Tag Archives: Duke Football

Duke Football

Cutcliffe and Duke Football entertain a bevy of recruits

Cutcliffe welcomes a bevy of prospects to Duke this weekend. Photo copyright BDN

DURHAM - Duke Football is hosting a bevy of prospects during this weekend's Duke-Alabama game.  Some of the visitors are already committed to the Blue Devils, while a good majority are from the junior class.  BDN will keep you abreast of football recruiting happenings in the coming week.  Until then, check out this list of prospects who will attend the game.

Tyler Alberts - Forsyth Country Day NC
Tyler Alt  -Greensburg Central Catholic PA
Stephone Anthony  - Anson NC
Henry Barnes -  Hobbton HS NC
Raymond - Freedom HS NC
B.J. Beecher - Concord Senior HS NC
Daniel Book - Hickory Ridge HS NC
Jared Boyd - Stephenson HS GA
Tommy Branch - Wake Forest Rolesville HS NC
Matt Brantley - Parkwood HS NC
Jonathan Bridges - Victory Christian NC
Kyler Brown - Charlotte Christian HS NC
John Brown - Seventy-First Senior HS NC
Matthew Browning - Mallard Creek HS NC
James Brumbaugh - Francis Hugh Wardlaw Academy SC
Jeremy Buchanon - Anson NC
Omar Carr - Wallace Rose-Hill HS NC
Neil Chambers - Crest HS NC
Osborne Colin - Glenelg HS MD
Jamison Crowder - Monroe HS NC
Marcus Crowder - Eastern Alamance HS NC
Andre Davis - Bunn HS NC
Matthew DeGraffinreed - Millbrook HS NC
Christopher Dempsey - Southern Durham NC
Dylan Dopson - North Hagerstown HS MD
Preston Durham - Chapman HS SC
Brandon Ellerbe - Anson NC
Christopher Everette - E. Montgomery HS NC
Kyle Farlow - Randleman HS NC
Zack Ferguson - Butler HS NC
Lucas Fisher - Piedmont HS NC
Devin Flowers - Mallard HS NC
Jody Fuller - Valley HS NC
Barrett Gauger - Baylor School TN
Eddie Gordon - Boiling Springs HS SC
Bryton Griffin - Blue Ridge HS SC
Michael Hall - Nitro HS WV
Mark Harrell - Charlotte Catholic HS NC
David Helton - Baylor School TN
Sardius Henderson - Southern Vance HS NC
Josh Hess - Richlands HS VA
Nick Hill - Pearl-Cohn HS TN
Stewart Hinson - Piedmont HS NC
Jalen Holt - North Stanly HS NC
Johnathan Hough - Anson NC
Tyler Hunt - Eastern Guilford HS NC
Cory Hunter - Fuqua-Varina HS NC
Desmond Jackson - West Rowan HS NC
Mark Johnson - T. W. Andrews HS NC
Aaron Johnson - Central Cabarrus HS NC
Winfred Johnson - Patton HS NC
Hakim Jones - Southern Vance HS NC
Jarrell Jones-  Hillside HS NC
Raphael Kirby - Parkview HS GA
Myers Krah - Hillside HS NC
LeGrand Langford - Enloe HS NC
Garrett Leatham - Middle Creek HS NC
Bradley Lipscomb - Bartlett-Yancey HS NC
Jalen Littlejohn - Lincolnton HS NC
David Lowery - Leesville Road NC
Chaz Lowery - Ocean Lakes HS VA
Dillon Lucas - Shawnee High School NJ
Jamal Marcus - Hillside HS NC
David Marino - Sun Valley HS NC
Keith Marshall - Millbrook HS NC
Sam Marshall - Chancellor HS VA
Joe Massaquoi - T.C. Williams HS VA
Alex McAllister - R.J. Reynolds HS NC
Taylor McCurry - Enka HS NC
Chedin Meadowns - Buchtel HS Ohio
Connor Mewbourne - First Colonial HS VA
Greg Milhouse - Garner HS NC
Thomas Militello - Mary Institute Country Day School OH
Anderson Miller - First Colonial HS VA
Will Monday - Flowery Branch HS GA
Andre Montgomery - Goldsboro HS NC
Jonathan Moore - Middle Creek HS NC
Jonathan Moran - Loyola Blakefield HS MD
Austin Parker - N.Gwinnette HS GA
Reginald Parker - Roanoke HS NC
Kenny Patterson - Berry Academy NC
Bradley Pinion - Northwest Carbarrus HS NC
Drew Podrebarac - Weddington HS NC
Joseph Pope - Portsmouth Christian HS VA
Antoine Pozniak - Oak Ridge Military Academy NC
Eric Pressley - Blythewood HS SC
Tyshawn Richardson - Blue Ridge HS SC
Cody Robinson - Warren County HS TN
Drew Rogers - Page HS NC
Caleb Rowe - Blue Ridge HS SC
Mario Sanders - Greer Senior HS SC
Dalton Saunders - Summerville HS SC
Erich Schneider - Jacksonville Episcopal HS FL
John Scott - Knightdale HS NC
Jonathan Sherrill - Lincolnton HS NC
Jalen "Scoot" Simmons - West Charlotte HS NC
Mason Sledge - Monroe HS NC
Cody Smith - White Oak HS NC
Joel Suggs - Randleman HS NC
James Summers - Page HS NC
Chris Tavarez - Westlake HS GA
Daryl Taylor - South Central HS NC
Will Thomas - Topsail Sr. HS NC
Cole Truelove - Terry Sanford HS NC
Damien Washington - A.L. Brown HS NC
Kendall Whitehead - Millbrook HS NC
Phillip Williamson - Jordan HS NC
Darius Wilkins - Middle Creek HS NC
Monte Golden - Northside HS NC
Jordan Hill - Byrd HS NC
Tyler McAllister - Cummings HS NC
Casey Gladney - Columbia HS SC
Tanner Brookshire - Erwin HS NC
Lashuarn Monk - High Point Central HS NC
Matthew Gray - Woodbridge HS VA
Jamel Covington - Lovejoy HS GA
Dalton Dillon - Northwest Guilford HS NC
Matt Pawlowski - Northwest Guilford HS NC
Brandon Beasley - South Johnston HS NC
Tripp Hupman - Eastern Alamance HS NC
Joe Watson - Davie HS NC

