Category Archives: Making the Grade

Making the Grade: Duke vs. Miami

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After falling to Georgia Tech in a competitive game, Duke returned home for Senior Day at Wallace Wade Stadium Saturday to take on another ACC Coastal Division team, the Miami Hurricanes. In a shoot-out with over 1200 yards of total offense, the Blue Devils were defeated by the Hurricanes, 52-45.  Here is an assessment of Duke’s successes and failures.

Offense: A

Pass: Quarterback Sean Renfree went out with a bang in the final home game of his career. He threw for 432 yards and four touchdowns with a completion percentage of 61 percent. Renfree, despite some difficulty throwing with the wind in Wallace Wade Stadium, had a career day, especially considering the fact that he had no turnovers. Wide receiver Jamison Crowder was a standout for the Blue Devils with 203 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Conner Vernon caught Renfree’s two other touchdown passes and made big catches throughout the day for 109 yards through the air.

Rush:  The rushing game was surprisingly pretty good. The three primary backs, Juwan Thompson, Josh Snead, and Jela Duncan all performed well against Miami’s defense. Duke ran for 151 yards and averaged around 4.7 yards per carry. Compared to past games against equally talented opponents, such production from the backs is strong and very beneficial to this team, especially when Renfree plays well.

X’s and O’s:  Though Duke did lose and could not convert on multiple opportunities to tie or surpass Miami throughout the game, one cannot fault the overall production of the offense. 583 yards of total offense and 45 points shows great improvements in this offense. Without any turnovers and controlling the time of possession, the Blue Devils had a great offensive day. The only issue to improve upon is third down efficiency and making plays in high-pressure situations.

Defense: D

Pass:  The good news for Duke’s secondary: Miami completed only 16 passes in the entire game. The bad news: the Hurricanes averaged 14.7 yards per completion, accrued 398 yards through the air, and notched three touchdowns from the arm of Hurricane quarterback Stephen Morris. The problem Duke continues to have this season is a lack of coverage on receivers down field and an inability to make tackles in shorter yardage throws, which in turn leads to big gains for the opposing offense. A big key for Duke leading into a bowl game and into next season will be to improve pass coverage down-field to limit opponent scoring and give the offense an opportunity to compete.

Rush:  It is no secret to the Blue Devils and their opponents that the defense continues to struggle with stopping the run game. Miami rushed for 248 yard on 40 carries averaging 6.2 yards per attempt. The total yards that the Hurricanes gained on the ground is problematic for Duke especially when the secondary has enough problems covering receivers. As bowl season approaches, the need for the Blue Devils to improve run defense in the future is evident. The key to improving run defense will be whether the defensive line and line-backing core can meet the rusher at the line of scrimmage before he gains any momentum.

X’s and O’s: Duke defense, despite issues controlling opponents offenses, has proven it is good at causing turnovers which often turn the game in the Blue Devils’ favor when the game is close. Against Miami, the defense caused no turnovers giving its opponent more opportunities to score, and the Hurricanes capitalized on the opportunities. Surprisingly, Miami was not efficient in third down situations converting only four of 12 attempts, showing that Duke has some ability to slow down offensive production. However, the defense cannot continue to give up so many touchdowns, that Duke must score on every possession to even have the chance of winning.

Special Teams: B-

The special teams play was not as strong as it usually is. The kicking game remained an asset as kicker Will Monday continued to punt well, despite the wind, and kicker Ross Martin made his only field goal attempt of the day, a 43 yard kick. The most important issue was the usage of trick plays in special teams. Duke gambled with an onside kick and came up short, setting Miami up with fantastic field positions. Such plays put unneeded pressure on the defense, which already has enough problems, to support mistakes in special teams.

Making the Grade: Duke vs. Georgia Tech

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Coming off a bye-week and a crushing defeat against Clemson, the Blue Devils took the field in a season-defining matchup in Atlanta Saturday afternoon against Georgia Tech. Although Duke kept the game close for the majority of play, the Yellow Jackets proved too powerful on the ground to be stopped as they went on to defeat Duke, 42-24.

