Allen Jackson is receiving interest from many ACC and SEC schools
While Duke is working hard to improve their defense on the field this spring, the coaching staff is also working hard to upgrade the defense with a talented group of prospects in the class of 2012. Allen Jackson is a 6’5” 225 pound defensive end prospect from Owings Mills, Maryland. Playing defensive end and tight end for McDonogh High School, Allen earned All-Conference honors as a junior, and has already received offers from Duke, Maryland, Vanderbilt, and West Virginia. Highlights from Allen’s junior year can be viewed here.
BDN: Can you start off by describing your strengths for fans who haven’t had a chance to see you play?
As a player, I definitely think I use my hands and my quickness definitely to my ability, but I definitely think I play more of a finesse game than a power game, but I definitely see my hands and my quickness off the ball, as a strength of mine.
BDN: What are some of the things you’re working on this offseason?
Off-season, it’s just trying to be quicker off the ball, and trying to become stronger, and at the next level that’s going to be one of the things I’m going to continue to work on as well.
BDN: What are your goals for your senior season?
Senior year, I want to be all-state, I want to have at least 15 sacks in a year, I just want to dominate.
BDN: As you approach your college decision, what are the most important things you are looking for in a school?
Definitely how I get along with the coaches, and how prestigious they are in their academics, and certainly how far they are from my family.
BDN: Who are the schools you have heard from the most so far? Who were the first schools to contact you?
Definitely Maryland was the first to contact me, and Duke as well, I’ve heard the most from them, but those were my first two scholarship offers, I’ve heard a lot from some some SEC schools, and a lot of the ACC schools as well.
BDN: Have you had a chance to visit any schools?
I’ve visited Maryland and Duke.
BDN: Do you have any plans for additional visits this spring or summer?
Duke has stood out to DE Allen Jackson early
I definitely plan to visit some more of the ACC schools along the coast in the upcoming months, and I also want to probably go down to Vanderbilt, and another SEC school or two.
BDN: Have any schools stood out to you at this point in the process?
Definitely Duke, with their academics, it’s a very high, prestigious school, and Duke is a school I can really see myself at.
BDN: Do you have an idea for when you would like to make your college decision?
Not at the moment, I’m just kind of going to take it as it flows in.
BDN: Thanks a lot, Allen, and best of luck to you.
Duke has extended an offer to Phillip Williamson of Jordan HS
The Blue Devils’ secondary has been area of recent concern for many Duke fans, and the coaching staff has worked hard to upgrade the depth over the past two recruiting classes. In the class of 2012, Duke has already been in contact with Durham athlete Phillip Williamson, a 6’2” 210 pound prospect from Jordan High School. The physical safety prospect earned 2010 All-Conference honors, leading Jordan to the state playoffs and a 7-5 overall record. Although it's early in the process, the Blue Devils have stood out to Phillip and are the earlier leader.
BDN: Can you start off by describing your strengths for fans who haven’t had a chance to see you play?
I’m a hard worker; I’m the first one on the field, last one out. Same with the weight room, just a hard worker and a football player.
BDN: What are some of the things you’re working on this offseason?
I’m working on my speed, flexibility, and quickness. And I’m trying to get stronger.
BDN: What are your goals for your senior season?
I want a state championship. That’s all it is, that’s all it means to me, it’s just team. I wouldn’t mind winning, but I really care about the team more than just myself.
BDN: As you approach your college decision, what are the most important things you are looking for in a school?
Academics and the coaching.
BDN: Is there a specific academic field you are interested in?
Sociology.
BDN: Who are the schools you have heard from the most so far?
Duke, [North] Carolina, Maryland, Wake Forest, Liberty, I got stuff from Clemson, I got stuff from Auburn, Illinois. I got like 2 things from Oregon. I heard from Miami, so schools like that.
BDN: Have you had a chance to visit any schools?
Unofficially, I went to Duke. But I went to like a lot of schools, to their games.
BDN: Have any schools stood out to you at this point in the process?