**copyright BDN - This article cannot be reproduced in part or it's entirety without permission from Blue Devil Nation Administrators

Duke Football

Preview: Duke Blue Devils vs Alabama Crimson Tide

The Alabama Crimson Tide (2-0) roll into Wallace Wade Stadium on Saturday, for a showdown with the Duke Blue Devils (1-1), in a contest that has everyone associated with Duke football giddy with anticipation. Alabama is the number one team in the nation and the winner of 16 straight games. The odds makers have the Crimson Tide as a 23 point favorite. The game will be televised by ABC Sports and will also be available on ESPN3 with kick-off scheduled for 3:30 pm EDT.

Blue Devil Nation is urging all Blue Devil fans in the area to show up and support the team on Saturday afternoon. Alabama has a dedicated traveling fan base and a sea of red will be present in Durham so the Duke faithful need to counter with a Blue Out in support of our Blue Devils. Duke has installed temporary bleachers behind the open end zone and in various locations along the concourse so break out your blue and head over to Wallace Wade Stadium for a fun filled afternoon of college football.

Duke in Week 2

Duke suffered a disappointing 54-48 defeat at the hands of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons last Saturday. Turnovers and big plays plagued the Blue Devils on a rainy afternoon in Winston-Salem. A fumbled snap on a punt and three intercepted passes resulted in 21 points for Wake Forest which was too much for Duke to overcome.

Duke is ranked number six in the nation in passing offense and number nine in total offense. Wide receivers Conner Vernon, Donovan Varner and Austin Kelly are the headliners in a deep and talented receiving corps. The three have combined to catch 44 passes for 584 yards in Duke’s first two games.

Running back Desmond Scott is averaging 99.5 yards rushing per game, which is tops in the ACC.

Alabama in Week 2

Alabama is coming off a dominating performance in a 24-3 drubbing of the Penn State Nittany Lions, after beating San Jose State 48-3 in their season opener. Alabama has not allowed an opponent to score a touchdown so far this young season, which is why they possess the number one ranked scoring defense in the nation.

Against Penn State, Alabama rolled up 409 yards of total offense with running back Trent Richardson carrying the ball 22 times for 144 yards and a touchdown. Senior quarterback Greg McElroy added 229 passing yards including two touchdowns. McElroy has the fifth highest quarterback rating in the nation at 191.12.