Offense: B

Pass: Quarterback Sean Renfree continues to play well for Duke completing 67 percent of his passes with two touchdowns and throwing only one pick on a desperation throw late in the game. What is most surprising from Saturday’s contest is wide receiver Desmond Scott’s exceptional play. With 10 receptions for 124 yards through the air, he accrued the vast majority of Duke’s passing gains. Receiver Conner Vernon also contributed but less so than earlier this season. He did break the record for most receiving yards in ACC history on a five yard completion from Renfree. Vernon needs to be a presence during his final two college games with Duke. If he is not, don’t expect the Blue Devils to have a winning record at the end of the season.

Rush: Duke can’t rush the ball consistently and Saturday proved that fact yet again. The Blue Devils managed 77 yards in 22 run attempts for the entire game. Even though Duke was losing the time of possession battle all night, the lack of rushing efficiency, an average of 3.5 yards per carry, is troubling so late in the season. Freshman running back Jela Duncan lead the Blue Devils in carries and yards with six carries for 39 yards. Miami is a tough opponent and Duke will need the rushing game to be a presence next weekend if the team will have an opportunity to compete.

X’s and O’s: Duke had possession of the ball for 16 fewer minutes than Georgia Tech on offense. The passing game was good and the rushing attack a little less than average, but Duke had limited opportunities this game to score and were unable to do so in crucial moments of the game. The fourth quarter saw no points scored for Duke, and overall, the Blue Devils only converted three of 10 third down attempts. Such inefficiency on the offensive side of the ball put Duke at a disadvantage that the team could not overcome.

Defense: C

Pass: There is not much to say about Duke’s pass defense because Georgia Tech has such a run-heavy offense. The Blue Devils had to commit their defensive game plan to stopping the run, which opened up some opportunities for the Yellow Jackets through the air. The difficulty for Duke is in controlling the efficiency of opposing quarterbacks. Georgia Tech quarterback Tevin Washington had only six completed passes, yet three touchdowns and 102 yards through the air. The secondary has consistently shown problems defending the deep ball. Improvement in that aspect of the defense is necessary.

Rush: The Yellow Jackets triple-option offense requires running the ball upwards of 70 times per game, but the Blue Devils were unable to stop the expected onslaught especially when it counted most. Georgia Tech gained 330 total yards on the ground averaging 4.6 yards per rushing attempts. The Yellow Jackets gave 10 different players a carry, lead by Washington’s 19 totes. The majority of the rushes were effective against the Blue Devil defense, which did not bode well for Duke’s chances.

X’s and O’s: 449 yards of total offense for the opposing team usually means that the defending team lost and Duke most certainly did. What is most alarming about the defense’s play against Georgia Tech is the way in which it was manhandled by the triple option. The Yellow Jackets controlled ball possession, sustaining long drives that ate away much of the clock. They converted on 13-of-20 third down attempts and all four fourth down attempts to trample the Blue Devil defense. Serious improvement in the rush and late down defense must remain a priority for Duke through the end of the season.

Special Teams: A-

Duke has exceptional kickers; that much has become apparent thus far. Punter Will Monday averaged 52.5 yards per punt and currently leads the ACC in that statistic. Freshman kicker Ross Martin is equally special. He notched another career long kick against the Yellow Jackets, a 50-yard boot in the second quarter. The return game has also been strong, though the loss of Lee Butler for the remainder of the season will seriously impact the team’s ability on kickoffs. The fake punt in the fourth quarter was ineffective, and Duke has not succeeded often on those plays, especially when the opponent expects them.

Making the Grade: Duke vs. Florida State

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Coming off one of the most exciting games in recent memory, Duke matched up with ACC powerhouse Florida State in Tallahassee on Saturday. Despite leading the Coastal Division, the Blue Devils were overpowered by the Seminoles’ talented offense.  Here is an assessment of Duke’s successes and failures of the game.

