Duke Blue Devils
2011 Record: 3-9 overall, 1-7 ACC Coastal
Head Coach: David Cutcliffe
Odds to win ACC Coastal and ACC: 30/1 Coastal, 100/1 ACC
Over/under Regular Season Wins: over 3 1/2 -250 / under +195
All odds courtesy of Bovada

Duke’s football team has only been in 2 bowl games since 1961, and none since 1995. The Blue Devils haven’t been ranked in the AP poll since 1994. The football team will never reach the lofty heights of Coach K’s elite basketball team, but coach David Cutcliffe was tasked with making the program at least respectable. In 4 seasons as coach he has a 15-33 record. That is less than 4 wins a year if you are keeping track. Before that Duke was even worse going 6-45 in the four year tenure of Ted Roof. That is 21 wins in 8 years. Some schools get 21 wins in two years.

Last year, Duke had another awful season going 3-9. The Blue Devils started off 0-2 including a 23-21 loss to Richmond before winning 3 games in a row against Boston College, Tulane, and Florida International. The Blue Devils  closed on a 9 game losing streak. They did have narrow losses to bowl teams Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Virginia, and Georgia Tech, all by 10 points or less.

Duke should improve as most of their starters and back-ups return, but by how much is the question. The schedule is very difficult, with 7 top 40 teams, and the Blue Devils are still very young.

Offense

Kurt Roper has been Cutcliffe’s offensive coordinator for his entire tenure at Duke. He likes to use a lot of sideline passes and rely on an efficient hurry-up offense. The offense was ranked #61 in the country last year

Senior quarterback Sean Renfree returns to run the offense. Duke ranked 28th nationally in passing averaging 272 yards a game.  He completed 65% of his passes last year for 2,891 yards with 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He was sacked 18 times and had 4 rushing touchdowns. Sophomore Anthony Boone will be the back-up after he threw for just under 300 yards, a touchdown and an interception last year. Boone was also the third leading rusher for the Blue Devils with 129 yards, and 4 touchdowns.  He will be the quarterback of the future once Renfree leaves.

The two leading rushers also return. However,  Duke’s rushing game was ranked 115 out of 120 teams averaging 94 yards per game.  Juwan Thompson had 110 carries, 457 yards, and 7 touchdowns. Thompson also had 22 receptions, 182 yards, and a touchdown. Desmond Scott had 72 carries, 367 yards, and 2 touchdowns. Scott caught 25 passes for 135 yards. The Blue Devils also add a pair of talented, intriguing freshmen to the backfield in Shaquille Powell and Jela Duncan. The two should get some carries as well.

The Blue Devils relied mainly on two receivers last year, Connor Vernon and Donovan Varner. Vernon returns, but Varner graduated after he had 61 catches, 713 yards, and 3 touchdowns. Vernon had 70 catches, 956 yards, and 5 touchdowns. Who will line up across from Vernon at the other receiver is anyone’s guess as some injuries and players moving to other positions have left the Blue Devils thin at receiver. Brandon Braxton moved to safety, after he caught 40 passes last year. Sophomore receiver Blair Holliday was in a jet ski accident July 4, and almost died. He suffered a severe head injury and was finally able to speak last week for the first time since the accident. Projected starting tight end Braxton Deaver is likely out for the season with a broken kneecap, after he already tore his ACL in January and also broke his thumb during the off season. Sophomore Jamison Crowder and Corey Gattis are the only other two experienced receivers left after the injuries. The running backs should help catch some passes, but Vernon could see a lot of double teams.

Seven offensive linemen return with a combined 90 games experience, including center Brian Moore, and tackle Perry Simmons. The running game should be better because of the depth and experience.

Defense

Last season, Duke’s defense had almost no seniors under coordinator Jim Knowles. Knowles uses a 4-2-5 defense. The defense was ranked 105 out of 120 teams last year. Since most of the starters return, the defense should improve, but honestly you can’t get much worse.

The line must replace tackles Charlie Hatcher and Curtis Hazelton. Ends Kenny Anunike and Jordan DeWalt-Ondijo combined for 6 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, and two forced fumbles, but both missed spring practice with injury. They might not be ready for the beginning of the season but are expected to play before the end of the season. Justin Foxx, Dezmond Johnson, and Jamal Wallace are healthy at end though. The unit will be deeper with the injured players though. Sydney Sarmiento will line up at one tackle, and sophomores Nick Sink and Steven Ingram will compete for the other tackle spot.

Linebackers Kelby Brown and Austin Gamble return after they combined for 12.5 tackles for loss, including 3.5 sacks. Freshmen Keilin Rayner and Deion Williams will also contribute and add depth to a unit that should be a strength.

The secondary must replace safety Matt Daniels who had 4 tackles for loss, interceptions and also broke up 14 passes. Receiver turned safety  Braxton will likely replace him. Junior cornerback Ross Cockrell broke up 9 passes last year and had an interception. he returns, as do the other three safeties, Walt Canty, Jordan Byas, August Campbell.

The linebackers and secondary will be better, and the only question will be on the line.

Special Teams

Duke has to replace both kicker kicker Will Snyderwine and punter Alex King. Redshirt freshman Will Monday will likely handle both jobs. He has a strong leg and had excellent hang time on punts in high school. If Monday falters. sophomore kicker Jack Willoughby and/or junior punter Spencer Rogers could step in.

Receiver Crowder will likely return both kicks and punts. He showed some potential as a return man last year as a freshman.

Duke was third in the country at covering kicks last year, allowing just 17.5 yards a return. The Blue Devils hope kickoff coverage remains a strength.

Schedule

Duke has a rather soft non-conference schedule. They had better take advantage of it because the conference schedule is brutal. The Blue Devils open at home against Florida International, before traveling to Stanford. Duke returns home to host North Carolina Central and Memphis. The Blue Devils should be 3-1 after those games, barring upsets, but even a rebuilding Stanford team should beat them pretty handily in Palo Alto.

Duke fans might look at the conference schedule and wonder where the games against Boston College and Maryland are. Duke plays 7 of the 8 teams from the ACC that went to a bowl last year, avoiding only NC State. The Blue Devils play conference road games at Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Florida St, and Georgia Tech, and host Virginia, Clemson, North Carolina, and Miami. They will be underdogs in every conference game.

Outlook

Duke will better on both sides of the ball, but unfortunately their record won’t show it with such a difficult conference schedule. I can’t see one potential upset in conference, so Duke finishes 3-9 again. This could cost Cutcliffe his job.

Maddux has college football game picks available now for the season. Order now to take advantage of our early bird special and save $150 off the full season package.