicate that success come August and September.

Finally, true freshman Shaun Wilson could see immediate playing time if he is ready to compete at the Division 1 level. With a true freshman, the jury is always out until the staff sees him compete in practice and scrimmages against college level competition.

If Wilson is ready, Head Coach David Cutcliffe will have the four running back rotation he has seemed to favor in recent seasons.

On the passing side of the equation, of the 3,474 yards receiving last season, 2,932 yards, or 84.4 percent were gained on receptions by returning players such as Jamison Crowder (1,360 yards and Braxton Deaver (600 yards).

With three more accomplished receivers available, Max McCaffrey (282 yards), Issac Blakeney (244 yards) and Johnell Barnes (217 yards), plus sophomores Ryan Smith (41 yards) and Anthony Nash (31 yards), and several talented freshmen; Duke is poised to utilize a three wide receiver set to spread the field and challenge the opponent's defense.

Utilizing two tight end formations is another viable option as Duke is deep at tight end with All ACC candidate Braxton Deaver and 2012 starter David Reeves. Reeves is a player who would start on a lot of teams. His touchdown reception in the Chic-fil-A Bowl was a thing of beauty when he tip toed down the sideline in order to stay in bounds.

Erich Schneider is the third tight end, he took a redshirt last season after playing as a true freshman in 2012 (when Deaver was unavailable due to injury).

There are two more factors to be discussed, vital to answering the question, "can Duke be equally balanced in 2014?" Those factors are quarterback play and the offensive line.

Brandon Connette is gone having transferred to Fresno State to be closer to his mother, a decision that is not only understandable, it is laudable. Family has to be first!

Gone with Connette are 1,212 yards passing, 347 yards rushing and a combined 27 touchdowns. He was the redzone/short yardage specialist plus the back-up quarterback and his departure leaves the number two job wide open for competition between two talented but inexperienced players: Thomas Sirk and Parker Boehme, plus true freshman Nico Pierre.

But this is Anthony Boone's team! There is no question, Boone is the starter and he would have been the starter even if Connette returned so the quarterback situation is solid for 2014. Boone's health is more critical without an experienced backup waiting in the wings, but Sirk and Boehme are both capable guys if pressed into action.

Boone is 10-2 as a starter. He passed for 2,260 yards with 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 2013, while rushing for 214 yards and five touchdowns. Improving his touchdowns to interceptions ratio as a senior should be a priority goal for Boone.

The biggest question mark at quarterback is whether or not Boone takes an overwhelming majority of available snaps as the every down, every situation quarterback, or if Coach Cutcliffe opts to utilize Sirk or Boehme in short yardage situations, or for a specific package such as the read option seeing as both players are strong running quarterbacks.

Moving on to the offensive line, which is the final piece of the balanced offense puzzle. Improvement on the offensive line has been nothing short of tremendous under Coach Cutcliffe. The big guys up front have proven they are capable of run blocking in addition to being one of the best pass blocking units in the nation. Duke ranked number 10 in "Quarterback Sacked Percentage" in 2013, the highest ranking for any ACC school.

Two starters, left guard Dave Harding and right tackle Perry Simmons have been lost to graduation, so adjustments will need to be made, but offensive line coach John Latina has the pieces he needs to fill the holes starting with junior Lucas Patrick who is projected to start at left guard, but is equally capable of playing right tackle.

The fifth starter is projected to be either Tanner Stone at right tackle or Cody Robinson at left guard. Although Robinson has never started a game, he has played a lot of snaps and is an experienced offensive lineman. Stone suffered an injury during preseason practice in August 2013, which robbed him of the opportunity to gain valuable experience as a redshirt freshman.

All the pieces are in place for the Duke Blue Devils to achieve a balanced offensive attack in 2014. The coaching staff will design offensive game plans that mix things up in order to exploit opponent's scouted defensive deficiencies. All that is left is for the offense to trot out on the gridiron and execute.

Duke fans should look for a balanced offensive attack in the neighborhood of 60 percent passing to 40 percent running as the Blue Devils compete to win a second consecutive Coastal Division Title and earn their way back to the ACC Championship Game on December 6, 2014 in Charlotte, NC.

Will New Impact Players Emerge in 2014?

edwardsWill any freshmen players make an impact for the Blue Devils in 2014? Who is the next DeVon Edwards? Those are intriguing questions worth discussing so in this article Blue Devil Nation takes a look at which positions are prime for the emergence of new impact players.

