Category Archives: Duke Football

Duke Football

Quarterback development key to 2010 success

This article was co-authored by Patrick Cacchio.

Duke football will be playing their third season under Coach David Cutcliffe in 2010 and quarterback development will be a key element to success. In his first two seasons at Duke, Coach Cutcliffe has guided the Blue Devils to a record of nine wins and 15 losses. Those nine wins came with four year starter Thaddeus Lewis calling the signals. This season Duke's first challenge will be to fill Lewis' big shoes if they are to have continued success toward rebuilding the football program into a contender. Coach Cutcliffe recently stated, at an appearance in Winston-Salem, "For this particular team, the obvious concern is our quarterback play." There is no better coach than Coach Cutcliffe to lead the quarterback development effort as developing quarterbacks is his specialty. "We've got some talent at the quarterback position," Cutcliffe said this spring, "but three of the guys are freshmen - one redshirt and two true freshmen."

Sean Renfree (6'3" 210) is currently projected to be Duke's starting quarterback. Renfree redshirted the first year Coach Cutcliffe was in Durham and played in six games last season connecting on 34 of 50 pass attempts for 330 yards, and four touchdowns with two interceptions. Renfree underwent rehabilitation over the winter for a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament in his right knee he suffered in the game against Georgia Tech last November. Though he was limited in Spring Training, Renfree was able to participate in passing drills, continuing to impress the staff with his strong arm, "throwing the ball much better than any time he's been here." He is now a full participant in off season workouts. Coach Cutcliffe recently stated, “He’s at full speed….the guy is a machine.”

Renfree will most likely be the starter when Duke tees it up and kicks off the season against Elon on September 4th.

Three quarterbacks will be in the running for the backup quarterback position:

Sean Schroeder (6'3" 185) redshirted last season so he has the advantage of a year in the system. During the 2009 season, Schroeder routinely took snaps with the first team offense while Thad Lewis nursed injuries. In the Blue-White scrimmage, Schroeder struggled to find a rhythm with his receivers, connecting on four of 20 throws for 23 yards. Throughout the spring, Schroeder impressed the coaching staff with his mobility, but at times struggled to adjust to the speed of the game.

Brandon Connette (6'2" 210) is a true freshman who enrolled at Duke in January 2010 and quarterbacked the Blue Team to a 24-3 victory in this Spring's Blue-White Scrimmage. In post game comments, Coach Cutcliffe stated, "The play of Brandon Connette stood out, as it has in a lot of scrimmages." Connette rushed 12 times for 91 yards and a touchdown and threw for 67 yards including a six yard touchdown pass to Tyree Watkins. Connette's ability to run with the ball may propel him past Schroeder on the depth chart. During the course of spring practice, Coach Cutcliffe was impressed with the "unbelievable progress" Connette was able to make as a true freshman.

Anthony Boone (6'1" 225) will be a true freshman at Duke this fall, and will also be given an opportunity to win the backup quarterback job. Boone attended Weddington High School in Monroe, NC passing for 1530 yards and 13 touchdowns while rushing for 780 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior. Despite his strong frame, Boone has shown the ability to be a dual-threat and make plays outside the pocket. Boone enrolled at Duke for the first summer session and is already on campus, participating in early workouts.

Improvement in the running game would go a long way in taking some of the heat off of Duke's young signal callers. In 2009, Duke averaged 368.5 yards of total offense per game, however, only 63.5 yards per game came via the ground. In 2010, experience on the offensive line will be a strength which should help improve Duke's ability to run the ball. Sophomore Desmond Scott and freshman Josh Snead, along with junior Jay Hollingsworth, provide the Blue Devils power, speed and talent in the backfield. Snead was impressive in spring practice, demonstrating an ability to "hit the hole unbelievably quick and with no fear," according to Coach Cutcliffe.

With the experience and depth Duke has in their receiving corps, airing the ball out on offense will remain a main strategy so the offensive line will need to provide the young quarterbacks time to throw the ball to Donovan Varner (65 catches in 2009), Conner Vernon (55 catches), Austin Kelly (54 catches), and the other members of the receiving corps.

