Duke Football: 10 Questions and Answers Facing Blue Devils in 2010
Duke Football, in two years under coach David Cutcliffe, has evolved into a living, breathing program.
There has been a slow but sure resurgence in the interest in the program, although many doubts still linger and many questions are still being asked.
This piece will attempt to examine what those pressing questions are as well as answer them based on what looks to be a challenging season for the Blue Devils.
Can the Blue Devils Offense Be Productive Without Thaddeus Lewis?
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The Question
Can Duke's offense be as productive without its all-time leading passer running the show?
The Facts
Lewis was good, and in fact, he may have been the best quarterback at Duke since Sonny Jurgensen.
During his first two years, Lewis played under two different offensive schemes on a team that was poorly coached, conditioned, and prepared to meet the rigors of major FBS college football.
But under David Cutcliffe's tutelage, Lewis broke nearly every passing record on his way to single handedly leading a Duke aerial attack which helped the Blue Devils win almost as many games in Cutcliffe's two years as the team had won in the previous decade.
The Answer
With Sean Renfree at the helm and a veteran offensive line, there is plenty of reason to believe the Duke offense can be as productive, if not more so in 2010.
Renfree helped lead Duke to a come-from-behind win last year against Army, so he has game experience. He is also going into his third season in Cutcliffe's system. He knows this offense like the back of his hand.
If he can get some production from the running game, he won't have to put up Lewis's numbers, but the offense will surely be better if that happens.
Will Duke Have a Running Game This Year?
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The Question
The Blue Devils had no running game to speak of last season, so will this year be any different?
The Facts
Duke's leading rusher last year was freshman Desmond Scott. He rushed for a grand total of 262 yards. Duke's rushing game was the worst in the ACC and nearly the worst in all of the FBS division.
Having no rushing game forced the Blue Devils to rely solely on Thaddeus Lewis's arm, and against versatile defenses that wasn't enough.
The Answer
There is reason to believe that the 2010 Blue Devils will be better in the rushing game. Scott returns, bigger, stronger, and motivated to help Duke's rushing attack contribute.
He won't be alone, as he will have Junior Jay Hollingsworth, the projected starter, and Patrick Kurunwune to provide a deep backfield which has experience.
Add in speedy newcomer Josh Snead and Duke's rushing attack should look more like an attack than a chance to rest the quarterback's arm.
Does Duke Have Any Fresh Faces Who Can Make an Impact?
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The Question
Can any younger players make positive contributions this season?
The Facts
Due to the nature of recruiting at Duke, the years in which Duke has managed to put together respectable seasons—by Duke standards—are usually because of the play of veterans.
The 1994 team that went to a bowl game was made up of mostly veterans. Following Carl Franks's firing in the middle the 2003 season, Duke had won two games and managed to win two more in the final five to finish with four wins on the season.
That team also had a strong veteran presence that coaches couldn't build on with recruiting. Will the 2010 team endure the same fate with so many fresh faces?
The Answer
While it remains to be seen if the 2010 team can build on Duke's nine wins over the last two seasons, the expectations are higher.
Namely because David Cutcliffe has shown a talent for recruiting a program that hasn't produced but one winning season in the last 15 years.
Look for Josh Snead, a speedy freshman running back, to make his presence felt. Also, freshman offensive lineman Laken Tomlinson will help with depth. Duke also brings in junior college transfer Cooper Helfet to give quarterback Sean Renfree yet another target to throw the ball to.
Freshman linebacker Kevin Rojas has also impressed early and is expected to be a starter on the defensive side of the ball.
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How Does Duke Respond to Two Defensive Coordinators?
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The Question
With the departure of former defensive coordinator Mike McIntyre, how will Duke's defense respond with two coordinators?
The Facts
McIntyre left to take the head coaching job at San Jose State. Cutcliffe decided to go with dual coordinators in returning defensive coach Marion Hobby and former Cornell head coach Jim Knowles.
Hobby will coach the defensive line and Knowles will focus on safeties, but together they will be coming up with the schemes that the the Blue Devils hope will shut down opposing offenses.
The Answer
The players should respond favorably to Hobby and Knowles as coaches, but how they work together to get a defense that has depth issues as well as the task of replacing several key guys remains to be seen.
The season opener against Elon should give the defense, which has historically started out better, a chance to experiment with the different looks Cutcliffe has said they will show. However, Elon is a team that can beat Duke, so the defense will have to be efficient and smart.
Expect some growing pains as Duke shows more looks—like a 3-4 instead of the traditional 4-3—as they try to compensate for the lack of depth on the defensive front.
Who Is the Guy On Defense?
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The Question
Who anchors the defense in 2010 after the departures of veterans Vinny Rey and Vince Oghobaase?