Duke is the early leader for local prospect Phil Williamson
I think Duke, out of all of them, for the academics, and then it’s a building process, and I’d like to be part of a building process.
BDN: Do you have any plans for additional visits this spring or summer?
Not really. Like, me and my parents are looking at schools to visit right now, but right now not really. I’m going to visit Duke and [North] Carolina probably a lot this spring, though.
BDN: Is there anything else you think college football fans should know about you?
I love fans hyping the game up, that really gets me, it’s all the emotion of a football game, fans really help with that. Just keep cheering for the team and that’d be good for me.
Even in the middle of March Madness, Football Friday is back to satisfy your weekly craving for Duke football. So far, we’ve covered Duke’s incoming freshman class, football recruiting 101, and a look at the fall schedule. While we love us some good recruiting scoop here at BDN, we think it’s also just as important to talk about the players we already have. With that in mind, this week’s Football Friday takes a look at the early reviews from Duke’s 2011 spring practice. [private]
Sir Nolan Smith leads Duke to Chapel Hill - Lance King Images
Duke travels to Chapel Hill
This weekend is all about Duke vs. North Carolina. The Tar Heels have dominated the Blue Devils on the gridiron of late, and that’s a trend that we’d all like to see come to an end this fall. More importantly, however, is to come away with a victory and the #1 seed on the hardwood Saturday, and I think the Blue Devils have a great chance to do it. The two teams match up with each other poorly, and that should make for another very interesting game. In the first game, UNC had no answer for Duke’s guards, while Duke struggled to contain UNC’s bigs. Kyle Singler and Harrison Barnes essentially neutralized each other. I expect to see much of the same on Saturday, and if either team can get a boost from their bench, that could end up being the difference. It’s Duke and Carolina, with the ACC regular season championship on the line, which means we’re in for another thriller.
Recruiting news
The Blue Devils hosted 26 prospects on February 19th for the second of their junior days. The prospects took in Duke’s practice, toured the facilities, and met with the coaches.
Duke commit Erich Schneider enjoyed his visit to Durham
Current Duke commit Erich Schneider made the trip from Florida and got to spend a lot of time with Coach Middleton and the tight ends. The long distance award goes to QB Bart Houston, who flew in from California for the weekend. Houston’s recruiting has recently picked up and offers are starting to come in for the talented signal-caller. A few other prospects were in town this past weekend to take in Duke’s spring practice, including offensive lineman Andrew Jelks. Jelks told BDN he really liked Duke and had high praise for Coach Cutcliffe and Coach Luke. The top Tennessee prospect intends to make visits to Knoxville, Tuscaloosa, and Oxford, Mississippi this spring.
Congratulations are due for Duke TE commit David Reeves, who helped Greensboro High School capture a Regional Championship on the hardwood. Best of luck to David and Greensboro as they continue their quest for an Alabama State Title.
With only 12 seniors scheduled to graduate this season, the Blue Devils will be particularly selective this year with their recruiting. No new offers were extended this week, and the top targets remain the same as we discussed in our earlier Football Friday. Invitations have been sent out to prospects for the spring game on March 26, and it will be important for the Blue Devils to have a good showing, both on the field and in the stands.
Spring Practice
Duke wrapped up the first half of spring practice on Wednesday, and will take a much-needed two-week break for spring break. No coach or fan wants to hear that Duke is banged up this spring, but it’s the truth. Duke has been practicing with about 55 players this spring, which can make it difficult to assess individual performances. In particular, the Blue Devils are thin on the defensive side of the ball, where Kenny Anunike, Kelby Brown, Lee Butler, and Quan Stevenson are out for the entire spring, and other key players have missed time. At this point, everyone is expected to be healthy for the fall, which obviously is most important, but with a young team, you’d like to see players play as many snaps as possible this spring.