Four of five offensive line starters return in 2010, along with a talented group of young redshirt freshmen. Senior center Bryan Morgan (6'3" 255) has started 24 straight games, totaling 2,017 career snaps, which is the most among active players. Tackle Kyle Hill (6'6" 285), guard Brian Moore (6'3" 275), and guard Mitchell Lederman (6'7" 305) are the other returning starters to a unit that finished third in the ACC in sacks allowed per pass attempt in 2009. Guard Brandon Harper (6'3" 305) also has starting experience. This spring, Coach Cutcliffe challenged the starting offensive linemen to lead the Blue Devil offensive attack, and was pleased with their progress: "I like our first offensive line right now. I'm more than pleased with their knowledge; they're stronger, they're quicker. We're better across the board there." For the first time in Coach Cutcliffe's tenure, the Blue Devils will have strength in numbers along the offensive line, which should help to keep the units fresh. "I also like what our young linemen have done," he said this spring, "I think for the first time since we've been here we're building a little depth." Success on the gridiron starts at the line of scrimmage and Duke's young quarterbacks are going to need the experienced guys along the offensive line to win the battles in the trenches this coming fall.

Duke has the pieces in place, talent and depth at receiver and running back, experienced lineman upfront; however, if Duke is to improve on last year's 5-7 record they will need their quarterbacks to develop into solid performers capable of consistently making good decisions, executing Coach Cutcliffe's game plan with precision, and leading the Blue Devils to victory. With a roster that includes 54 underclassmen, the young Blue Devils will need Sean Renfree to step up as a leader under center.

Duke Football

Duke Football Camp featured prospects of interest

Many of the prospects on hand this weekend were trying to impress the Duke Football staff to earn an offer - Rick Crank, BDN Photo

There were a few surprised faces on the kids and prospects who attended this past Saturday's Duke Football Camp.  It would be easy to think the scorching heat and humidity was the culprit, and yes sweat indeed played a role.  The sweat came from the crop of talent going through the various stations of drills being conducted by the football staff.  In short, the coaches worked their butts off and you could see the surprise in the faces of some of the prospects as the day wore on.

Coach Cutcliffe is always quick to tell you that he is looking for kids who can run and that was evident as he peered out from his golf cart, concentrating on a drill which not only tested speed but the cutting ability and reaction time.  As the day progressed, Cutcliffe would go from station to station while his competent staff barked out signals and suggestions.

If a prospect was caught walking to a station or back to the line after a drill they were quickly met with the sound of a coach telling them that their actions wouldn't cut it at Duke.  This in turn brought out the best in some of the kids while others learned quickly that Duke Football practices and conditioning is no joke.

The camp will continue this weekend and each year that Cutcliffe has been at Duke, the numbers of attendees swell.  Duke Football is being taken seriously in Durham and if you attend the camp as a participant or parent looking on, this is evident.

The Blue Devil Nation will be checking in with some of the prospects and their thoughts on the camp this week.  Among the prospects holding offers who attended this past weekend's session were Desmond Floyd [Union HS 6-4, DE], Cameron Clear [Memorial Central 6-6 TE], Marc Mustoe [Avada West HS, CO 6-6 OL], Kyler Kerbyson [Knoxville Catholic 6-4.5 DL], and Michael Cooper [Woodlands HS, TX 6-5 DE/TE].

Other offers have been tendered as well and you can learn of those on our premium message board which is for BDN Premium members.  Stay tuned for more on Duke Football Recruiting.

Duke Basketball, Duke Football

BDN’s Monday Musings

BDN Photographer Rick Crank captured Cutcliffe as he closed the Duke Football Camp this past weekend. BDN Photo, Rick Crank

A friend of mine told me over the weekend that it must be nice to finally have a break in my work with the season over and no sports in play around the Duke campus.  As I explained to him, there are no breaks when you run a Duke web site for there is always something going on.  Just this past weekend Duke Football held there annual camp as some of their top prospects and area talent put their skills on display.   BDN will be bringing you coverage from the event this coming weekend and we'll recap the past weekend as well tomorrow.  Coach Cutcliffe is turning the football program around and it's exciting to watch him add building blocks for the future.  BDN continues to offer our football prospect interviews for free, so please visit often for we are dedicated to following Duke Football Recruiting.

Returning Duke players Kyle Singler, Nolan Smith and Seth Curry all attended the CP3 Developmental Camp this past week as well.  Reports and sources say that all of them enjoyed a successful camp.  And speaking of camps, the Duke Basketball Camp gets underway this weekend as well.