The Facts
Rey and Oghobaase were the heart of Duke's defense, along with defensive back Leon Wright. Those guys are gone, so who steps up?
Duke's defense is expected to be a weak point again in 2010 but there are plenty of veterans mixed in with some skilled newcomers that could make them a force this season.
The Answer
The success of this year's defense will depend on several guys. Look for Charlie Hatcher to be the heart of the defensive front. That unit will be all the more important because they are thin and with Duke using more of a 3-4 look they need to hold their own.
There should be solid linebacker play from Kevin Rojas, Abraham Kromah, and August Campbell among others, and Matt Daniels and Chris Rwabukamba should help lead the secondary.
As long as those guys stay healthy, Duke's starting unit has the potential to be solid.
Who Is the Guy On Offense?
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The Question
Who do the Blue Devils look to on offense to lead the way?
The Facts
If you've been watching Duke football over the last two years, you don't have to look very far or think very hard about who to look for.
The Blue Devils have been one of the very best passing offenses in the ACC since David Cutcliffe became coach.
The Answer
If you said Sean Renfree you'd be correct. Renfree has been given the keys to Cutcliffe's high-flying offense. Expect him to hit the bevy of receivers at his disposal early and often.
Don't be surprised if some of those records set by Thaddeus Lewis don't last very long either, especially if Renfree stays healthy over the next three seasons and Cutcliffe remains the head coach.
What Is Duke's Greatest Weakness?
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The Question
What is the biggest chink in the armor for the Blue Devils in 2010?
The Facts
Duke graduated its best defensive lineman, lost one for violating team rules, and will be forced to play a lot of young guys early and often on the defensive front.
Combine that with the change to more 3-4 looks and the Blue Devils could have a problem up front.
The Answer
The Blue Devils defensive line is and will remain a question mark for most of the 2010 season. Duke returns Charlie Hatcher and Kenny Anunike as experience players up front but no one else has a lot of—if any—college game experience.
This makes Duke vulnerable up front where it counts on the defensive side of the ball. They must have some of the younger guys step up and get excellent play out if the linebacking corps or it could be a long season for the Blue Devils defense.
What Is Duke's Greatest Strength?
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The Question
What is the Blue Devils' best asset heading into 2010?
The Facts
Clearly Duke will look to pass the ball, and having a quarterback with the skills that Sean Renfree has is a plus.
But the thing that makes the Blue Devils so dangerous is who Renfree will be looking at to get the ball, and how those guys will make the plays that make the offense go.
The Answer
Duke boasts arguably the best receiving corps in the ACC. It seems odd you could actually say that about a team that hasn't posted a winning season in 15 years, but it is true.
Led by Donovan Varner and Conner Vernon, both coming off 1,000 yard seasons, Duke has veteran Austin Kelly and tight end Brett Huffman.
That is a lot of weapons in and of itself, but then you add Cooper Helfet as a junior college transfer with play making ability and Desmond Scott's ability to make plays out of the back field and the Duke passing attack has an abundance of weapons.
What Is Duke's Best Chance for an Upset in 2010?
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The Question
Who on Duke's schedule is ripe for the picking as a team that might fall asleep on the Blue Devils?
The Facts
Duke is still learning to win, but they are getting the hang of beating teams they should beat. Where building a winning culture becomes tricky is when you try beating teams you shouldn't beat and the Blue Devils haven't done that.
This season might give them a good chance to sneak up on someone and get David Cutcliffe's first signature win.
The Answer
Looking at the schedule and the headlines, the team that could be the most vulnerable right now is rival North Carolina. Duke hasn't beaten the Tar Heels since 2003.
With the Tar Heels likely to have to deal with at least some players suspended for the year due to violations, their focus will be wavering from the beginning of the season and probably won't subside.
If Duke is clicking by that point and Carolina is faltering, then this could be the season when Duke finally bring the Victory Bell back to Durham.
Will Duke Be Bowl Eligible in 2010?
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The Question
Can Duke do enough in 2010 to become bowl eligible?
The Facts
The Blue Devils haven't played in a bowl since the 1994 season. They have been the laughing stock of the ACC and college football in general.
With David Cutcliffe at the helm, there is reason to believe he can get the program back to a place where it hasn't been since the early-to-middle part of the 1900s—consistently bowl eligible.
The Answer
For Duke to become bowl eligible it will have to take care of business against teams it should beat.
It opens up with Elon and Wake Forest. The Blue Devils must win both of those games to have a shot. The Alabama game in Week 3 is a sure loss, but if they can come out of Week 4 with a win against Army and a 3-1 record, then they have a shot to pull off at least three more wins to become bowl eligible.
For that to happen, Duke must stay healthy and catch some breaks, including beating at least one team they shouldn't. It can happen, and on Saturday we will know if that chance is real or not.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
