Tag Archives: Duke Football

Duke Football

Georgia Tech wins ACC’s Coastal Division handing the Blue Devils a 49-10 loss

Devils stopped Tech early, but then the train got going
Devils stopped Tech early, but then the train got going

Durham, N.C. - The seventh rated Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets ran roughshod over the Duke Blue Devils in route to a 49-10 victory.  The win pushes Tech's record to 10-1.  With the win Tech wrapped up the Atlantic Coast Conferences Coastal division, and they'll play in the  ACC Championship game.

Duke lost their second consecutive ACC contest which dropped their overall record to 5-5 and conference record to 3-3.

Georgia Tech's methodical running game wore the Blue Devils down and big plays enabled the Jackets to coast after being down 7-0 early.  The Yellow Jackets generated a whopping  519 yards of offense.

All American tailback Johnathan Dwyer scored two touchdowns while gaining 110 yards and Josh Nesbitt went 7 of 11 through the air for 195 yards and two touchdowns.

"We should have had a couple of other big plays.  It was good that a lot of guys got to play," stated Paul Johnson n a rather smug manner.

thadThe Blue Devils gained 281 yards on offense, struggling for a second straight week to put significant points on the board.  In all honesty, there were few bright spots for Duke as the game went on.

Thaddeus Lewis threw one touchdown to Re'Quan Boyette and ended the game with 212 yards passing.  Desmond Scott got the start at running back and led Duke in rushing with 26 yards, but added 45 more yards on 5 catches.

Coach David Cutcliffe summed it up by saying, "Momma said there would be days like this and she was right."

The real problem for Duke besides getting back into the groove on offense are the mounting injuries.  Austin Kelly and Johnny Williams both went out with undetermined injuries and back up quarterback Sean Renfree may have suffered ligament damage.  His injury will force Duke to look for another quarterback in practice this week in that they will not

Championship bound
Championship bound

burn Sean Schreoder's redshirt.

Duke next travels to Miami and then plays their final home game of the season against Wake Forest on November 28th.

Duke Football

BDN previews the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs the Duke Blue Devils football game

duke-maryl;and 041Don't miss Duke Football (5-4 overall, 3-2 in the ACC) as they take on #7 ranked Georgia Tech (9-1 overall, 6-1 in the ACC) this Saturday at Wallace Wade Stadium. BDN previews this battle for first place in the ACC Coastal Division, which will be televised on ESPN2 at noon ET. Tickets are still available through the Duke Ticket Office at 877-375-DUKE (3853) or www.goduke.com.

Scouting the Blue Devils

Last time out

Duke was defeated by North Carolina in Chapel Hill last Saturday, 19-6. Thad Lewis completed just 16/33 passes for only 113 yards with 1 interception. Austin Kelly led the Duke receiving corps with 4 catches for 22 yards. Duke’s 6 points came on two first half field goals by Nick Maggio, filling in for Will Snyderwine, who was injured in pre-game warm-ups. The Duke offense was dominated by a physical Carolina defense throughout the game, converting just 2/13 on third down.

The Duke defense put up a valiant effort in the loss, holding North Carolina to just 9 points through the first 3 ½ quarters. In fact, a fourth quarter interception by senior CB Leon Wright gave Duke the ball in North Carolina territory with an opportunity to take a fourth quarter lead. However, the Duke offense turned the ball back over to the Tar Heels, who rode the strong legs of Ryan Houston the length of the field to take a 16-6 lead with under 7 minutes to play. Houston finished the day with 164 yards on 37 carries.

Season

The Duke offense is led by senior QB Thad Lewis, who ranks second in the ACC with 269.8 passing yards per game and 15 TDs. Duke’s receiving corps of freshman Conner Vernon, sophomore Donovan Varner, and junior Austin Kelly all rank in the top 10 in the ACC in receiving, along with the big play potential of sophomore Johnny Williams. The Blue Devils have struggled to run the ball, ranking last in the conference.

The Duke defense ranks 4th in overall yards, allowing just 323 total yards and 23.6 points per game with a +3 turnover margin. Duke has struggled to pressure opposing quarterbacks, registering just 15 sacks on the season. Special teams has been much improved during Coach Ron Middleton’s tenure, including 13/16 in field goals and a perfect 27/27 extra points.