Multiple freshmen made serious contributions toward team success in 2013. Impact players included: redshirt freshman DeVon Edwards with touchdowns on two kickoffs and two interceptions, plus the game ending interception of North Carolina quarterback Marquise Williams in the 27-25 Blue Devil victory in Chapel Hill; redshirt freshman Corbin McCarthy sacking Virginia quarterback David Watford for an 11 yard loss; true freshman Breon Borders with four interceptions; true freshman Deondre Singleton with 63 tackles including a quarterback sack; true freshman Bryon Fields with 42 tackles; and true freshman Johnell Barnes with 15 receptions for 217 yards plus 10 kickoff returns for 204 yards.

It isn't an overstatement to say freshmen contributions made the difference in Duke winning a history making 10 games. This is especially true about the freshmen contributions in the secondary.

Let's take a quick look back at a few of the most significant impact plays of 2013 before moving on to discuss positions where impact players could emerge during the 2014 season:

1. DeVon Edwards returns kick-off 99 yards for a TD in 27-25 win over UNC: Carolina scored to take a 15-10 lead, after Jamison Crowder fumbled a punt, as momentum was clearly swinging in the Tar Heels favor. Edwards fielded the ensuing kickoff, headed straight up the middle, found some space, cut right and raced untouched up the right sideline to give Duke a 17-15 lead with 1:19 left in the 1st half. The kickoff return touchdown took the wind out of Carolina's sails before halftime.

2. Johnell Barnes' 50 yard reception in 38-31 victory over Troy: Duke was up 21-14 in a back and forth game, facing 3rd down and 20 yards to go on their own 18 yard line when Brandon Connette found Barnes down the left sideline for 50 yards to the Troy 32. Four plays later Duke scores to increase the lead to 28-14. Barnes' catch was a critical play in a critical game. The victory over Troy was the first of eight straight victories.

3. DeVon Edwards returns interceptions for touchdowns, on back-to-back plays from scrimmage, in the 38-20 victory over N.C. State: Duke scored with 3:31 left in the game to take a 24-20 lead over the Wolfpack. After the kickoff, on the first play from scrimmage, Edwards intercepts quarterback Brandon Mitchell and returns it 25 yards for a touchdown. Another kickoff, and on the first play from scrimmage, Edwards intercepts quarterback Pete Thomas and returns it 45 yards for his third touchdown of the game.

4. Deondre Singleton 2nd quarter interception in the 48-30 win over Miami: With Miami leading 17-7 and driving, Deondre Singleton intercepts Hurricane quarterback Stephen Morris on a tipped pass and returns it 14 yards to the Duke 48 yard line. Duke executes a six play, 52 yard touchdown drive to cut Miami's lead to 17-14. Singleton's interception shifts game momentum from Miami to Duke.

5. Corbin McCarthy sacks Virginia quarterback David Watford in come from behind 35-22 victory: On Virginia's second possession of the 2nd half, the Cavaliers faced a 3rd down and nine yards to go at their own 31 yard line, when Corbin McCarthy executed a safety blitz and sacked David Watford for an 11 yard loss. McCarthy's sack ensured Duke started their next possession with good field position at the Duke 47 yard line. A three play, 53 yard touchdown drive and Duke had cut the Virginia lead to 22-17.

Duke enters 2014 with a deep team due to Coach Cutcliffe's aggressive redshirting and improved recruiting success, which means the upperclassmen have come into the program, worked extremely hard, paid their dues and are poised to excel in their junior and senior seasons. But a hole or two might still exists in the two deep roster.

There are talented youngsters in the program as demonstrated by the freshmen discussed above so the potential is there for freshmen to impact the team once again. Here are the positions where the emergence of a young impact player is possible in 2014:

Running Back: Duke has used a deep running back rotation over the past several season but enter 2014 with only two experienced running backs: Josh Snead and Shaq Powell, so the running back position is prime for the emergence of a young impact player with the candidates being redshirt freshman Joseph Ajeigbe and true freshman Shaun Wilson. Ajeigbe turned in an impressive performance in the Spring Game rushing for 59 yards and adding 34 more yards on four pass receptions.