Offense:  D

Pass:  The passing attack was crippled by the loss of starting quarterback Sean Renfree, who began to hit his stride late in the second quarter before being knocked out of the game on a hard hit. Once backup Anthony Boone came in, Duke managed to gain 37 yards in the air for the rest of the game.  Receivers Conner Vernon and Jamison Crowder were nonexistent, combining for five catches and 28 yards. Duke cannot rely on the pass against more athletic and defensively strong teams like Florida State and Saturday was certainly an example of this.

Rush:  After a great game against UNC, the Duke rushers returned to their less than stellar form.  Duke managed to gain only 103 yards on the ground, though the Blue Devils’ only touchdown came on a rushing play to Jela Duncan. Junior back Juwan Thompson was sidelined by a ferocious helmet-to-helmet hit during the drive in which Renfree would later be injured. Without the third prong of the rushing attack, Duke was unable to do much on the ground and that hurt the overall offensive production without a consistent passing presence.

X’s and O’s:  The Blue Devil offense was hampered by injuries to key players, and the alternatives to starters Thompson and Renfree could not put up much of an offensive threat. Duke needs to learn how to find some sort of offensive rhythm regardless of the personnel on the field.  The Blue Devils, though they maintained possession for a longer period of time and had no turnovers, had 11 fewer first downs than Florida State and converted on only four of their 18 third down attempts. The deep threat of Vernon or Crowder may not have been available, but for a team trying to establish itself in the ACC, Duke needs to learn how to gain yardage consistently and develop drives.

Defense:  C

Pass: Seminole quarterback EJ Manuel completed only 50 percent of his passes, but racked up 282 yards and two touchdowns through the air.  Duke’s secondary play is not terrible. The problem is the large chunk yardage plays. The Blue Devils have had trouble this season holding opponents from big passing plays especially early in the game. Florida State struck first on a 71-yard reception and never looked back.  Duke’s pass defense will need to improve its coverage down field. Simple as this may sound, it will be difficult to accomplish considering the Blue Devil’s rushing defense deficiency.

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Making The Grade: Duke vs. North Carolina

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Senior wide receiver Conner Vernon caught two third-down passes for first downs on Duke's game-winning drive against North Carolina Saturday.

After a crushing defeat against Virginia Tech, Duke retuned home for a crucial matchup against the rival North Carolina Tar Heels on Saturday evening.  In front of a near capacity crowd at Wallace Wade Stadium, the Blue Devils captured the victory with 13 seconds remaining on the clock on a pass from quarterback Sean Renfree to receiver Jamison Crowder. The Chronicle’s Jay Sullivan sat down to grade Duke’s 33-30 win.

Offense:  A-

Pass:  Quarterback Sean Renfree was not perfect.  He had one official interception and two that were reversed.  However, when it came down to the final drive with three minutes left on the clock and down four points, he was calm and collected on his throws especially in the final touchdown pass to receiver Jamison Crowder.  Renfree completed 64 percent of his passes for 276 yards. Wide receiver Connor Vernon made big catches throughout the game for 124 yards gained.  He may not have been as big a factor as past weeks, but he was effective when it counted most.

Rush: Duke rushing finally decided to show up to a game and play calling was not shy in using the three main backs: Juwan Thompson, Josh Snead and Jela Duncan. The Blue Devils ran the ball 53 times, nearly 20 more times than they threw. The running game averaged 4.4 yards per carry and racked up 234 yards on the ground. Snead had nearly 100 yards on 15 attempts and Thompson 64 yards on 11 attempts.  Duncan was not as successful in average yards per carry, despite getting the most touches, 22, and scoring one touchdown.

X’s and O’s:  There was a fairly solid balance in the Blue Devils offensive attack.  However, there were two major flaws in the game that warrant an A- grade. First and most important, was ball control.  Renfree came close to three interceptions, which would have crushed Duke’s chances in the game. Second, the play calling late in the game was predictable and hampered Duke’s effectiveness until the final drive. The second half seemed to be a consistent dosage of two running plays and then pass on third down. The Blue Devils converted on half of their third down attempts, but they could have benefited from a more diverse play call range. The no-huddle offense was a surprise and seemed to confuse the Tar Heel defense. On the whole it was a successful game for Duke’s offense.