Scouting the Yellow Jackets

Last time out

Georgia Tech held off Wake Forest in overtime at home last Saturday, 30-27. The Yellow Jackets trailed 17-10 at halftime, but rallied in the second half to take a 24-17 fourth quarter lead. The Demon Deacons, led by senior QB Riley Skinner, tied the game with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Devon Brown with just under 5 minutes remaining in regulation. In overtime, the Demon Deacons scored first with a 34-yard field goal. On the ensuing Georgia Tech drive, Coach Paul Johnson elected to go for it on 4th and 1 at the 5 yard line, and was successful with a 2 yard run by QB Josh Nesbitt. Nesbitt ran into the end zone on the next play, giving Georgia Tech the 30-27 victory.

The Georgia Tech triple-option attack ran for 412 yards in the OT victory, led by Jonathan Dwyer’s 189 yards on 23 carries. The Yellow Jacket defense stymied the Demon Deacon rushing game, holding them to just 28 yards on 25 carries. The Demon Deacons were successful moving the ball through the air, completing 26/40 passes for 263 yards.

Season

In just his second year as head coach, Paul Johnson has turned the Yellow Jackets into one of the ACC’s top teams, led by RB Jonathan Dwyer, QB Josh Nesbitt, and WR Demaryius Thomas. Georgia Tech is 9-1 on the year, with key wins coming at home against Clemson, North Carolina, and Virginia Tech. The Yellow Jacket’s lone loss was a 33-17 defeat at Miami on a Thursday night in September.

Georgia Tech boasts the ACC’s leading offense, averaging 34.7 points per game and 314.9 rushing yards. Despite the emphasis on running the ball in the triple-option offense, WR Demaryius Thomas leads the ACC in receiving yards per game at 86.1. When the Yellow Jackets do look to throw the ball, Thomas is a dangerous weapon. On the defensive side of the ball, the Yellow Jackets rank 5th in rush defense, allowing 126.4 yards per game, but rank 10th in pass defense, allowing 226.7 yards per game and 19 touchdowns through the air.

Injuries

Coming off a crushing defeat to a physical North Carolina team, the Blue Devils may be as physically and emotionally bruised as they have been all season. The Duke defense will be limited if both DT Vince Oghobaase and leading tackler LB Vincent Rey are unable to play. On offense, QB Thad Lewis, WR Conner Vernon, and WR Donovan Varner are all injured but expected to play. K Will Snyderwine remains questionable with a leg injury suffered last week during pre-game warm-ups in Chapel Hill. With key players nursing injuries on both sides of the ball, Duke’s lack of depth may be exposed on Saturday.

On the other hand, Georgia Tech is relatively healthy, with none of their key playmakers listed on the injury report.

Closing Thoughts

First place in the ACC Coastal Division is on the line this Saturday at Wallace Wade Stadium. A win for the Yellow Jackets will clinch a berth in the ACC Championship game December 5 in Tampa, FL. A win for the Blue Devils will bring them one win away from bowl eligibility, a feat the program has not accomplished since 1994.

The Blue Devil defense ranks 7th in the ACC, yielding 139 yards per game. In an early season contest against a similar option-style offense at Army, Duke prevailed with a 35-19 win, giving up 266 yards on the ground (4.6 yards per carry). Duke is a more confident team now than against Army, having won 5 games overall, including 3 conference games. The Duke passing offense will need to get off to a fast start against a suspect Georgia Tech secondary. Georgia Tech DE Derrick Morgan leads the ACC in sacks with 11.5; if he is able to pressure Thad Lewis, it will be a short day for the Blue Devil offense. The Yellow Jackets will attempt to control the game with their option-style offense; the Blue Devils will need to counter this with well-executed offensive drives and key defensive stands on 3rd downs.

Georgia Tech will be a formidable opponent for Duke on Saturday; Duke fans will need to fill Wallace Wade Stadium to create a winning atmosphere for the football program. If Thad Lewis and his exciting receiving corps can get back on track, and if the defensive can make a few key stands, the Blue Devils are more than capable of pulling off the upset.