Wide Receiver: The Blue Devils are extremely deep at wide receiver; however, outside of Jamison Crowder, no receiver has emerged as a bona fide star. Max McCaffrey and Issac Blakeney are solid receivers who will be better in 2014 than they were in 2013, but the wide receiver position is a prime spot for someone such as Trevon Lee or Quay Chambers to emerge as an impact player lined up opposite Crowder.

Kick and/or Punt Returner: What? Jamison Crowder and DeVon Edwards have these two positions all wrapped up! Right? Well, a player doesn't have to be a starter to make an impact. Situations routinely arise were a team's primary punt returner is unavailable to return a punt so the opportunity for a youngster to see some action is possible. As far as kickoff return duties go, there are two guys lined up to return the ball on each kickoff. Who are the candidates to emerge as an impact player as a return specialist? Terrence Alls, Quay Chambers, Jake Kite, Trevon Lee, Johnathan Lloyd, Alonzo Saxton and Chris Taylor are all guys who could compete to see action as a return specialist.

It is impossible to predict who will emerge as an impact player. Raise your hand, if you predicted, prior to the start of last season, DeVon Edwards would be a defensive star and kick return specialist...not a lot of hands raised. Coach Cutcliffe and his staff have accomplished an excellent job recruiting talented players to Duke, so while it is almost a given someone is going to step up and have a breakout season in 2014, Duke fans are going to have to watch the season unfold in order to figure out who the new star(s) will be.

Taking a look at the Duke Schedule

SONY DSCThe Duke Blue Devils will open the 2014-15 season with Elon at home and that is as close to a sure win as they could have scheduled. But what can we expect after that as they play three of their first four games in Wallace Wade Stadium before getting into the meat of their schedule?  The first thing one might notice taking a look at the slate is that the Blue Devils, like last season, avoid Florida State and Clemson from the ACC's Atlantic Division and that's never a bad thing.  The Blue Devils dodge talented newcomer Louisville as well, so in a word the conference slate is manageable.  But before you go counting a bunch of sure wins, it's best to realize several things, first and foremost that the defending Coastal Division Champions will not sneak up on a soul.

The Elon game is just what the doctor ordered to open the season.  Teams can start slowly and upsets often occur in the early season while teams are refining their system, but the Phoenix are not a strong club and have a new coach at the helm.  This means that Duke should be able to play a lot of players and ease into the year with little pressure of a possible loss.

Duke will next head to Troy and play against a team that can score.  This could be a stiffer test than many believe if for no other reason than it is a home and home series and the Blue Devils have never played in the stadium and rarely in the state of Alabama,  Troy played Duke tough until the end a season ago, but the Blue Devils came away with a 38-31 win.  If there is an early season trap game, this is probably it, but Duke should be the favorite in a day that the offense will need to click.  Troy is still considered a front-runner in the Sun Belt conference and always has something to prove against better league teams.

Duke will then return home for two games against Kansas and Tulane.  Trust me when I say don't sleep on the Jayhawks.  Yes, they finished last in their league a season ago but this will be a senior laden team that many in their region feel is their best team in years.  Plus, they play in what I will call a wide open offensive conference, so they are capable of playing in one of those wild and wooly high scoring games.  The Green Wave played Duke tough a season ago and are capable of doing so again, but if the Blue Devils struggle to beat them, it could be a sign things have gone astray.  The bottom line is Duke should win their first four this season but that has to be done on the field and not through speculation.

Hopefully, Duke is 4-0 going into two very tough in division road ACC games.  Miami is first on the slate and it will surely be hot as Hades in Coral Gables.  The Canes are one of the teams that will be hell-bent on revenge, losing 48-30 a season ago in a game where the Blue Devils simply were great.  This is also the ACC opener and an important game for both teams.  The Canes are talented and they return some key players off injury who did not suit up against  the Blue Devils and this is likely to be the first game Duke comes into the contest and underdog.  Then Duke gets another division favorite in Georgia Tech on the road, a team that has well, dominated Cut and company in the past few seasons.  Ask the average Duke football fan which team they most want to beat and the Yellow Jackets are the choice by many even over traditional rivals.  And this is one of Paul Johnson's teams that will fly a tad under the radar and that is when history has shown they've had success.  Gone is the local quarterback in Vad Lee who torched the Duke secondary a season ago with big plays, but that means Johnson will have a guy in the fold that buys totally into his option system and that makes them possibly even tougher this season for a methodical offense can be brutal when it is on.  These are two tough road games and two games that more or less stand alone in the early season and let's not forget the Blue Devils actually started their ACC season 0-2 a year ago and recovered, but don't expect that magic to happen again if the results are the same.