Defense:  A-

Pass:  Duke’s passing defense was fairly strong throughout the game, but found difficulty holding North Carolina late in the game.  Duke took some risks in blitzes that exposed the secondary to deeper throws. The Tar Heels’ final touchdown was evidence of when blitzing hurt the Blue Devils coverage ability. The key for the future has to be in finishing games and not allowing teams to score so quickly in the fourth quarter.

Rush: The Blue Devils limited North Carolina to 177 yards on the ground. There were times when the Tar Heels dominated the ground game, as other ACC opponents like Virginia Tech were able to do.  The defense needs to continually work on meeting the runner at the line of scrimmage and improving tackling ability. There were some positive signs Saturday, but Duke is not there yet. North Carolina star running back Giovani Bernard is probably the toughest matchup the Blue Devils will have all season—so all in all, it was a solid effort.

X’s and O’s:  Turnover differential has been a key to Duke’s success this year. The Blue Devils were able to cause two turnovers on fumbles and nearly caused a third late in the fourth quarter. When Duke’s defense gives the offense more opportunities to score more time with the ball, the Blue Devils tend to be more successful overall.

Special Teams: B+

Kicker Ross Martin performed very well despite the pressures the rivalry game presented sinking a 43-yard field goal attempt among three others.  His counterpart, Will Monday punted only twice but was effective. Duke encountered some serious issues when it came to fake plays. They were severely fooled by a Tar Heel fake field goal attempt and were unable to convert on a fake punt. The problem is maintaining mental focus in every situation. Special teams can be an area in which Duke can be successful every game.

Making the Grade: Duke vs. Virginia Tech

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Coming off an important victory at home against Virginia, Duke ventured to Blacksburg, Virginia for a pivotal game against the Virginia Tech Hokies on Saturday. Due in large part to multiple turnovers and lack of effective run defense, the Blue Devils fell to the Hokies 41-20. Here is an analysis of Duke’s successes and failures during the game.

Offense: C-

Pass: The passing game was the only somewhat positive aspect of the Blue Devil offense. It accounted for 307 of the 329 offensive yards gained, yet only produced one touchdown. Quarterbacks Sean Renfree and Anthony Boone shared time during the game each throwing one interception. The aerial attack averaged 7.3 yards per catch over 25 completions. The biggest issue that Duke needs to confront is pass protection and ball release. At times Renfree hesitated to let go of the football and attempt tighter throws. He will need to develop better confidence in his throwing ability and in his receivers to earn another victory.

Rush: This was easily one of Duke’s worst rushing games of the season. The Blue Devils gained merely 22 net yards (including yards lost due to sacks) on the ground over 29 rush attempts. Juwan Thompson and Jela Duncan each earned 15 yards in five carries. Duke will need to reexamine its game plan heading into the Carolina game this weekend. More contributions from the rushing game will be needed along with the some consistency in who rushes the most each game. The Blue Devils must find their primary rusher or these meager rushing numbers will continue.

X’s and O’s: There was no balance between the rushing and pass play calls. The Blue Devils have shown that they can beat top opponents when they maintain a balance in the running and pass game and maintain possession of the ball. Duke did that during the first quarter when they scored all 20 of their points. The rest of the game was a different story. Though Duke held possession for a minute more than the Hokies, the Blue Devil offense committed four turnovers, two interceptions and two fumbles. If the Blue Devils continue to focus exclusively on the pass and have trouble holding onto the ball, then their chances of winning will be severely decreased.

Defense: C

Pass: The secondary did a good job early causing an interception and pick-six in the first quarter. However, as with the rest of the Blue Devils, early success did not translate to continued effectiveness throughout the game. Hokie quarterback Logan Thomas threw for 256 yards averaging 11.1 yards per completion with two touchdowns. The coverage game remains strong for the Blue Devils. The key will be whether it can hold when Duke brings more safeties forward to stop the rush.

