Tag Archives: Sean Renfree

Duke Football

Sean Renfree talks of the win and this weeks opponent

Blue Devil Nation recently  caught up with an upbeat Sean Renfree who spoke of his rushing touchdowns and overall play against Tulane.  This session was shared and a good portion of the questions were from my pal, Al Featherston of GoDuke.com

How does Duke keep this two game winning streak going?

We've got to keep working.  We have some injuries on the team, so we need young guys to come up and step into those positions which I'm sure they will.  If we continue to work and get better we can follow the momentum to the next game.

Were you glad that the Connette or Boone package was sacked in favor of you in the red zone against Tulane?

I don't think about it that way but we had success every time we were down there against Tulane.  We were able to run it, throw it and it helped that Coach saw we would be able to do that in the red zone against Tulane.  I don't know what their plan is this week, but haven't thought about it like that.

You had three running touchdowns in the last two games and three passing touchdowns ...

Right ... [smiling]

So you are trying to show what you can do in there?

Those runs are not really schemed up for me where I am suppose tp be running the football.  It's been a case of reading what the defense gives me and when you have to run, you run.  We've only had one call where I got the call and I pretty much went in untouched, so there was great blocking.

You seemed to be seeing the field really well in the win over Tulane.  Of course, you had good blocking but can you speak to that?

Yeah, just trying to me more composed.  Out guys were getting open so it wasn't hard to get those reads.  I just did my job and when the receivers are going to get open, it makes my job simple if I am accurate.

Is it easier to prepare for the coming week after a win or a loss?

Winning makes everything easier and you feel better he next day but it is a challenge for guys to respond, especially after a win.  You still have to make corrections.

Can you speak of Juwon Thompson and his averaging close to 5 yards per carry this season and how that helps?

It makes my job a lot easier and the line doesn't have to pass block on every play.  It makes us more multiple and keeps defenses on their toes.  If you run the ball successfully, it opens up the play action and we were able to do that a couple of times last week.

Now, if it were me, I'd have spiked the ball and whooped it up after those touchdowns.  You were just really cool about it, all business if you will. [joking] And then you ran back to the bench like it was no big deal.

Uh, [smiling] it wasn't about me on those touchdowns they were pretty easy and well executed from our guys.  And I don't want to hear anything from coach, so it wouldn't be good for me to get a 15 yard penalty or anything like that.  If our guys make big plays they don't celebrate, so I'm not going to either.

You're too humble, Sean [laughing]

Yeah, well. [laughing]

You would have had another touchdown if there were NFL rules.  The pass to Vernon would where he slides in untouched, that's an NFL touchdown.

Right, right, I didn't think about that.  I'm not too worried, we got it on the one and scored.

How important is it to get to over .500 against Florida International who comes into the game the favorite?

I think if we were to go 3-2 it would help.  We are going to have a break the week after and a bye week, so if we can go into that week on a positive and get everybody healthy that would be great.  But if we are under .500 we have to fight and in ACC play as well to get back even.  It would help us long term if we can get a win this week.

 

 

Duke Football

Blue Devils Crush Tulane 48-27

It was a great homecoming for Duke fans and the team alike, in that the Blue Devils ran roughshod over the Tulane.  When the dust cleared the scoreboard read Duke 48, Tulane 27 but it wasn't that close.  In fact, Tulane had two late scores in the fourth quarter against Duke back ups to make the game look closer that it actually was.

Another great day for Sean Renfree

Duke quarterback Sean Renfree put together another solid outing, save an early interception for a touchdown.  Renfree went 21 of 30 for 278 yards and one passing touchdown.  But it was Renfree's legs that allowed him to score two rushing touchdowns.  I just happened to be on the field for both and each one was right in front of me.  Renfree toughed his way in on the first one, a two yard run and the second he went pretty much untouched right up the middle.

Juwan Thompson carrying the load

Juwan Thompson averaged 4,9 yards per carry for 69 yards and two scores.  Thomspon was a chief component in Duke controlling the clock to the tune of  36 minutes to just 23 for Tulane.  It is also worth noting that Thompson has been forced into carrying the load while Josh Snead and Desmond Scott heal from injuries.

