Category Archives: Duke Football

Duke Basketball, Duke Football

BDN’s Monday Musings – Recruiting, Football Wins, Praise and Injuries

A Monday Musings tradition is the Cheerleader of the Week pic - Rick Crank, BDN Photo

Good Monday morning Blue Devil Nation!  It's the first day of November which means we are into the meat of the football schedule while basketball begins in earnest.  It'll be a busy week ahead as recruiting heats up and Duke prepares for Virginia on the football field in Wallace Wade this Saturday and Cal Poly Pamona visits Cameron Indoor Stadium prior to that.

We'll start with basketball recruiting for the November early signing period begins on the 10th of this month and ends on the 17th.  The news broke over the weekend that Myck Kabongo had decommitted from Texas and that Duke was on his list.  The Blue Devils will get involved but it remains to be seen how this one will play out for many reasons.  One of those reasons is Quinn Cook who holds an offer but who let North Carolina in at the midnight hour adding them to his list just yesterday.  Cook grew up a fan of the school and it is no secret that Roy Williams always seems to come in later on just about every kid the Blue Devils target.  A lot of people expected Cook to give Duke a verbal already, including me, but oh how the landscape changes quickly in the world of recruiting and Duke has positioned themselves to come away with a point guard to run alongside Austin Rivers.  Michael Gbinije, Marshall Plumlee and the aforementioned Austin Rivers are all expected to sign during the early period.  More recruiting discussion can be found if you gain full site access by joining BDN Premium and that's how you can support the hard work of the BDN staff and this site.

I attended the Coach K Coaching Clinic this past weekend without the media hat on for I have a passion for coaching myself.  But it was hard not to come away having gleaned some key insight into the team itself and I can share with you that Miles Plumlee earned high praise from Krzyzewski for his practice of late.  In fact, he was mentioned on three occasions and that is a sign that he'll certainly be a main cog in the lineup early on.  The key for Miles is to stay intense for Duke and he'll once again begin the season as a sure starter.

Also mentioned was the fact that Jon Scheyer's eye injury was not a good thing in that he has apparently lost some of the vision.  Scheyer will embark on a journey to Europe soon and we'll of course keep tabs on him.  Meanwhile Brian Zoubek had some unfortunate luck as well and he is currently rehabbing at Duke after an operation on his back.  BDN's wishes these national champions a speedy recovery.

Krzyzewski also spoke of "10 standards," for this seasons team and we'll let him share that at a later date.  We can tell you that the US team had 15 standards as well, bet here is what we're getting to ... the standards act as a contract.  This carries over into a much discussed issue of social media, namely Twitter.  During ACC Operation Basketball I spoke to Krzyzewski about the standards which he'd clarify more in recent days.  I basically said that he trusts his players in that they would not go as far as kids just down the road.  Krzyzewski doesn't think that he should put but so many restrictions on his team so that they'll grow in the process both on and off the court.  In short, Duke sets forth standards which players respect and adhere to and this enables Krzyzewski to trust his players judgement and that means we''ll continue to be entertained by Nolan Smith's tweets.  And isn't it obvious that the Duke kids have not embarrassed themselves or the school?

I personally think it is crazy to hang on every single comment from Twitter via prospects every little whim, but we do like it as a tool to further our site.  That said, join BDN Twitter for we bring you an additional game experience from press row in Cameron and Wallace Wade.  If you want constant behind the scenes tidbits then sign up now and get a unique perspective.  We carried you every step of the way to the national championship last year and we hope to do so again this season.  And we promise not to tweet what we are eating  and every little thing which is not pertinent to your fandom.

Man, did the football team need a win and the victory over Navy cured some ills getting the Blue Devils back into the win column.  One cannot help but think what if Duke had defeated Maryland and Wake Forest, two games where they outplayed their opponent for they'd be 4-4 going into the UVA game.  Still, the team has a chance to end the seasons with some positives but it'll take consistent play.

Winning down the stretch for Cutcliffe's troops will also be aided by another game with no turnovers.  We see what can happen when Duke protects the ball the entire game against a Navy team coming off a victory over Notre Dame.  Turnovers have doomed the Devils more often than not this season and they'll need this to turn around against a physical Virginia team coming off a win over Miami this past week.

Lastly, thanks for your patience of late as our staff has been very busy.  We'll get fully back into the gro this month and that means max coverage of the games on the Duke Beat along with some tweaks to the site along the way.  Also, check out our Facebook site which we have not pushed with the success of BDN Twitter for there all fans can post and or add pictures there.

