For the week leading up to Duke football’s 2013 Spring Game, the Blue Zone will be breaking down this year’s returning squad unit by unit to examine the key changes you’ll see for next year’s Blue Devils. Today, we look at the linebackers.

Key returners: redshirt juniors Kelby Brown and C.J. France, redshirt sophomore Kyler Brown, junior David Helton

Kelby Brown will return to Duke’s linebacking corps after missing the entire 2012 season due to injury (Photo by Elysia Su/The Chronicle)

Key departures: Austin Gamble

Now in the mix: freshman Dominic McDonald

2012 performance: Duke’s linebacking corps was statistically very productive in 2012. Head coach David Cutcliffe kept his linebackers constantly rotating in his 4-2-5 defense and the Blue Devils’ top four linebackers were able to make significant contributions to the defense. C.J. France was the biggest surprise of the 2012 season, leading the linebackers with 56 tackles, 1.5 for a loss and an interception. After starting the season on the bench, France quickly found a spot in the starting lineup and held onto it for the remainder of the season. Helton and Kyler Brown were dependable on the strong side, registered 54 and 50 tackles on the season, respectively. Gamble served as one of the emotional leaders of this linebacking group, but was the least productive last season, when he registered just 36 tackles but also forced and recovered a fumble and blocked a kick.

Duke’s linebackers were relatively reliable in pass coverage last season. Most of the big plays that the Blue Devils fell susceptible to last season came in the form of long bombs over the top of their secondary. The linebackers were average in run support, often having to make tackles when Duke’s struggling defensive line allowed some of the ACC’s stronger backs into the second level. As a unit, they succeeded in wrapping the ballcarier up, though a few missed tackles were definitely a part of this team’s downfall.

Season outlook: In addition to returning an experienced group of linebackers, the Blue Devils will be relieved to welcome Kelby Brown back to the lineup. Brown had been a full-time starter during his first two seasons at Duke before a knee injury kept him out for the entire season. Luckily for the Blue Devils, Brown had not used his redshirt year as a freshman and can now use his extra year of eligibility. It is unclear to see where Brown will factor into the linebacking corps this year, though. He was listed behind France on Duke’s first depth chart of the spring. Expect him to make some push for the starting job this summer in training camp. As of now, his younger brother Kyler is projected to start on the strong side with Helton listed as second-string.

Dominic McDonald is one of four Duke freshmen to enroll early and participate with the team in spring practice. McDonald had shown a lot of promise before having surgery to repair a torn meniscus in late February. It is unclear how long the injury will keep him out, but he will likely be good to go by the time the Blue Devils meet this summer for training camp. Cutcliffe had previously lauded McDonald’s work in meetings and the weight room, citing the Florida native’s promising future.

The key for the Blue Devil linebackers this year will be in run support, where the team struggled last season. Attacking the line of scrimmage and making tackles shortly after first contact will be crucial to this team’s success in stopping the run. If there is anything this team needs from its linebackers this year, it is for them to evolve from consistent players to playmakers. Duke returns experience at linebacker, but also boasts a bunch that rarely made an impact on a game by sacking quarterbacks and causing turnovers.

Previous unit breakdowns: Quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, offensive line, defensive line