QB Sean Renfree is off to a good start this spring - BDN Photo
Right now, the strengths of this team should be no surprise to most fans, and it starts with the play at quarterback and receiver. Sean Renfree has had a very good start to spring practice, and Brandon Connette and Anthony Boone have also made strides since the fall. Renfree told BDN last week that he feels as comfortable as he ever has playing football, and it’s shown on the field. For the most part, he’s been on the same page with his receivers and his offensive line, which has made things difficult for the Duke defense. As we mentioned last week, the Duke offense must take a big step forward in taking care of the football if the Blue Devils are to have any success this fall. So far, Renfree and co. look poised to do just that.
For those who have followed Duke’s spring scrimmage statistics, you’ll note that the running backs have put up some impressive numbers. Josh Snead has been out with a MCL sprain, but Desmond Scott. Patrick Kurunuwe, and Juwan Thompson have played well and shown the ability to break out big runs. The real credit here goes to Duke’s offensive line, where they lose only one starter in center Bryan Morgan. Brian Moore shifts over from right guard to take the starting center spot, and Duke has been working in Conor Irwin, Joey Finison, and Dave Harding as well. Overall, the line looks much improved, and projects to start Moore at center, Kyle Hill at left tackle, Harding at left guard, John Coleman at right guard, and Perry Simmons at right tackle. Redshirt-freshmen Laken Tomlinson and Tacoby Cofield have both played well this spring and will likely back-up Coleman and Simmons this fall.
As you can expect with several starters out, defensively, Duke has had mixed results this spring. The theme on defense seems to be athleticism and inconsistency; Duke is clearly stronger and faster than they have been in past years, but they are extremely inexperienced with only 5 seniors on the entire defensive unit. The key for the Blue Devils will be the play up front, and newcomers Jamal Bruce and Jordan Dewalt-Ondijo have shown some play-making ability and will compete for playing time this fall. New DL Coach Rick Petri is working hard with his young linemen, which include 10 underclassmen. Over the course of the spring and fall, the expectation is that this group, led by returnees Charlie Hatcher, Sydney Sarmiento, and Justin Foxx, will develop under Coach Petri into a solid ACC defensive front, but there will continue to be growing pains along the way. Among the defensive backs, the Blue Devils’ athleticism has been evident, as players such as Austin Gamble, C.J. France, and Jordon Byas appear ready to contribute this fall. Duke has the athletes on defense to improve from last season’s ACC-worst unit, and consistency will be the key to the group’s success this fall.
In summary, at this point in the spring, the offense is clearly ahead of the defense, which is what you would expect to see with a more veteran group. I think Coach Cutcliffe said it best with his assessment of the first half of spring practice: “I’m not disappointed at all. What you see is that we don’t have a lot of people who are ready to play 50 or 60 snaps of ACC football, so there’s a learning process to that.” Overall, the effort and energy from the Blue Devils has been excellent. The team continues to work hard this spring and improves each day, which is exactly what you want to see from a young team.
Next week
We’ve got lots more football prospect interviews coming your way, so be sure to check back during your March Madness downtime. Until next week, GTHC.
Chapman LB Preston Durham was named a USAF Junior All-American
In 2010, Duke coaches and fans were impressed by the play of freshman linebacker Kelby Brown. On the recruiting trail, the Duke coaching staff is searching for more hard-hitting linebackers to join Brown on the Blue Devil defense. Preston Durham is a 6’1” 205 pound linebacker from Inman, South Carolina. As a junior, Durham was named to the SC All-Region team, as he wrecked havoc on opposing offenses, totaling 130 tackles, 4 pass break-ups, 2½ sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 interception, and 1 blocked kick. His standout season earned him 1st team 2010 US Air Force Junior All-American honors.
BDN: Can you start out by describing your strengths as a player?
Well, I believe I have great awareness and a nose for the football, and great quickness and speed. Can really explode through the block.
BDN: What are some of the things you have been working [private] on this offseason?
Definitely speed and size and strength.
BDN: What are your goals for yourself and for your team in your senior year?
I’d like to make the playoffs this year, and go as far as we can. I’d like to eclipse my tackle record, and break all my records that I’ve set in the previous years.
BDN: What are the most important factors you’re looking for in a college?