Rush: By far Duke’s biggest weakness has been its rush defense and Virginia Tech certainly exploited that deficiency on Saturday. The Hokies rushed for 269 yards over 39 attempts. Running back J.C. Coleman was especially effective with 183 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. The Blue Devils had serious issues meeting the rusher near the line of scrimmage and making the tackle. If Duke wants to have a chance of playing in a bowl game, the run defense will need to significantly improve.

X’s and O’s: On a positive note, Duke forced one turnover and converted it into a touchdown. Beyond that early success, the Blue Devils had a hard time stopping Virginia Tech’s offense. The Hokies procured 525 yards of total offense and put up 41 points. Duke’s defense will need to improve its approach to stopping the run game. The danger of committing secondary players to the run, as Duke has done, is the chance to get burned by play action pass plays. The Blue Devils cannot afford to take such a risk against better quarterbacks and hope to maintain a winning record.

Special Teams: A-

The kicking game was the only positive today for the Blue Devils. Punter Will Monday was effective with four punts averaging almost 47 yards per punt. Kicker Ross Martin made both of his field goal attempts including a career-long 40-yard attempt. The coverage teams performed well holding Virginia Tech to minor gains in special teams.

Making the Grade: Duke vs. Virginia

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Coming off a historic victory over Wake Forest, Duke returned home for a crucial game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Wallace Wade Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Due to successful play on the defensive side of the ball and a potent offense, the Blue Devils defeated the Cavaliers 42-17. Here is an analysis of Duke’s successes and failures during the game.

Offense: A-

Pass: Quarterback Anthony Boone proved effective despite his lack of experience. He completed about 60 percent of his attempts, throwing four touchdowns. Where Boone proved most dangerous was in the long ball. He was a threat over the top and showed a good level of finesse. If injured starter Sean Renfree is unable to play against Virginia Tech, Boone will need to continue to improve his shorter throws, which were lacking accuracy on Saturday.

Rush: The rushing offense improved steadily in Saturday’s game. Jela Duncan, who made his presence known against Wake Forest, and Juwan Thompson combined 112 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Boone provided a dual threat option for the offense that proved valuable especially early. Duke average 5.1 yards per carry. In order to succeed in the next few weeks, such production will be necessary from the rushing attack.

X’s and O’s: The offense appeared to work more effectively with Boone at the helm. His running ability proved beneficial for the Duke system. The balance between rush and pass was effective for the Duke offense, opening up the deep ball on play action. Receiver Conner Vernon became the all-time ACC reception leader on a screen pass that ended up losing yards in the first quarter, but soon after he added a masterful catch for a touchdown. Duke will need to look for continued production from the run game, along with that of Vernon and receiver Jamison Crowder, to win games late in the season. The Blue Devils need to work on third down situations — they converted only 3-of-14 on Saturday — and sustaining drives to win the possession game. If the team does not, better competition will take advantage.

Defense: B+

Pass: The coverage improved throughout the game as the defensive line put pressure on Cavalier quarterback Phillip Sims. The secondary held strong throughout the game, recording two interceptions and holding Virginia to no touchdowns through the air. The defensive line performed well, especially during pressure situations. Duke will need the line and secondary to remain strong presences on the field to earn a potential upset against top ACC competition.

Rush: The defense lacked solid tackling, which allowed Virginia running back Perry Jones to gain 100 yards on the ground. Though the Cavaliers were unable to convert three fourth down and 12 third down opportunities, the Blue Devils could not hold back the Virginia rushing attack, often times requiring multiple players to bring down the rusher. Duke will need to improve its
tackling ability in the near future to continue its winning streak.

X’s and O’s: Despite a roster damaged by injuries, the Blue Devils defense played well. The two keys that they will need to improve upon are tackling ability, which will lead to controlling the line of scrimmage and rushing attack better, and first quarter play. It seems a trend now that Duke starts off slowly and then begins to control the game. The defense must make a statement by keeping opponents from scoring early to give the offense a chance to succeed.

Special Teams: A-

The kicking game remained strong for the Blue Devils. Punter Will Monday was effective over nine punts, averaging 47 yards per punt. The coverage teams were especially active on the kickoffs and punts holding the Cavaliers to limited gains in important situations in the first half.