Duke will then return home for their annual showdown with Virginia and they'll have a bye week following.  What that means is that they'll go all out in the conference game which is considered a must win contest at home.  I realize UVA has struggled a bit of late, but there is a ton of talent on their team in that their recruiting has been consistently solid.  The Wahoo defense should be improved and they return their entire secondary and a solid senior running back in Kevin Parks.  It is also worth noting that the Wahoos will have a week off before facing Duke which means they'll have plenty of time to prepare,

SONY DSCNext comes two more conference road games in venues the Blue Devils will visit for the first time ever.  Duke may well have Pitt marked in their schedule as a payback game after a bitter 58-55 loss a season ago in a game they could and should have won.  Just think, they could have been 11-1!  But we all realize that these kind of analogies are far from simple.  Anyhow, Pitt is expected to be a pretty solid club playing their third consecutive home game.  Duke will then head to Syracuse and do not be surprised in any way if they are the underdog for the Cuse  returns most of their key offensive talent from a 7-6 team.  The Orange also get back a lot of their defense and in my opinion, they'll be pretty decent and likely favored in the Carrier Dome.  These two road games could be a huge tell for the Blue Devils post season hopes and much tougher than the average fan seems to be gauging them in the early season.

Next comes two games against what will surely be a mad as hornets Virginia Tech team in Wallace Wade Stadium followed by arch rival North Carolina.  The Hokies will be picked by many to win a wide open division in the pre season and after last seasons 13-10 home loss to Duke, they'll be primed for this one and physical.  And a tough physical game could be tough on Duke in that they turn around and face North Carolina on A Thursday nationally televised game on ESPN.  If there are injuries, the Blue Devils will have little time to heal in what could be the two most important games of the season.  If the Hokies fins a quarterback, their offense has a lot of returning talent and they'll make a serious run for the division.  Their defense suffered some major losses but when is the last time in the modern era their defense wasn't good?  Oh!  And did I mention the Hokies have an extra week to prepare for Duke?  When North Carolina visits, they too will have revenge and the Victory Bell on their collective minds.  After all, David Cutcliffe and his charges have a two game winning streak over their rival these days and last year they were the best team in the state of North Carolina.

SONY DSCDuke will close the season with Wake Forest and this should be a win but it is a rivalry game and new Deacs head coach Dave Clawson has had big time success against the Blue Devils while at Richmond.

With all that said, it will be an interesting season which gets underway in just over fifty days.  There is tremendous excitement surrounding the football program and there is no reason to think Duke will not go bowling for a third straight season.  And if all the cards fall right, there is no reason they cannot repeat as Coastal Division Champs as well.  It's always fun for fans to look ahead at games on the schedule, but in the end, you have to take them one at a time and the many varying intangibles as the season develops can alter what seems clear now, greatly.

 

 

Reintroducing the Redshirt Freshmen

Wallace Wade StadiumThere are 15 redshirt freshmen listed on Duke's roster. Fifteen players with a year in the program who have yet to step on the field, and see action, in a college game. Five of their classmates earned playing time last season as true freshmen, during the Blue Devils magical 2013 season, but these 15 guys haven't taken a live snap since their last game as seniors in high school back in November or December 2012. They have to be chomping at the bit to get on the field and show their stuff.

Blue Devil Nation is confident there are multiple solid players and several future stars amongst the 15 redshirts who will have their first opportunity to see live action on August 30, 2014, when the Elon Phoenix arrive at Wallace Wade Stadium for the season opener.

In this article, Blue Devil Nation will refamiliarize the faithful followers of Duke football with the redshirts who will be looking to make an impact during the 2014 season.

RB Joeseph Ajeigbe, 5'9" 210, Norco, Riverside CA, ranked the number 61 running back in the nation by ESPN. Ajeigbe scored 48 rushing touchdowns during his high school career. He carried the ball 10 times for 59 yards, and recorded four receptions for 34 yards, during the Spring Game back on March 1st. Ajeigbe runs with power and will certainly see a significant number of snaps in 2014 as Duke has utilized a deep running back rotation over the past several seasons.