Another big camp kicks off this week and that is the NBA Top 100 Camp in Charlottsville, Virginia.  Several Duke prospects will be on hand as will BDN to bring you coverage via out site and our popular twitter page.  Be sure to sign up for our twittwer page for updates as the camp progresses.  For a complete listing of the prospects on hand, check out BDN Premium's message board.  Also, see our trial one month offer for BDN Premium, so that you might see if you like what we have to offer.

BDN's Andrew Slater talked with Isaiah Austin recently and we bring premium members an in depth interview with a kid who is ranked #2 in his class by Prep Stars.  Austin is an Arlington, Texas native and stands 6-11 and while listed as a center, he has great perimeter skills.  Check out Andrew's in depth interview with a kid who is truly one of the nations elite.

It was good to see former Blue Devil Quin Snyder be tabbed as an assistant coach by Doug Collins, the new coach of Philadelphia 76'ers.  This is a great opportunity for Quin.

We still have a couple of offerings on the way from the Coach K Academy including a nice one on one with ESPN anaylist Jay Bilas.  Be sure to check out the Chris Collins interview and Elton Brand, both of which have already been posted.

Good Monday all, and Go Duke.  Oh!  And there is never an off season if you want to cover Duke Athletics right.  Don't forget to sign up and follow us on twitter where we are listed as BlueDevilNation.  Also, see and join us on our facebook page as well.

BDN Premium Articles, Duke Football

Alabama OT Boo Simon impressed with competition at Duke camp

BDN checked in with Boo Simon, a 6’4” 280 pound offensive tackle from Bay Minette, Alabama, just after the highly recruited junior left Duke’s campus.

“It was definitely one of the best camps I’ve ever been to,” he said “the competition level was extremely high. I think there were over 400 kids there, which is even more than the SEC camps I’ve been to. I got whooped on a couple times and you know the competition is high if that happens. Coach Middleton told me we’d get after it, and he was right.”

Though Simon has over a dozen scholarship offers, four schools have emerged at the top of his list: Duke, Maryland, Florida State, and Stanford. He recently got an invite to Auburn’s camp, and being an in-state school, they might enter the final mix if a scholarship is extended. Boo is looking for a school with a good location – in “a well-educated, cultured area.” Academics are also important, as is a coaching staff that he knows he’ll be comfortable with over the next four to five years.

Simon made the drive to Duke on Friday, joining the coaching staff and other recruits for dinner before Saturday’s day-long camp. “Coach Cutcliffe and his staff really know how to sell Duke. You can tell they’re a close-knit group, with their hearts in the program, and they’re happy there,” Boo said about the Duke staff, “and they always know what they’re doing. That’s an SEC or NFL caliber staff they have there. Their stock is rising and fast.”

Boo has a big week coming up, with camps scheduled at Auburn, Mississippi State, Alabama, Florida State, and Stanford.

He said that he’s developed a close relationship with Coach Tom Brattan, the offensive line coach at Maryland, who’s a “player’s coach.” Boo also mentioned that he liked the proximity of their campus to Washington, DC. “Florida State’s program speaks for itself, and it’s in a great location in Tallahassee,” he said, while also adding, “I was pretty pumped to get an offer from Stanford. Jim Harbaugh’s building a top dog football program there.”

Boo’s strengths on the field include his preparation, knowledge of the game, and quick feet. He’s a good blocker on the edge and is working on becoming a more complete leader for what he expects to be a young team this fall. “We’ve got a senior offensive line, but most everybody else is sophomores, so I want to get those sophomores in the weight room and on the field this summer so that they can step up in the fall,” he said when asked about his goals for his senior year. “We’ve got an extremely tough schedule, but we can pull off some upsets.”

Boo has a big week of camps coming up and will then make his college choice sometime over the summer, hopefully well in advance of his senior year.

Duke Football

Local talent Shawn Underwood garnering attention from Duke

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Shawn Underwood is a 6’1½” 320-pound junior defensive tackle from Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina. Shawn has impressed college coaches with his combination of size and athleticism, posting a 4.97 second 40-yard dash, a 26.2 inch vertical leap, and completing 29 reps of 185 pounds at a spring combine. On the field, Shawn is quick getting off the line and uses his hands well. Heading into his senior year, Shawn is working on “being a leader and getting better with my technique. I’m always trying to better myself, there’s always more to learn.” Off the field, Shawn is a self-described laid-back guy. “I’m a jokester. If I’m not having fun, I’m not happy,” he said.