Definitely the atmosphere of the school and the people, and the facilities is a big thing, and of course the education, and the coaching staff.
BDN: What schools have you heard the most from so far? Who were the first schools to contact you?
Duke has been contacting me, he’s come to the school a couple times, and Georgia Tech, along with – let’s see, Clemson has too.
BDN: Which schools have you had a chance to visit so far?
I’ve visited Duke, North Carolina, Clemson, and out of state, Tennessee and Georgia Tech.
BDN: Have any schools stood out to you at this point in the process, either on your visits or your contact with coaches?
Yes, I really like Duke, the coach, I really like him a lot, he’s a nice guy. And North Carolina, I love their campus.
BDN: Do you have plans to visit any other schools this spring or summer?
Yes sir, I plan on going to Georgia Tech Junior Day in April, and I plan on going to the Clemson football camp, along with North Carolina and Duke and Georgia Tech.
BDN: At this point in the process, do you have an idea for when you would like to make your college decision?
Well, I don’t know. I mean, I’d have to take a lot of time to think and do some research on the school and everything, but I don’t know, I’d probably do it after my senior season.
BDN: Is there anything else that you think is important for college football fans to know about you?
I have an extremely hard work ethic, and a drive inside me that I’m not gonna stop. [/private]
QB Casey Cochran was the 2010 Gatorade Player of the Year in CT
Head Coach David Cutcliffe is known for his ability to develop quarterbacks, thanks to his work with Thad Lewis and Sean Renfree at Duke, and Peyton and Eli Manning at Tennessee and Ole Miss. In the class of 2012, Duke has already been in contact with many of the top quarterback prospects around the country, including Casey Cochran of Connecticut. Cochran is a 6’1” 205 pound pro-style quarterback from Masuk High School in Monroe, CT. As a junior, Cochran led the top offense in the state to a championship, earning himself the state Gatorade Player of the Year award. Highlights of his junior season, during which he threw 2,670 yards and 36 touchdowns, can be viewed here.
BDN: Can you start off by describing your strengths as a quarterback?
Some of my strengths are, I think, are accuracy in all throws, moving in the pocket, arm strength, and reading coverages.
BDN: What are some of the things you have been working on this offseason?
I’ve been working on depth and quickness of my drops, footwork. Every day I’ve been working on footwork. Throwing on the run was a big thing to work on; I didn’t do it much this year, but work on that a lot.
BDN: Are there any quarterbacks in the NFL or college game that you have studied or modeled your game after?
Definitely, I’ve been watching a lot of Aaron Rodgers this year, he has like impeccable form. It’s perfect. Same thing with Tom Brady. He holds the ball a little low, but I love watching him. They’re 2 great quarterbacks I love watching, as well as Peyton Manning, just how he runs offense is awesome.
BDN: What are your goals for your senior season?
Definitely want to win the championship again, go undefeated, we did that this year, and I definitely want to repeat, go out with a bang. I want to be the number one offense in the state, and just do better than last year.
BDN: What are the most important factors you’re considering when looking at colleges?
First of all, academics. Academics are the strongest thing I’m looking for. Also facilities and academic support, as well as the type of offense run there.
BDN: Is there a specific academic field you think you would like to study in college?
Yes, sports medicine, I’d like to get into physical therapy or personal training.
BDN: Do you have a preference for a particular offensive style?
Yeah, I’m looking for pro-style, with a mix-up of spread too.
BDN: What schools have you had the most contact with so far and who were the first schools to contact you?
Cochran has an early offer from Boston College
The first – I have an offer from BC, and they were the strongest at first. I have – I went to the UConn and Rutgers Junior Day, and I am scheduled to go to Virginia, Duke, and NC State Junior Days, as well as Penn State this spring.
BDN: Have any schools stood out to you at this point in the process, either on your visits or through your contact with coaches?
Not necessarily yet, no, it’s still pretty early.
BDN: Do you know what camps you plan on attending this summer?
Not yet, but I’m definitely going to UConn and Rutgers. We haven’t planned every camp out yet, but definitely UConn and Rutgers and BC.