Lastly, for the longest time we've held out from allowing advertisers on this site but that will change in the near future.  Originally, we thought we'd give you a break from those annoying ad's which bounce off the page or force you to read them for we're dependant on memberships to fund BDN.  For several years we chose to keep advertising off to facilitate a clean look for your viewing pleasure but the additional income will go towards site maintenance and growth.  We promise to avoid those annoying ads but will be adding some which we personally approve of.  Advertisers can contact Susan in Admin or myself for more details with your needs and at this time we still have a top banner opening.    Have a great week ahead and remember we all make up the Blue Devil Nation.

Duke Football

BDN’s Sunday Quarterback – Duke gets much needed win

Only wins cure ills

Duke got a much needed victory on the road at Navy and nothing cures ills like a win.  Duke was in desperate need of a few plays going their way and that happened in a 34-31 road win.  The Blue Devils now know they can move the ball and that should bode well down the stretch.

Sean Renfree is back

What an amazingly effective performance from Sean Renfree where he missed a mere two passes and his receivers caught the ball for him.  Heck, even a drop went right through Conner Vernon's hands, but no biggie for the wideout had another big game.  Renfree got his confidence back and we knew all along that he was a much better signal caller than he showed in recent weeks.  This is a performance which you can build on and expect the effort to carry over down the stretch.

Don't knock Cutcliffe

Okay, Cut sat Sean Renfree late but one needs to look at the big picture before they complain.  Renfree had a great game and there was no way Duke would gamble and take a chance of him throwing an interception that would have thwarted the progress made with his confidence.  Instead, Duke ran down the clock behind Brandon Connette and it was the right thing to do when looking at the big picture.

Three and a half quarters

I will admit that I thought Duke was on the verge of putting together four full quarters and they almost did.  Navy rallied late and scored 24 points in the final quarter but had the defensive backs held on to sure interceptions and cut out untimely penalties that wouldn't have been the case.  Navy picked on one DB all day long but we'll not call him out and we hope he gets it together by the UVA game.

Speaking of the UVA game ...

Duke should compete with the Cavaliers and have a chance at a much needed ACC victory which is the next step in closing the season on a positive note.  Fans need to turn out and help their Devils this coming Saturday for a two game winning streak is a possibility.  Before you get to confident though, remember how close the Cavaliers played USC on the road and of course, they took care of Miami this past week in a huge upset win.

Kelby Brown has a bright future at Duke

Duke linebacker Kelby Brown has been a pleasant surprise for this seasons team, despite the fact that he is but a true freshman.   Brown is showing early signs of being a leader for years to come and he simply has a nose for the ball.

Matt Daniels is a player

The Duke secondary has struggled this season but Matt Daniels has been a constant and his huge tackle for a loss versus Navy helped the Blue Devils claim their second victory of the season.  Daniels is a playmaker and I have a feeling he has some big ones coming before the season ends.

Duke Football

Renfree, Duke survive furious Navy comeback for 34-31 win

There is nothing better than a win for a struggling team and the Blue Devils held off a Navy rally holding on for a 34-31 victory and in the process spoiled  Navy's homecoming.  Duke took control of the game early running out to a 24-0 lead at the half before the Middies knew what hit them.  Duke quarterback  Sean Renfree was on fire today hitting 28 of 30 passes for 328 yards rushing for two scores and throwing for another.  And his counterpart, Brandon Connette did his thing as well, rushing for a touchdown, gaining 34 yards on carries.

The Duke offense limited Navy's time of possession with several long clock churning drives which helped them keep a lead until a late Navy charge which produced 24 4th quarter points.

Just when you thought Duke was about put together four quarters of football for the first time this season the defense buckled in the 4th quarter with penalties and Navy picking on a Duke defensive back.  But it was the absence of turnovers which helped throttle the Middies where Duke had not a single one on the day and that helped them to a much needed victory.

The Blue Devils will be at home next week against ACC foe Virginia who is coming off an upset win over Miami.  More to come ...

Duke Football

BDN Previews Duke’s Match up with Navy in Annapolis

Duke (1-6) travels to Navy (5-2) on Saturday to take on the Midshipmen in their Homecoming game in Annapolis. The game will be televised on CBS College Sports at 3:30 PM ET and will be called by Tom McCarthy and Randy Cross. BDN offers the following analysis of Duke’s last non-conference game of 2010.