Duke defense shines

The Blue Devils went five straight quarters without letting up a touchdown and the two late Green Wave scores came against a bevy of back ups.  The early Tulane touchdown was an interception return.  A 122 yards of the Green Waves 318 yards of offense came on the last two drives, again, against the Duke subs.

Heartbreaking News

Kenny Anunike was lost for the season. Anunike was enjoying a fabulous season, leading the ACC sacks, and will be greatly missed moving forward.  BDN wishes him a speedy recovery.

Red Zone prowess

The Blue Devils were a perfect 7 for 7 in the red zone which helped them to 48 points, a season high.  The last time Duke scored more was November 6th against Virginia last season.  Duke also got a26 yard  field goal from Jeffrey Ijjas. Coach Cut said that it was a confidence builder in case Will Snyderwine got hurt again.  Actually, Snyderwine is still on the mend but did kick some of the extra points for the Blue Devils.

Blue Devil Nation Video will have some player interviews up shortly.

Duke Football

BDN previews Duke’s Homecoming Game with Tulane

Duke takes on the Tulane Green Wave on Saturday at 3:30 PM ET on ESPN3

Fresh off a hard-fought ACC road win at Boston College, Duke welcomes the Tulane Green Wave to Wallace Wade Stadium on Saturday. Historically one of the weaker BCS programs, Tulane enters the game off to a 2-1 start to their season after a 49-10 blowout of UAB last Saturday. As we mentioned last week, the Blue Devils have embarked on a crucial three-game stretch heading into their off week October 8. Duke was able to do enough to win against BC, and will now have to put together another strong effort to knock off a much-improved Tulane team.

Duke QB Sean Renfree will have to continue his strong play against Tulane

KEYS FOR DUKE

  1. B-E A-G-G-R-E-S-S-I-V-E!: Duke’s redshirt-junior quarterback silenced his critics last week with a record-setting performance against a physical Boston College defense. Despite taking numerous hits, Renfree dominated the game, spreading the ball around to Duke’s receivers and finishing 41/53 for a career-high 368 yards. The Duke offense is difficult to defend when Renfree is given time to spread the ball around the field and be aggressive throwing the football. Tulane’s defense is headlined by former Blue Devil LB Trent Mackey and Iowa transfer DE Dezman Moses, but has allowed over 340 yards of total offense to opponents. Much like they did last week against BC, Duke will need to spread the ball around the field and minimize Mackey’s impact on the game. Expect another aggressive passing offense and big days for Renfree, Donovan Varner, Conner Vernon, Brandon Braxton, Jamison Crowder, and Cooper Helfet.

    Former Blue Devil LB Trent Mackey anchors the Tulane defense
  2. Dominate along the defensive line: Tulane’s offense is potent and incredibly balanced, having picked up 27 rushing 1st downs and 28 passing 1st downs through three games. The Green Wave average33 points per game and are led by sophomore RB Orleans Darkwa (47 carries, 151 yards, 3 touchdowns) and redshirt-junior QB Ryan Griffin (54/79, 718 yards, 6 touchdowns). Griffin’s favorite target has been redshirt-senior WR Joe Kemp, who averages over 4 receptions per game, but redshirt-sophomore WR Wilson Van Hooser and freshman WR Justin Shackelford are also dangerous weapons with big-play potential. For the Blue Devils, the key to disrupting the Tulane offense will be the play along the line of scrimmage. Duke must continue to do a good job stopping the run and pressuring the quarterback, and should build off of last week’s performance at BC (shutting out the Eagles in the 2ndhalf). Redshirt-junior DE Kenny Anunike has managed to stay healthy and has been an important contributor early this season, leading the team with 5 tackles for loss, including 4 sacks. Senior safety Matt Daniels and sophomore LB Kelby Brown have been very effective against the run, and will have to continue to play at an extremely high level against a talented Tulane offense. With the Blue Devils’ secondary a little banged up this Saturday, the defensive line will have to bring pressure to slow the balanced Green Wave offense.