As he approaches his college decision, Shawn is looking for a good atmosphere on campus and would prefer to attend a “football school.” Academics are important to Shawn as well, and he’s particularly interest in math in high school, but is undecided on a college major. Playing time is not a big concern for Shawn, as he intends to work hard and earn his opportunities. “If the coaches have confidence in me, then I should be out there; if not, then I shouldn’t be out there and I have to work harder.” In particular, Shawn prefers a coach who is “on you all the time, constantly making you get better.”

Offers keep coming in for the big junior lineman, including all five FBS programs in North Carolina, along with Penn State, South Carolina, and New Mexico. So far, Shawn has been able to visit all five of the in-state schools, and three of them have stood out to him.

At Wake Forest, he “really liked the coaching staff” and also noted that his parents were also really impressed with the staff on his visit. “That’s really important to me,” he said. North Carolina State has also stood out to Shawn, as he has clicked with defensive line coach Keith Willis from day one. “We’re basically on a first-name basis, there’s nothing we can’t talk about,” Shawn said about Coach Willis. Lastly, Shawn is high on UNC, though he admittedly hasn’t had much interaction with the coaching staff. Shawn grew up a North Carolina fan, and “that’s probably why they’re so high up right now,” but he will be attending a camp at UNC this Saturday.

Shawn has also visited East Carolina, where he was impressed with their program’s emphasis on “caring about the whole person, both on and off the field.” As for Duke, Shawn really liked his visit, but wasn’t able to really sit down and talk with the coaching staff, as he visited for a basketball game.

Shawn has had to “keep pushing the date back” for his decision, as more schools from out of state have started to show interest. He hopes to narrow his list down and make official visits in the fall, with the hopes of having a final decision on signing day or a little before.

Duke Football

A Cut Above – Portrait of a Football Leader to feature Duke Football Coach David Cutcliffe

Coach Cutcliffe and AD Kevin White are putting Duke Football back on the map - BDN Photo

DURHAM, N.C. --
A Cut Above - Portrait of a Football Leader, a one-hour documentary featuring Duke head football coach David Cutcliffe, is scheduled to air on Fox Sports South five times this month beginning on Sunday, June 13 at 9 p.m.

The show also will air on June 18 (7 p.m.), 20 (5 p.m.), 23 (7 p.m.) and 27 (9 p.m.).

Produced by ISP Sports, A Cut Above - Portrait of a Football Leader, focuses on Cutcliffe’s influence on others, personality and leadership style while including behind-the-scenes video footage of the Blue Devil head coach at practice, in the locker room, at home with his family and bass fishing with Hank Parker.  Topics covered include his roots in coaching, his training methods for elite quarterbacks, his bout with open heart surgery and his challenge in building Duke football into an annual contender.

Highlighting the documentary are interviews with former Cutcliffe quarterbacks Eli Manning, Todd Helton and Thaddeus Lewis, former NFL Pro Bowl quarterback Archie Manning, Duke Vice President and Director of Athletics Kevin White, current Duke players and coaches, family members, and country music artist Kenny Chesney.

Cutcliffe was named Duke’s 21st head football coach on December 15, 2007.  He has guided Duke to nine wins in two seasons after the program registered 10 total victories in the previous eight campaigns.  A native of Birmingham, Ala., and a 1976 graduate of the University of Alabama, Cutcliffe spent 19 seasons (1982-98; 2006-07) as an assistant coach at Tennessee where he helped the Volunteers to a 173-54-7 record including 17 bowl games, four SEC championships and the 1998 national crown.  He also served as the head coach at Ole Miss and guided the Rebels to a 44-29 ledger with a 4-1 record in bowl games from 1998-04.

The recipient of the Frank Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach in 1998, Cutcliffe has coached two Super Bowl MVPs in Peyton and Eli Manning.  He was named the SEC Coach of the Year in 2003 after directing Ole Miss to a 10-3 record with a share of the league’s Western Division championship and a 31-28 victory over Oklahoma State in the Cotton Bowl.  Under Cutcliffe, a total of eight quarterbacks have either earned all-conference honors or directed their respective school to a bowl game win: Andy Kelly (Tennessee), Heath Shuler (Tennessee), Peyton Manning (Tennessee), Tee Martin (Tennessee), Romaro Miller (Ole Miss), Eli Manning (Ole Miss), Erik Ainge (Tennessee) and Thaddeus Lewis (Duke).