BDN: At this point in the process, do you have an idea when you would like to make your college decision?
No, I’m taking my time now, but I am scheduled to graduate January of my senior year, so I’m trying to take my time, but before then I would definitely make my decision.
Crimson Tide fans have raised over $45,000 through Tide for Toomers
Happy Friday Blue Devil Nation! It feels good to be #1 again, doesn’t it? There’s still a lot of basketball to be played before a champion is crowned and it should be a great March. We made it through another week, which means it’s time for our Football Friday column. This week, we take a comprehensive first look at Duke’s 2011 schedule.
See, the internet can be a good thing
Since I mentioned the Auburn incident briefly last week, I thought I should commend the Alabama Crimson Tide fans for their generous support of Tide for Toomers, which has now raised over $45,000. I think many Duke fans are able to appreciate the general good nature of the Crimson Tide faithful after meeting them at last fall’s game in Durham. This generous campaign is an impressive demonstration of charity and respect; hopefully, the funds will be put to good use to help restore a popular Auburn tradition. The most important characteristic of any truly great rivalry is not hatred or competitiveness, but mutual respect. Well done.
Will Duke go bowling in 2011?
Of course, the fan in me says yes, and I’m excited to see this young team continue to develop on the field. That being said, the analyst in me says I’ve got another year to save up frequent flyer miles for our bowl trip. The Blue Devils will face 8 opponents who went to a bowl in 2010, including 3 ranked opponents. Duke will close the season with 3 of their final 4 games on the road. Coming off a 3 win season with a roster that features 57 underclassmen, the scheduling gods have not been particularly kind to the Blue Devils.
Two words should give Duke fans a ray of hope: starts with turnover, ends with margin. Put it together: turnover margin. I conveniently found two good examples to prove my point right in the ACC.
The Maryland Terrapins finished the 2010 season 9-4 after a dismal 2-9 season in 2009. Of course, the impressive turnaround earned Ralph Friedgen ACC Coach of the Year honors, but apparently was not enough to save his job. Sure, Maryland made improvements across the board and broke in a talented young quarterback in Danny O’Brien, but if you look at the statistics, most offensive and defensive improvements were pretty marginal in the ACC rankings. The big jump was in turnover margin, where they went from -6 in 2009 (11th in ACC) to +15 in 2010 (2nd in ACC).
The second example happened right down the road in Carter-Finley Stadium. The Wolfpack went from 5-7 in 2009 to 9-4 in 2010, and also simultaneously improved from -11 (12th in ACC) to +7 (4th in ACC) in turnover margin. It’s said all the time and it seems cliché, but the statistics show that winning the turnover battle is essential to winning football games.
Of course, the Blue Devils went in the opposite direction, from +2 (4th in ACC) in 2009, to -11 (12th in ACC) in 2010. If the Duke offense can do a better job of taking care of the football while the defense comes up with a few more opportunistic takeaways, maybe, just maybe, the Blue Devils can find enough wins to play in December.
2011 Duke opponents
Can Coach Cutcliffe lead the Blue Devils to a bowl in 2011?
September 3: Richmond (2010: 6-5)
Repeat after me: it’s not 2009, it’s not 2009… The Blue Devils certainly hope so; a repeat of the 2009 season opener would be devastating for the program. The Spiders took a step back in Head Coach Latrell Scott’s first year, but still posted their 6th consecutive winning season. Simply put, Richmond is a football team that expects to win, and having won their last 2 games in Wallace Wade Stadium, they will come to Durham confident. The Blue Devils will have to be ready to play on opening night and have every reason to be: they should have a full house of support, overall better athletes, and better coaching. They need to take care of business on their home field against an FCS opponent.