    Duke is still looking for its first FG of 2011. -BDN Photo
  3. Minimize costly mistakes: The Blue Devils committed 9 penalties for a total of 79 yards last Saturday against Boston College. In addition, they had a punt blocked, missed a field goal, and sent a kickoff out of bounds. Duke has to sort out its kicking woes if it hopes to continue to win football games, and continued mistakes could cost them this week against a hungry, confident Tulane team. With Will Snyderwine again questionable to play on Saturday, the Duke coaching staff may have a difficult decision to make regarding freshman Will Monday if Jeff Ijjas and Paul Asack continue to struggle. Against a team like Tulane, Duke should be able to win the special teams battle, with freshman Jamison Crowder and senior Lee Butler both capable of big plays in the return game. The Blue Devils may not have to play flawless football to win Saturday, but their margin for error is still very small; minimizing drive-killing penalties and kicking miscues has to be a primary area of improvement for this team.

GAME ANALYSIS

Turnovers

Tulane +3, Duke -2

The Green Wave have forced a total of 6 turnovers through 3 games, including 5 interceptions, led by redshirt-sophomore CB Derrick Strozier with 2 and LB Trent Mackey with a 39-yard pick-6. Offensively, Tulane has fumbled the football 7 times, but lost only 2; Duke has fumbled the football 4 times and lost 3.

Sacks

Tulane 10, Duke 4

Tulane has done an excellent job of getting after the opposing QB through their first three games, led by sophomore DT Julius Warmsley with 3 and junior DE Austen Jacks with 2.5. Duke’s pass rush has been a one-man show thus far, with DE Kenny Anunike picking up 4 sacks on the year. The Blue Devils’ offensive line has allowed 8 sacks on the year, while the Green Wave have given up just 4.

3rd Down

Duke 40%, Tulane 35%

The Blue Devils were impressive on 3rd down last Saturday against Boston College, converting 53% of their opportunities. The Green Wave have converted just 15 of 43 3rd down opportunities. Both teams allow opponents to be successful on 38% of 3rd downs.

Explosives

As we say every week, explosive plays come down to playmakers making plays. Last week, the Blue Devils’ offense came up with 3 explosive plays of >20 yards, including 2 touchdown strikes to WR Conner Vernon. The Duke offense should continue to be aggressive and find the end zone on Saturday.

Rushing TDs

Duke 5, Tulane 5

This is a dead heat. Both teams have scored 5 TDs on the ground and allowed 5 TDs on the ground. Duke has to run the ball more effectively in the red zone to avoid settling for field goals.

Field Goals

Tulane 2/4, Duke 0/6

Speaking of field goals, will this be the week that Duke makes its first field goal of the 2011 season? In what may be a high-scoring game, the Blue Devils will have to put points on the board and cannot afford more empty trips to the red zone (6 empty trips already this season). Tulane’s Cairo Santos has made both FG attempts from within 40 yards, but is 0/2 from beyond 40 yards on the season.

Penalties

Duke 16-131 yards, Tulane 18-159 yards

Duke has typically been a disciplined football team under Head Coach David Cutcliffe, but their few penalties this year have been particularly costly. The Blue Devils will have to play smarter football on Saturday to avoid putting themselves in a hole against the Green Wave.

PREDICTION

The Blue Devils are 10 points favorites for Homecoming this year, but this game is likely to be closer than that. The Green Wave are a balanced and talented football team that will challenge Duke in all phases of the game. Duke will have to put together another dominant offensive effort to emerge victorious Saturday, and Sean Renfree seems up to the task. Tulane will put up some points on the Duke defense, but will be unable to keep up with the potent Blue Devil passing game.

Duke 35, Tulane 31

Duke Football

Looking at the Stats: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Duke notched their first win of the season on Saturday with a 20-19 victory over the Boston College Eagles to improve to 1-2 on the season. The victory was Coach David Cutcliffe's third conference road victory and 13th overall win at the helm of the Blue Devils.

With three games in the books, season statistics start to have meaning by showing trends so here is a look at where Duke is shining and where they are in need of improvement. Even though this article is titled The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, there is no more relevant starting point than the ugly.

