With four games remaining in the season and nothing left to play for but pride, Duke hopes to at least give the fans something to cheer about this weekend against Clemson, namely its first home win over a Division I-A opponent since 2004.
The No. 25 Tigers, the victim of that fateful game three years ago, will undoubtedly try to exploit a Blue Devil offensive line that has contributed to the ACC's worst running offense in Saturday's noon game at Wallace Wade Stadium. Despite returning all five starters from last year's unit, Duke (1-7, 0-5 in the ACC) is still trying to play through the group's various growing pains.
"It takes longer to develop at that position than any other position," head coach Ted Roof said. "It's very obvious that when we protect our quarterback, we've got a chance."
A chance against Clemson (6-2, 3-2) is all Duke can ask for as the team faces its ninth opponent with a winning record. Consequently, the Blue Devils have the seventh hardest strength of schedule in the country. To capitalize on its opportunities and avoid its 14th consecutive home loss, the team will need a big turnaround following a dismal offensive performance at Florida State last Saturday. In that game, the Blue Devils accumulated 49 first-half yards and just nine total rushing yards.
Although quarterback Thaddeus Lewis and the rest of the Duke passing attack came together late in the game, the offense was still plagued by miscommunications and errors that limited it to just one red-zone visit. Offensive coordinator Peter Vaas said the Blue Devils' scoring troubles stemmed in part from a lack of execution that led to numerous negative-yardage plays. Of the 50 snaps Duke took, almost 20 percent went for minus-yards.
Facing a tenacious and unforgiving Clemson defense Saturday, Duke understands that the room for error is as small as ever. In an effort to keep the Tigers guessing, the Blue Devils hope to complement their successful passing game with an improved running game, an area where they have struggled all season.
"If a defensive lineman knows all you're going to do is throw the ball, those guys tee off and just fly up the field to pass rush you," Vaas said. "If they're not sure what you're going to do, they have to sit back on their haunches a little bit and play both the pass and the run. So the more successful our running game can become, the more it will enhance our passing game."
Clemson's best defense this season has been its offense, thanks to its proclivity for long, time-consuming drives that have helped the Tigers win the time-of-possession battle in their last three games. Conversely, the Blue Devils have had a hard time keeping their offense on the field, converting only 3-of-27 third downs over the last two weeks.
Despite the offensive line's part in Duke's revamped pass protection-Lewis was sacked just once against a Seminole team that averaged almost three per game-the success has not yet translated to the running game. This is primarily because rush and pass blocking are not one and the same.
"How can you be a good student in math and not understand French? They're both classes, right? There's a big difference between being a run blocker and a pass protector," Vaas said. "There's a huge difference in the abilities and talents that are required of an offensive lineman.. We just need to improve. We need to bring that C- in French up to a B+."
Even though bowl eligibility is out of reach, the Blue Devils are still gearing up for their ninth exam of the season in hopes of scoring a good grade, which by Duke standards would be a W.
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