Duke in Week 8

The Blue Devils fell last week in Blacksburg, 44-7 to Tyrod Taylor and the Virginia Tech Hokies. Taylor threw for 280 yards and 3 touchdowns, adding 47 rushing yards as the Hokies won their 6th in a row. Virginia Tech jumped out to a 27-0 halftime lead, holding the Blue Devils to under 100 yards of offense in the first half. Duke turned the ball over twice in the game (an improvement), as QBs Sean Renfree and Brandon Connette each threw an interception. The Blue Devils’ forced a fumble and held the Virginia Tech running backs to 112 yards on 33 carries. Jay Hollingsworth had his second consecutive positive effort on the ground, rushing for a 6-yard touchdown and an average of 6.5 yards per carry. Conner Vernon hauled in 6 catches, but failed to break open any big plays, totaling just 44 yards. Overall, the Duke offense managed just 10 first downs and 208 total yards in a forgettable trip to Lane Stadium.

Navy in Week 8

The Midshipmen defeated Notre Dame 35-17 in the New Meadowlands Stadium last Saturday. The Navy offense was led by senior Ricky Dobbs, who ran for 3 TDs and added another through the air, and junior Alexander Teich, who ran for 210 yardson the day. The Midshipmen totaled 367 yards on the ground and added 71 yards through their opportunistic passing game. Notre Dame managed just 3.5 yards per carry, threw for 257 yards and were slowed by two turnovers. The tone was set early in the game; the Irish were stopped on a 4th and goal from the 1 yard line on their first possession, after which Navy marched down the field with a 99-yard touchdown drive. Prior to 2007, the Midshipmen had dropped 43 straight games to Notre Dame, making Saturday’s rout all the more satisfying.

Analysis

The Blue Devils will have their hands full with the Navy option offense on Saturday. The Midshipmen rank 9th in the country in rushing, averaging 274 yards per game, while Duke’s defense ranks 107th in the country, allowing 207 yards per game on the ground. The Navy rushing attack will run the ball 50-60 times per game, with the majority of carries going to Dobbs and Teich. The backfield is deep, however, and opponents can expect a few carries to go to explosive sophomore Gee Gee Greene, who averages over 7 yards per carry, and possibly senior Vince Murray, who may return from injury this week. Dobbs has been opportunistic in the passing game, resulting in an impressive 17.8 yards per completion; his favorite targets have been senior Greg Jones and the aforementioned Greene. The effectiveness of the Navy offense is perhaps best demonstrated by the time of possession statistic, where they rank 5th in the country, holding the ball for an average of 33:40 per game. Navy’s efficiency in the option offense is further demonstrated by just 6 fumbles on the year, despite nearly 400 rushing attempts.

The Navy defense ranks 19th in the country, allowing just 18 points per game, but ranks 28th in the country, allowing nearly 330 total yards per game. With a lot of 2 deep schemes, it is a defense that primarily will bend but not break. They have forced 9 fumbles and 6 interceptions on the year, and hold opponents to 36.8% on 3rd downs. Senior rover Wyatt Middleton is the leader and captain on defense, with 44 tackles and 2 pass break ups. Senior LB Tyler Simmons leads the team with 58 tackles, followed by junior LB Aaron McCauley with 56, including 8 for a loss. Junior DE Jabaree Tuani anchors the defensive front with 43 tackles, 2 sacks, and 9.5 tackles for loss.

Keys to this game for Duke are:

  1. Field Position: the Blue Devils cannot afford to give the Navy offense a short field to work with, and therefore must avoid turnovers and cover kicks.
  2. Time of Possession: if the Blue Devils allow Navy to control the game with their offense, they will wear down the Duke defense and dominate the second half. Duke’s offense must take care of the football and consistently move the chains with a balanced attack distributed amongst their deep running back and receiving corps.
  3. Discipline: Duke must stay disciplined on defense, particularly in the secondary. They cannot allow the big plays through the air or on the ground that doomed them against Army earlier this year.

BDN Prediction

The Midshipmen are hitting their stride midseason, with an impressive win last week over Notre Dame. The Blue Devils are still struggling to put all three phases of the game together, but one gets the sense that they are inching closer each week. Could this be the week the offense puts the turnovers behind, the defense stops the option, and special teams wins the field position battle? If Duke hopes to win on Saturday, it will have to be.