The Ugly

Duke's performance in the Red Zone has been abysmal! In fact, Duke is ranked 120 out of 120 Football Bowl Subdivision teams having ventured into the Red Zone 10 times with a success rate of 40 percent. Duke has missed three field goals, thrown an interception, turned the ball over on downs, and had time expire to end the 1st half on the six unsuccessful possessions.

The need to solve the Red Zone woes cannot be overstated. The Blue Devils must capitalize and come away with points at a much, much higher percentage on future trips into the Red Zone.

Equally troubling is Duke's 0-6 performance on Field Goal attempts. A healthy Will Snyderwine back on the field should solve this problem. However, until Snyderwine is able to resume the kicking duties, Duke could be looking to try to convert fourth down into first down when in field goal range.

Enough discussion on the ugly stuff...

The Good

Defensive End Kenny Anunike leads the ACC in Sacks with four and is third in Tackles for Loss with five. An inability to pressure the quarterback has been a concern for the Blue Devils’ defense so Anunike's performance the past two games is an exciting development and a statistic worth watching closely the next couple of weeks.

Staying on the defensive side of the ball, Matt Daniels is fifth in the ACC in Tackles averaging 10.3 per game and Kelby Brown is 17th with 6.7.

A known strength of the Blue Devils offense is talent and depth at the wide receiver position. All three of Duke's starting wide outs are ranked in the ACC Top 10 in Receptions per Game. Conner Vernon is tied for third with 6.7, Donovan Varner is number six with 6, and Brandon Braxton is number seven with 5.7. Additionally, Vernon is tied for fifth in Receiving Yards per Game averaging 97.3.

Combining the Blue Devils’ wide receiver talent with quarterback Sean Renfree, results in Duke being ranked 25 of 120 nationally, and five of 12 in the ACC, in Passing Offense averaging 296.67 yards through the air per game.

Renfree set Duke’s single game completions record in the game against Boston College. His 41 completions this past Saturday surpassed Thaddeus Lewis’ previous mark of 40 completions set in 2009 against N.C. State.

Another noteworthy performer is true freshman Jamison Crowder who is ranked fourth in the ACC in Kick Returns averaging 21.2 yards per kick. Crowder has displayed good speed and looked good running the ball so fans should keep an eye on him because he has a good chance to break off a couple of long returns before this season is over.

Lee Butler is fourth in the ACC in Punt Returns averaging 7.7 yards per return.

The Bad

At 18.3 points per game, Duke is 11th in the ACC in Scoring Offense. With the arsenal of weapons available on offense, this is a statistic which must improve and a statistic everyone associated with the program expects to improve. Simply stated, Duke is too talented on the offensive side of the ball to continue to struggle scoring points.

Finally, the Blue Devils have failed to consistently run the ball in their first three games and are currently rank tied for 10th in the ACC at 96.3 yards per game. The struggles can be partially attributed to injuries sustained by Desmond Scott in the first game of the season and Josh Snead during preseason, but Duke needs to show improvement in the running game as the season progresses.

Juwan Thompson has been impressive averaging 5.4 yards per carry on the season but he needs help sharing the running responsibilities. The pending return to action of Desmond Scott in the next week or two will certainly provide Thompson the support he requires as Scott has been Duke’s leading rusher the past two seasons.

Moving Forward

The next two weeks will be critical as Duke faces non-conference foe Tulane (2-1), in Wallace Wade Stadium, followed by a trip to Miami to face the Florida International Golden Panthers (3-0). The expectation is Duke will build off the road victory over Boston College and play inspired football against the last two non-conference opponents this season. The objective is to reach Bye Week with a 3-2 record and then focus upon the tough ACC schedule in October and November.

Blue Devil Nation will be all over the action providing Duke Fans complete football coverage including an updated look at the statistics after the trip to play FIU.

Duke Basketball, Duke Football

BDN Monday Musings – It’s great to be a Duke fan!

Good Morning Blue Devil Nation!  Well, it's always a pretty good day when you're a faithful follower of the royal blue for we are lucky to be fans of such a great athletic program.   This weeks Monday Musings gets back to our jump all over the place style and with that said, let the musings begin ...