The Crimson Tide offense will receive an extra boost with the return to action of 2009 Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram who sat out the first two games recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. He is currently listed as day-to-day, but is expected to play on Saturday. Ingram rushed for 1658 yards last season.

Analysis

Duke cannot turn the ball over! Alabama’s potent offense can grind out possessions with Trent Richardson and Mark Ingram running the ball behind their big physical offensive line so providing Alabama with extra possessions by turning the ball over would be fatal.

The offense must play to their full potential by executing the game plan on every possession. Saturday is one game day the offense needs to be flawless. It will be imperative Duke convert third downs into first downs in order to sustain drives and allow their defense to stay off the field. Keeping Alabama’s offense off the field by dominating time of possession is an effective defense.

To dominate time of possession, Duke must run the ball at times. Desmond Scott is averaging 99.5 yards rushing per game and has broken two long runs for touchdowns: 63 yards against Wake Forest and 34 yards against Elon. True freshman Josh Snead has not broken a run into the secondary yet, however, with his speed he will surely break free for a couple of long gainers before the year is out.

Taking advantage of Alabama over pursuing on defense with designed cutback runs and misdirection plays will force the Crimson Tide to address our threat to run and open up the passing game for Sean Renfree to throw the ball to wide receivers Conner Vernon, Donovan Varner, Austin Kelly, and tight ends Brett Huffman, Brandon King and Cooper Helfet.

On defense, Duke must contain the Alabama running game and force McElroy to beat the Blue Devils by throwing the ball. McElroy has a quarterback rating of 191.12; however, he has only thrown the ball 40 times this season, which is less than half Sean Renfree’s 83 attempts. Forcing the outcome of the game onto McElroy’s ability to successfully throw the ball down the field gives Duke an advantage.

Just like Duke cannot afford to give Alabama’s offense extra possessions, Alabama cannot afford to give Duke’s potent passing attack extra opportunities to score points, so a turnover or two would benefit the Blue Devils tremendously. Duke is averaging two interceptions per game and if the secondary can come up big on Saturday it would go a long way toward Duke containing Alabama’s offense.

Duke will need their special teams to be special. With good kicking and kick coverage, Duke can force Alabama to play the full length of the field. The opposite is equally true. Duke must excel on kick and punt returns to shorten the field for the offense. If Duke allows Alabama to play on a short field, it will increase the difficulty of containing the Crimson Tide offense.

In summary, Duke must commit no turnovers, convert on third down, control the clock by sustaining drives, run the ball enough to keep Alabama’s defense honest, focus on containing the Alabama running game, force Alabama to make mistakes, and be special on special teams.

BDN Prediction

This is a golden opportunity for Duke football to show the entire nation it is ready to return to the big stage under Coach David Cutcliffe. The Blue Devils will move the ball and score points on the Crimson Tide but, in the end, Alabama will prove too talented and deep for Duke to handle. The BDN staff consensus pick is Alabama 51, Duke 22 in a game which will send a warning shot across the bow of future Duke opponents. Duke may come up short in this game but the Blue Devils will prove they are a team that can move the ball and score points against any defense in the country, and when a team can score points they are always a dangerous adversary.

Duke Football

Taking a look at early season statistics

Two weeks into the 2010 season, with the Blue Devils off to a 1-1 start with a 41-27 victory at home over Elon in the opening game, and a 54-48 loss to Wake Forest on the road, it is appropriate to take a look at statistical rankings for answers to a couple of basic questions. In which areas is Duke being successful? In which areas does Duke need to show improvement?

All statistical rankings quoted throughout this article are from www.theacc.com and www.ncaa.com.

In which areas is Duke being successful?

1. Total offense: In the first two games of the season, Duke has demonstrated a potent offensive attack racking up 514.5 yards per game, which is number one in the ACC and number nine out of 120 teams in the NCAA. Duke is number two in the ACC and number six in the NCAA in passing offense (354 yards per game) and number three in the ACC and number 20 in the NCAA in scoring offense (44.5 points per game).

2. Time of possession: at 32:10 per game, Duke is number three in the ACC and number 31 in the NCAA. With an effective offense, led by talented sophomore Sean Renfree, and questionable depth along the defensive line, Duke is a team which needs to have its offense on the field more than its defense. The time of possession statistic will be a critical indicator of Duke’s ability to be fresh in the 4th Quarter of ball games, and being fresh in the 4th Quarter will set Duke up to finish games strong.