Navy 30
Duke 21

Duke Football

Duke at Navy – Q&A Exchange with Navy Blog

BDN exchanged the following Q&A with the Birddog Blog in anticipation of Duke’s matchup with Navy in Annapolis.

BDN: Coming off a 9-4 season in 2009 and an impressive bowl win against Missouri, what were your expectations for Navy this season? How would you evaluate the season so far?

BB: My expectations don't change much from year to year. A lot of people saw that win over Missouri as a springboard for a run at a BCS game in 2010, but most of those same people thought the team was doomed after losing to Hawaii and looking sort of sloppy against Army a few weeks earlier. So much can happen over the course of a season that I've always found predicting records beforehand to be kind of pointless. I generally expect the team to win more than they lose, and go from there. In that sense, Navy is right on track at 5-2. Losing to Air Force was definitely a disappointment, but other than that it's been pretty much business as usual for Navy.

BDN: Some coaches and media members have been outspoken regarding cut blocking in college football. I have read some of your blog posts on cut blocking and defending against the cut block, and think that you raise some important points. Can you summarize your thoughts on this issue for our readers?

BB: Every team cut blocks, even the ones with coaches who complain about it. It's the most effective way to get a defender on the ground. Blocking at the legs is no more dangerous than tackling at the legs, and I don't hear anyone calling to make that illegal.
Nobody seemed to care about cut blocking when Navy was losing. Now all of a sudden it's an issue.

BDN: From what I’ve seen, the Midshipman have struggled when they fall behind early, which was the case against Maryland and Air Force. How would you suggest a team prepare for Navy and the option offense? Is an early lead and a good offense really the best defense?

BB: Navy fell behind in every game other than Notre Dame and Georgia Southern. People seem to think that once an option offense falls behind, it's impossible to come back. It just isn't true.
The best way to prepare a defense to face an option offense is to focus on winning individual matchups and confusing the quarterback. There is no magic scheme that Navy's coaches can't adjust to. The most successful teams either beat their blocks and make plays behind the line of scrimmage, or they give the quarterback a variety of stunts and reads to force him into making a mistake.

BDN: Army was able to open things up with a few big passing plays against Duke. Ricky Dobbs is averaging over 17 yards per completion for Navy this year; what have been the keys to the success through the air?

BB: Option offenses tend to create a lot of one-on-one matchups in the passing game, especially since defenses are forced to involve their secondaries in run support. Navy doesn't pass very often, but when they do it tends to be for maximum effect. That leads to the lofty per-completion averages you see from Navy QBs and receivers. There's more to it than just scheme, though. Navy has thrown the ball fairly well this year, and I think it's for a few reasons. First and foremost, Ricky Dobbs is just a better passer than a lot of people seem to give him credit for. Second, though, is that the Navy offensive line is playing better this year. Navy is always near the top of the list for fewest sacks per game, mostly because they also throw the fewest passes. If you measure the number of sacks per pass attempt, though, Navy has usually been terrible, averaging a sack for every 5-9 pass attempts over the last 5 years or so. This year, the line only averages a sack every 11.4 pass attempts. That still isn't the greatest, but it's a significant improvement over previous seasons.

BDN: Duke and Navy have played fairly even over their past few meetings. What do you expect from the 1-6 Blue Devils on Saturday?

BB: It's hard to know how a team is going to react to being 1-6. Will they come out fighting, desperate for a win to break their slide? Or will they look worn out and beaten down, just puching the clock until the end of the season? Duke's mental state will be as much of a factor in this game as anything.
Offensively, you know what you're going to get out of a David Cutcliffe team; 30-40 passes and 20-30 runs per game, and lately, a couple of interceptions thrown in for good measure. Turnovers are especially damaging against a team like Navy that likes to control the clock (the Mids are 5th nationally at 33:40 per game). Teams get fewer possessions per game, making each one more valuable. It puts a lot of pressure on the opposing offense to make the most of the few opportunities they get.
On defense, Duke had a lot of success using the squeeze and scrape against Navy in 2008. The squeeze and scrape is when the defensive end "blocks" the playside tackle, preventing him from getting to the second level. That unblocked linebacker then would go on to make the tackle, usually on the quarterback. How well that plan works depends a lot on who the quarterback is; Navy ran all over Duke with their starter in the first half, then came to a grinding halt in the second half with the backup under center. Notre Dame tried the same thing last year and lost. I doubt Duke will use the same plan.