Duke was not lucky to defeat Boston College

The Football Gods indeed smiled on the Blue Devils this weekend as a Boston College field goal to win the game clanked off the left up right as time ran out securing a 20-19 win.  Those who didn't watch the game said Duke was lucky but I have a different take.  The Blue Devils did enough to put themselves in position to win.  In fact, they were clearly the best team on the field and mistakes cost them a chance to coast to victory.  At some point, luck had to side with the Blue Devils who've been snake bit by their field goal kicking team.  And oh what irony that it was a missed field goal that brought them redemption.

An amazing record breaking performance by Sean Renfree

It couldn't have happened to a nicer young man!  A record breaking day is what I speak of where Duke junior quarterback set an all time Duke Football record with 41 completions.  The 41 completions are a new school single-game record, bettering the previous mark of 40 set by Thaddeus Lewis vs. N.C. State in 2009.   Renfree relaxed in this game as he saw his offensive line give him plenty of time to pick apart the Boston College secondary.  Finding the red zone was just what the doctor ordered for Renfree who had been off to a bit of a shaky start this season.  And let's hope that he continues to hang in the pocket and pick the Green Wave of Tulane off this coming weekend.

Speaking of the Green Wave

We often joked about how Duke flat out has bad luck when scheduling future opponents.  It would take a lengthy article to discuss how when teams are first on the schedule, they finished the season like 1-11, yet the year before they hit the schedule they go to a bowl game and return their entire team.  Yes, I am talking about Florida International, the next road game, but then there is Tulane.  The Green Wave were a whipping boy when scheduled, but they have now morphed into a 2-1 team coming off a huge road win against Alabama-Birmingham.  Tulane is the opposite of Duke right now in that they are a junior and senior dominated team while Duke has five total seniors on their two deep roster.  Anyhow, this game looked like a sure win but now it looks to be a be a close game and the Blue Devils need their fans turn out and root them to their second consecutive win.

Lance King photo for BDN

ACC Expansion

The Atlantic Coast conference made a strong move to bring in Pittsburgh and Syracuse and I for one applaud them. Yes, I know that I have stated on more than once occasion that I hated the original expansion.  Yes, I am a traditionalist at heart as well.  But if you had to add a couple of teams, I am okay with the additions.  The ACC was pro active and chose two teams they wanted in a time of impending change.  Trust me, that's a lot better than our chances of seeing what is left after every other conference is done.  Basketball was strengthened which added more balance in that ACC Commissioner John Swofford's first move was all about football.  I am not alone in hating that move and it never turned out like planned with a huge ACC Football Championship game between the incoming studs.  However, this latest move will solidify the commissioners legacy and you can bet that a 16 team league will happen.

BDN Twitter and Facebook Pages

We've set the pace with changes for a long time here and since our inception you have seen our ideas, style and concept copied by others which is flattering. We get what Duke fans want and so ideas come with ease around here. Blue Devil Nation was the first site or entity to ever tweet live from press row in Cameron Indoor Stadium and we have a lot of fun that time of the year.  We have more competition these days but as they say, there is nothing like the original.  I am very in touch with the program and what is happening and I think that shines through and is the difference maker.    We have a great following on Twitter and I hope you join us.  Just yesterday, Sunday worship and such was interrupted by the announcement of ACC expansion and BDN tweeted the happenings of the call in media event for our followers and share a lot of information obtained from our many sources. We tweeted from the 2010 national championship game and have done so from major AAU events as well.  And there is no place better for breaking news, tips and teases, so go to the side of the page and follow us, we have a lot of fun.  We have a Facebook page as well, a group called Blue Devil Nation which we are just now starting to grow, so check that out to.

Back to expansion -- a chance to get it right this time

The current conference alignment has never been popular amongst most ACC fans.  I mean, Duke not playing long time rival North Carolina State yearly in football is a crime.  The original idea was to separate then football powers Florida State and Miami so that they would meet in the championship.  The thing fact is that never happened.  Let's hope there is more respect given to geography this time and that whomever thought Maryland was the Blue Devils rival rethinks the situation a bit.  A few great basketball games does not make the Terps the Dukies chief rival behind North Carolina.