3. Third down conversions: the offense needs to keep drives alive in order to score points and keep the opponents defense on the field. Duke is number one in the ACC with a 55.2 percent success rate (16 of 29) on third down.

4. Red zone offense: taking advantage of scoring opportunities is vital to success. Duke currently sits tied with Wake Forest at number one in the ACC and tied at number one in the NCAA (with 34 teams) with 100 percent success in the red zone. Duke has had the ball in the red zone 10 times scoring seven touchdowns and three field goals.

5. First downs: Duke is number one in the ACC and number five nationally with 54 first downs. The Blue Devils have passed for 34, rushed for 15, and had five awarded by penalty.

In which areas does Duke need to show improvement?

1. Total defense: Duke is number 12 in the ACC and number 105 in the NCAA allowing 453 yards per game. Opponents are averaging 177 yards on the ground and 276 through the air on Duke’s defense. The defense must toughen up and slow down future opponent’s offenses to increase the Blue Devils opportunity to win the football game.

2. Scoring defense: When you score 48 points in a game and lose it is obvious your defense didn’t slow down the opponent’s ability to put points on the scoreboard. Duke is number 12 in the ACC and number 114 in the NCAA giving up 40.5 points per game. The number 11 ranked team in the ACC, Wake Forest, is 10 points better than Duke at 30.5 points per game. Duke must reduce the number of points they are allowing.

3. Opponent first downs: Again Duke is number 12 in the ACC having given up 48 first downs to their first two opponents. Those numbers equate to a NCAA ranking of 108.

4. Red zone defense: Duke’s first two opponents have ventured into the red zone six times and scored six times, five touchdowns and a field goal.

5. Turnover margin: Duke’s plus/minus on turnovers is zero. However, with the challenges the Blue Devils face stopping opponent’s offenses, this number needs to be significantly positive. Wake Forest capitalized on Duke turnovers by scoring 21 points, while Duke did not convert the Demon Deacon’s turnovers into points.

Moving on to individual performances, there are three Blue Devils with noteworthy national rankings.

1. Sean Renfree: Passing yards – number two in the ACC and number four in the NCAA with 354 yards per game. Passing efficiency - number one in the ACC and number 20 in the NCAA with a QB rating of 159.4.

Renfree is off to an All-America quality start to the season. He is a very talented quarterback with a bright future.

2. Conner Vernon: Receiving yards per game - number two in both the ACC and NCAA with 155 yards per game. Receptions per game - number one in the ACC and tied for number four in the NCAA with nine receptions per game.

Like Renfree, Vernon is off to an All-America quality start to the season. Watching Sean Renfree throw the ball to Conner Vernon is going to provide Duke fans with much pleasure this season.

3. Desmond Scott: All-purpose yards - number two in the ACC and number 20 in the NCAA with 166.5 yards per game. Rushing yards - number one in the ACC and number 36 in the NCAA with 99.5 yards per game. Desmond Scott’s speed and strength provide Duke with an opportunity to maintain a semblance of balance on offense. Scott’s rushing yards per game could be the single most important offensive statistic for Duke football in 2010.

Duke’s rankings in these and other statistical categories will certainly fluctuate throughout the season so be sure and check back with Blue Devil Nation as we will update this article on a weekly basis to track the Blue Devils team and individual performances during the 2010 football season.

Duke Football

BDN previews Duke – Elon, staff picks the outcome

Are you ready for some Duke football? BDN wraps up kickoff week with a preview of Duke's week 1 matchup with the Elon Phoenix.  

Duke in 2009

The Blue Devils finished 4th in the ACC Coastal Division in 2009 with a record of 5-7, including wins against Army, North Carolina Central, Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina State. Led by senior QB Thaddeus Lewis, the offense carried the Blue Devils with a prolific passing attack. Duke's top three receivers formed one of the most formidable receiving corps in the nation in 2009, as All-ACC first team performer Donovan Varner, Freshman All-American Conner Vernon, and junior Austin Kelly all caught over 50 passes. Duke struggled to run the ball, finishing last in the ACC and the nation in rushing with only 63.5 yards per game. The defense was led by seniors DT Vince Oghobaase (All-ACC honorable mention), DE Ayanga Okpokoworuk, LB Vinnie Rey (2nd team All-ACC), and CB Leon Wright (All-ACC honorable mention). Despite falling short of a bowl berth, the five wins marked the most for the program since 1994. 