September 10: Stanford (2010: 12-1)
The Blue Devils had so much fun playing a top non-conference game in September last year that they decided to do it again in 2011. Jim Harbaugh may be gone, but Andrew Luck is still there; after watching the second half of the Orange Bowl against Virginia Tech, it’s probably safe to say that Luck alone might be the toughest test for the Duke defense all season. But not so fast. The Cardinal are losing a lot of talent at key positions, including receiver, where Luck will have to find new targets. I also suspect he will do a lot of handing off to a talented group of running backs, led by Stepfan Taylor. There are question marks along the line of scrimmage, where the Cardinal lose 3 starters on offense and 2 on defense. Most fans and analysts won’t give Duke a chance in this game, but there’s reason to believe that it may be more competitive than expected.
September 17: at Boston College (2010: 7-6)
Last season, I circled the September matchup at Wake Forest on the schedule as a crucial game for the Blue Devils. This year, I’m circling this early season trip to Chestnut Hill. Well, not literally, since I can’t figure out how to do that on my iPhone, but you get the idea. Duke played BC down to the wire in 2010, and both teams return most of their key players. After struggling to score in 2010, the Eagles will have a new offensive coordinator, but still expect to feature a heavy dose of senior RB Montel Harris. Defensively, Mark Herzlich has graduated, but junior Luke Kuechly, who Duke fans may remember as The One-Man Defensive Highlight Reel, is likely to put up another All-ACC year. While I don’t think this is a must-win game, I think we’ll learn a lot about our young Blue Devils in their first road game in an unfamiliar stadium. Can Duke protect the football and score against an imposing, physical defense? Can the defense wrap up Montel Harris and do a better job against the run than a year ago?
September 24: Tulane (2010: 4-8)
Without a doubt, this is a game Duke should win, but it won’t be the cupcake most expect. Tulane went up to Piscataway and beat Rutgers a year ago, so they’re capable of beating BCS conference teams on the road. Also, the Green Wave are 2-0 all-time against the Blue Devils, but the last meeting was in 1973. Somewhat similar to Duke, Tulane was able to put up points fairly consistently in 2010, but struggled to slow opposing offenses. That being said, much like the Richmond game, Duke needs to take care of business against a lesser opponent in Wallace Wade Stadium.
October 1: @ Florida International (2010: 7-6)
Not that Duke football should be overlooking any opponent at this point, especially on the road, but prior to last year, most would have considered Duke a clear favorite in this matchup. The Golden Panthers played their first year in the FBS in 2005 (their football program played its first game in 2002), had never had a winning season at any level, and had a cumulative record of 24-68. This was all before their magical 2010 run to the Sun Belt Championship and a Little Caesars Pizza Bowl title over Toledo. The good news is that FIU is 0-4 all-time against ACC opponents, including a loss a year ago at Maryland. If the Blue Devils hope to continue that trend, they will need to contain dynamic senior T.Y. Hilton, the reigning Sun Belt Player of the Year. Heading into the open date, this is a crucial road game for Duke.
October 8: Open date
The open date falls near the middle of the schedule, which is where the coaching staff prefers, but I think it comes a week too early this year, as you’ll see below. I expect Duke to enter the bye at 3-2, with an outside chance of a great 4-1 start (and of course the possibility of things going in the other direction, but we won’t think about that for now, it’s February!). Their first opponent out of the bye will be the preseason favorite to win the ACC championship, and the Blue Devils will need all the extra preparation they can get.
October 15: Florida State (2010: 10-4)
There’s not much to say to the preview of this matchup. Jimbo Fisher has done a great job of turning the Seminoles back into perennial ACC contenders, and I expect the momentum from his first year as head coach to continue in 2011. To put it simply, Duke will be overmatched at most positions on the field. That being said, Duke is capable of competing with the Seminoles; if they take care of the football, execute, and get some help from the football gods, there is no reason to think an upset isn’t a possibility.
October 22: Wake Forest (2010: 3-9)
I’m getting really tired of saying that we have to beat Wake Forest, but guess what? We have to beat Wake Forest. After several years of success, Wake Forest has struggled the past two seasons, and the Blue Devils have failed to take advantage. As I’ve said already, Duke has to take care of business in Wallace Wade Stadium against “beatable” opponents if they want to take the next step as a program. The outcome of this game is likely to be predictive of how Duke finishes the 2011 season, which is why I would have preferred the open date come a week later. I expect both teams to be improved from a year ago, and this should be another game that will come down to the wire between the Tobacco Road rivals.