Hurley, Hurley, Hurley, Hurley

Some of you have no idea how hated Bobby Hurley was when he ran the point guard position at Duke.  I will never forget a particular game at Chapel Hill where I had never to this day seen such seething hatred from part of their fan base.  He was cursed at, spit at and was called everything from dare I say this, "faggot," to you name it.  I suppose it was difficult for them in that he led Duke to their first national title the year before and there was a new guy in town named Mike Krzyzewski in his early pre legend years.  Again, I have never seen that kind of hatred since from their fan base since.  Everywhere Hurely went fans would chant his last name over and over and Bobby seemed to thrive on it.  Why did I bring all this up?  Because I will finally get to that Bobby Hurley interview this week so stay tuned for that.

In closing this week it is important to remember that we are all Blue Devil fans and on the same team.  Far too often, silly site wars divide fans and that simply has to stop.  There is no such thing as good Duke fans and bad Duke fans for all Duke fans are supportive of the programs.  It is time to heal wounds from the past an move forward together on a united front.  You can always depend on Blue Devil Nation to bring you the most Duke-centric experience possible.

 

 

 

Duke Football

BDN Rapid Reaction: Duke 20, Boston College 19

Duke emerged the victor in Chestnut Hill this afternoon with a 20-19 victory over the Boston College Eagles. It was an up-and-down game for both sides, but the Blue Devils were able to persevere.

No good!

Miscues in the kicking game were the story for both teams, highlighted by Nate Freese's 23-yard FG try off the left upright with 43 seconds remaining. Freese also had a costly missed extra point earlier in the game. Duke had more than its fair share of kicking struggles, headlined by a blocked Alex King punt, a missed 33-yard FG by Jeff Ijjas, and a kickoff out of bounds by Paul Asack. Duke may have come away with the victory, but the question marks in the kicking game persist, and one has to wonder how long Duke can leave freshman Will Monday on the sideline if Will Snyderwine remains injured.

Killer V's back on track

After an inconsistent start to the season, Duke's dynamic receiving duo returned to their All-ACC form on Saturday, finishing with 18 catches and 194 receiving yards combined. Both took a few hard hits from the BC defense, but managed to secure the football and move the chains. Junior Conner Vernon had two impressive TD catches and finished with 6 catches and 112 yards. Senior Donovan Varner had his best game of the season and a career-high 12 catches. Brandon Braxton added 9 catches for 60 yards and tight end Cooper Helfet finished with 6 receptions for 59 yards. Juwan Thompson had 104 all-purpose yards, and overall, the Duke offense racked up 465 yards of total offense.

Renfree gets his mojo back

The story of the day for the Blue Devils, however, was the play of Duke QB Sean Renfree, who finally put up the kind of numbers Duke fans have come to expect from the redshirt-junior. Despite hit after hit from Luke Kuechly and the BC defense, Renfree stood strong and finished with 40 completions, 359 yards, and 2 touchdowns. His 1 interception came on a tipped pass that certainly could have been caught. Perhaps most importantly, it was Renfree, and not redshirt-freshman Anthony Boone, who pushed his way far enough into the end zone for the go-ahead 1-yard TD in the 4th quarter. This definitely was a performance for the second-year starting QB to build on.

Costly mistakes

Duke fans have seen their share of close losses over the years, and it certainly seemed like this was shaping up to be another heartbreaker. Instead, the disappointment falls on Boston College, who squandered their opportunity to win in the final seconds. The Blue Devils, however, made things difficult on themselves with numerous costly mistakes. In addition to the kicking woes, the Blue Devils were whistled for 9 devastating penalties for 79 yards. At least three of those penalties negated first downs for the offense, and a personal foul on the final BC drive nearly cost the game. The Blue Devils will have to eliminate these costly mistakes if they hope to play winning football. Fans and players should enjoy this victory today, and carry the good vibes into next weekend against Tulane. Starting tomorrow, however, it is back to work for #dukegang.

Bring on the Green Wave! WE ARE DUKE!