Elon in 2009

Elon is coming off the program's first ever FCS playoff invitation in 2009, in what was head coach Pete Lembo's fourth year with the program. The Phoenix finished 2009 ranked in the FCS top 10, losing in the first round of the FCS playoffs to Richmond, 16-13. The Phoenix dominated opposing offenses, finishing fourth in the country in total defense, allowing just 248.33 yards per game. Elon also finished in the top 10 in scoring defense, pass defense, and sacks. The offense was equally impressive, led by senior WR Terrell Hudgins, who was runner-up for the Walter Payton Award in his outstanding senior campaign, in which he recorded 123 receptions and 1633 yards, becoming the all-time FCS leader in receiving yards. Scott Riddle led the offense in his third years as starting quarterback, eclipsing the 10,000 yard mark for his career. The Elon ground game was paced by sophomore Jamal Shuman, who led the team with 677 rushing yards, and junior Brandon Newsome, who rushed for 7 touchdowns in 2009.

 

Analysis

First week matchups are always difficult to predict, as teams adjust to new personnel, coaching, and opponents. Every team has question marks heading into week one, and Duke and Elon are no exception. The Blue Devils must replace a record-setting quarterback and five starters on defense. They must develop a consistent rushing attack and utilize their speed on defense to pressure opposing offenses. QB Sean Renfree appears poised to take over under center and should have the benefit of a veteran offensive line and receiving corps. Five players will play at running back for Duke in 2010, led by sophomore Desmond Scott, who showed flashes of his potential as a freshman in 2009. On defense, Duke will attempt to utilize depth at linebacker and different schemes to disrupt opposing offenses. A deeper and more experienced secondary should have better playmakers than a year ago. After a disappointing loss to Richmond in last season's opener, Duke should be better prepared in 2010. 

The Phoenix have questions of their own heading into their season, though expectations are still high. Elon was selected 2nd in the Southern Conference and 7th in the FCS in preseason polls. Preseason Southern Conference Player of the Year Scott Riddle has already cemented his name in the record books in just 3 years at Elon, but loses his top receiver from 2009 in Terrell Hudgins. Seniors Lance Camp and Sean Jeffcoat will have to fill the void, but may struggle to get open against Duke's speedy secondary. The Phoenix have the biggest concerns on defense, where they must replace starters on the defensive line and the secondary. The linebackers will be called upon to lead the defense, starting with junior Joshua Jones and senior Brandon Wiggins. Elon was one of the top defensive teams in the country last season and are well-coached, but with significant losses, their 2009 dominance may be hard to repeat.  

BDN Prediction

Pete Lembo has built the Phoenix into a top program within the FCS, but Duke is now a competitive FBS program and has aspirations of competing for future ACC and BCS championships. Elon was overmatched against their lone FBS opponent in 2009 in Wake Forest, losing 35-7 in Winston-Salem. The Blue Devils have better athletes than Elon at nearly every position, and have finally built up quality depth at key positions. With Duke's youth, consistency has been a concern throughout practice and will continue to be important throughout the season. Riddle, a savvy veteran quarterback, will take advantage of the Blue Devils' defensive aggressiveness and inconsistencies, but Sean Renfree and the Duke receivers should have no problems with the inexperienced Phoenix secondary. The Blue Devils will attempt to control the game on the ground, sharing carries among multiple running backs, while opening the game up through the air. 

Each week in 2010, BDN will provide our consensus pick from football contributors Mark Watson, Bob Green, and Patrick Cacchio. The consensus BDN pick here is: 

Duke - 31

Elon - 14

Duke Football

Duke down lineman Kyle Hill prepares for Elon

Duke offensive lineman Kyle Hill poses for the Blue Devil Nation on Duke's annual picture day. BDN caught up with Hill who talks of the season opener. Stay tuned to BDN for true Duke Beat coverage of the football and basketball programs and join BDN Premium for full site access including our subscription only message board and you'll be in the know.

DURHAM - It's not long before Duke kicks off their 2010 football season against Elon where they have been installed as 7.5 favorites over the Southern Conference power.  One of the keys this season will be the play of the offensive line where Kyle Hill helps anchor the front.  BDN caught up with Kyle to get his thoughts on the season opener which you can hear on BDN audio -