October 29: Virginia Tech (2010: 11-3)
It’s conceivable that Duke could play very good football during this 3-game October homestand and end up without a win to show for it. The defending ACC champions beat the Blue Devils handily in Blacksburg a year ago, but lose ACC Player of the Year Tyrod Taylor, along with running backs Darren Evans and Ryan Williams. As always, under the guidance of Bud Foster, the Hokies’ defense will present another stiff challenge for the Duke offense, but I expect the Virginia Tech offense to experience some growing pains in 2011. I’m not going to predict an upset here, but I have to admit I like Duke’s chances if they are able to take care of the football and if they have momentum from a win over Wake Forest.
November 5: at Miami (2010: 7-6)
The Al Golden era begins in Miami, and the Blue Devils will make their second trip to sunny Florida in week 10, the first of three November ACC road games. It’s hard to predict how the Hurricanes’ season will go under their new head coach, especially with a big question mark under center. A great athlete, Jacory Harris has struggled to cut down on turnovers, which makes it tough to win. Stephen Morris showed flashes of potential last year, but is far from a sure thing at this point. Miami should have the better athletes, but with the program in transition, it’s not unreasonable to think that Duke could win two games in the state of Florida in 2011, though unlikely.
November 12: at Virginia (2010: 4-8)
Duke is 3-0 against Virginia under David Cutcliffe, but it has gotten more difficult every year. After a convincing victory in Durham in 2008, the Blue Devils pulled out a 4th quarter victory in Charlottesville in 2009, and a last minute victory in Durham in 2010 (cementing Desmond Scott’s place in Duke fans’ hearts). It won’t be any easier in 2011, as Mike London has done an impressive job turning things around for the Cavaliers. Virginia will be breaking in a new quarterback and running back, losing Marc Verica and Keith Payne to graduation. The Wahoos are likely to experience some youthful growing pains, but they will be hungry for a win against the Blue Devils in Charlottesville. This is a very tough road test for the Blue Devils and it comes during a difficult stretch in November.
November 19: Georgia Tech (2010: 6-7)
At first glance, this may be the most winnable game on Duke’s November schedule, which says a lot. Georgia Tech defeated the Blue Devils in 2010 without start QB Josh Nesbitt, so there’s no reason to think that Tevin Washington isn’t capable of leading them to victory again. That being said, Duke played one of their best games of the year in Atlanta last year, and may have pulled off the upset without a crucial second half red zone turnover. As has been my theme throughout this preview, if Duke wins the turnover battle in this game, they have a good chance of taking down the Yellow Jackets, which would be a good win on the program’s resume.
November 26: at North Carolina (2010: 8-5)
With all that’s gone on at UNC over the past year, the fact remains that they’ve dominated the Blue Devils on the field and remain an imposing opponent. Things could change in Chapel Hill before this game, but the Tar Heels showed an impressive toughness in 2010 by playing well through adversity. With key losses on both offense and defense, the Tar Heels have question marks heading into the season, but most should be answered by the final game of the season. This is another game that Duke simply must win to truly take the next step forward as a program.
The bottom line
Predictions when most teams haven’t even begun spring practice are generally meaningless, but you want me to make one, so I will. I already said that Duke enters the bye week at 3-2, but I expect Duke to play some of its best football during the second half of the season. Unfortunately, that coincides with some of Duke’s toughest matchups on paper. My gut really doesn’t like the way the schedule plays out for the Blue Devils, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they ended with 4 wins. However, I am optimistic that Duke has the athletes and the coaches to take a big step forward by pulling off an important upset late in the season over a team like Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, or even Miami, giving them 5 wins on the season.
Next week
Don’t worry, we’ll be back next week and we’ll talk some more recruiting and recap the headlines from Duke’s spring practice. Thanks for reading and don’t forget WE ARE DUKE.
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