Duke Basketball

Friday Frenzy – Harrison Barnes pending decison overshadowing the start of the basketball season

6Duke plays the seventh ranked football team in the country tomorrow and Duke Basketball opens their season tonight yet neither event is casting as big a shadow as Harrison Barnes pending decision.

The nations top rated prospect ends the speculation just after 4:00 est today on ESPN-U.  For those who cannot follow via ESPN-U, here is a link to a live steream via the Internet.

BDN will chime in just before covering tonight's basketball opener versus UNC-G in a game that tips off at 7:00 on FSN.

We also encourage Duke fans and students to turn out for tomorrow's Georgia Tech game which kicks off at 7:00.  All military personnel and veterans receive four free tickets by showing their ID's.

Barnes decision is about four hours away now and fan bases from all the schools involved are tied in knots from anticipation.  This is a rare decision that has not been leaked by media members, meaning a kid will announce on his terms.

Stay tuned for updates -

Duke Basketball, Duke Football

Watzone’s Monday Musings – Football, Barnes decision, hoops tips off for real

Harrison Barnes calls for the ball during the NBAPA Top 100 Camp
Harrison Barnes calls for the ball during the NBAPA Top 100 Camp

Well, if you have followed this or any other Duke site closely, you know that the nation's top rated prospect Harrison Barnes will make his collegiate choice this Friday.  In this week's Monday Musings we take a look at his pending decision, Duke Football and the start of the regular basketball season -

Devils no match for Tar Heels - Make no mistake that Duke Football has been a pleasant surprise this season, but losing to your rival is always painful.  Despite paltry offensive production, Duke was in the game in the fourth quarter against UNC and a couple of better thrown passes and a stop or two late in the game and Duke could have stole a win.

It's really tough to see any positives from the 19-6 loss to the team eight miles down the road.  On the way to the game, the Duke buses came in just behind me on US 15-501 and got stalled in traffic.  The irony is that Duke's offense stalled as well just over two hours later and the hopes of going to 4-1 in the conference were suddenly gone.

It does't get any easier for Duke Football - After getting beat up in the game, Duke must regroup in order to face the nation's seventh ranked team in the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.  Last season, Duke's offense looked just as bad against the Jacket's front, so all eyes will be looking to see if they can move the ball.  Georgia Tech Coach Paul Johnson turned down the Duke job despite being offered more money, but Duke got the right fit in David Cutcliffe.  Still, there is no secret that Johnson has little respect for the Duke program and that he will turn his wishbone loose in an effort to squash Duke's hopes of a post season invitation.

 

Kelly makes one of just a few catches this past Saturday - BDNP
Kelly makes one of just a few catches this past Saturday - BDNP

The basketball season officially gets under way - The countdown to tip off ends this Friday as the Duke Men's Basketball team will open their season against UNC-Greensboro in Cameron Indoor Stadium.  This is without a doubt one of the most curious teams Krzyzewski has had in his thirty years.  There is little guard depth, yet lots of front court bodies to work with and yes, take it to the bank, you'll see some zone defense this season.

Duke will be led by senior Jon Scheyer and All American selection, junior Kyle Singler this season.  But it's the production they receive elsewhere that will be watched.  You can certainly depend on Nolan Smith to have his best season in a Duke uniform, but there are some questions as to who will be fourth, fifth and sixth offensive options.

Harrison Barnes set to make his collegiate choice - BDN has been following the Harrison Barnes recruitment closer than any other Duke site on the Internet.  We were there from the start when Barnes first received his offer shortly after the 2008 NBAPA Top 100 Camp.  This past season alone our staff has seen Harrison Barnes play in 23 games, so we have more than just a little grip on what he can do.

All this week, we'll recap Barnes past and bring it up to the day of his decision.  We'll kick it all off with a detailed scouting report and will of course re-visit our many interviews we've had with Barnes.  Our premium boards have been hopping and rumors about his recruitment are a dime a dozen.

So, stay tuned to BDN for the latest on Barnes and the best analysis available.