WR Terrence Alls, 6'1" 180, Dade Christian, Miami Gardens FL, caught 108 passes for 1,856 yards during his high school career. As a senior, returned nine punts for 93 yards and seven kickoffs for 236 yards. Competition for playing time at wide receiver will be fierce; however, Alls could utilize his punt and kick return skills to make an impact on Special Teams.

QB Parker Boehme, 6'2" 220, Sandalwood, Jacksonville Beach FL, an early enrollee (January 2013) who completed 11 of 13 passes for 128 yards and a touchdown in the 2013 Spring Game. Boehme was ranked as the number 23 dual threat QB in the nation by 247Sports and is a powerful runner.

OT Gabe Brandner, 6'6" 275, Heathwood Hall, Blythewood SC, ranked as the number 78 offensive tackle in the nation by 247Sports.

S Phillip Carter, 6'1" 195, Folsom, El Dorado Hills CA, ranked as the number 72 safety in the nation by ESPN. Carter is another defensive back with good size. He recorded five tackles in the Spring Game with two being solo efforts.

WR Quay Chambers, 6'3" 205, Monroe, Monroe NC, ranked as the number 39 dual threat QB in the nation by 247Sports and the number 40 by ESPN. An explosive athlete who was praised by Head Coach David Cutcliffe after preseason scrimmages in 2013. Chambers caught four passes for seven yards in the Spring Game.

C Austin Davis, 6'4" 285, Mansfield, Mansfield TX, ranked as the number six center in the nation by ESPN. Davis is a young offensive lineman who could challenge for early playing time, which will support Duke's desire to play uptempo. Coach Cutcliffe has stated in the past, he desires to reach a point where two offensive lines are playing.

CB T.J. Douglas, 6'1" 185, Fort Myers, Fort Myers FL, played quarterback in high school and totalled 40 touchdowns in his career. Douglas has good size and has been transitioned to defensive back.

S/CB Evrett Edwards, 5'11" 190, Woodbridge, Woodbridge VA, ranked the number 43 cornerback in the nation by ESPN. Edwards recorded 108 tackles and 10 interceptions in his high school career. He enrolled early (January 2013) and is projected to see significant playing time in 2014. Edwards has participated in two Spring Games recording a total of 10 tackles including a QB sack.

LB Chris Holmes, 6'2" 215, Chancellor, Fredricksburg VA, played for the Blue Squad in the Spring Game recording six tackles. Holmes was ranked the number 77 safety in the nation by Scout. He moved to linebacker this past spring.

S Jake Kite, 6'0" 185, Hidden Valley, Roanoke VA, ranked the number 39 safety in the nation by ESPN. Kite also performed duties as a kickoff returner in high school so he is another candidate to make his mark on Special Teams.

OT Sterling Korona, 6'7" 290, Ronald Reagan, San Antonio TX, ranked the number 68 offensive tackle in the nation by ESPN and 247Sports.

S Quay Mann, 5'9" 190, Northern Nash, Rocky Mount NC, ranked the number 89 cornerback in the nation by ESPN. Mann enrolled early (January 2013) so he has participated in two Spring Games recording one tackle and an interception in 2013 and seven tackles in 2014.

LB Dominic McDonald, 6'2" 240, Lake Brantley, Longwood FL, ranked the number 59 outside linebacker in the nation by ESPN. McDonald enrolled early (January 2013) but did not participate in the 2013 Spring Game due to knee surgery. He recorded six tackles in the 2014 Spring Game.

DT Mike Ramsay, 6'2" 295, Walker School, Smyrna GA, recorded four tackles including a quarterback sack and forced a fumble in the Spring Game. Ramsay will challenge for playing time in the interior defensive line in relief of established upperclassmen.

Coach Cutcliffe has been aggressively utilizing the redshirt strategy since arriving at Duke to build solid depth on the roster. The strategy has paid dividends in recent seasons and is one of many factors contributing to the resuscitation of the football program in Durham. The 15 players listed above have a year in the program, in the weight room and the film room, and on the practice field, under the tutelage of an excellent staff, growing a year older, bigger, stronger, faster and smarter than when they arrived on campus. Their next developmental step is to walk out on the field and play. Blue Devil Nation will be watching for them in the highlights reels over the next four seasons!