Offense: A
Rushing: Freshman Desmond Scott didn’t disappoint in his much-anticipated first start of the 2009 season. He rushed for an even 100 yards, becoming the first Duke back to amass anywhere near that total this season. As a team, Duke averaged 5.7 yards per carry, and based on how this season has gone, anything over 4.0 deserves a celebration. In front of the backs, the offensive line dominated the line of scrimmage, even when facing frequent nine-man fronts early in the game.
Passing: Thaddeus Lewis took advantage of N.C. Central’s aggressive defensive playcalling, going over the top as the Eagles’ safeties crept closer and closer to the line of scrimmage. The Blue Devils’ Donovan Varner led the way with six catches for 76 yards, including a great grab in the end zone despite getting drilled right after getting his hands on the ball. Sean Renfree threw a pick-six late in the second quarter, but he was able to recover on the way to the easy win.
X's and O's: Can Duke play N.C. Central every week? Almost everything the Blue Devils tried on offense worked exactly as they drew it up. The running game was finally able to set up the pass because the running game was finally able to gain yards. And when the Eagles adjusted to stop the run, Lewis picked them apart. Durham resident Scott represented his city well in this “Bull City Gridiron Classic”.
Defense: A-
Rushing: The defense did allow over four yards per carry to the leading rushers of a Division II football team, as N.C. Central’s Tim Shankle and Tony McCord combined for 78 yards on 19 carries. But the unit only gave up one touchdown and held all other runners to negative yardage on the ground. This made the Eagles the first opponent the Blue Devils have held to under 100 yards rushing this year.
Passing: Simply put, Duke shut down N.C. Central’s passing attack. Other than one long reception by Geovonie Irvine, when he beat Leon Wright deep for a 55-yard gain, quarterback Michael Johnson couldn’t find any holes in the Blue Devil secondary. He only completed one-third of his passes and was frequently harrassed by Duke’s pass rush. For the Blue Devils, cornerbacks Wright, Chris Rwabukamba, and Lee Butler only had to make seven tackles all game.
X's and O's: N.C. Central managed just 181 yards of offense. Take away the 55-yard pass to Irvine, and the Eagles probably never score an offensive touchdown. Duke also blocked a punt, which Vincent Rey returned for a touchdown. As was expected, the defense turned in its best performance of the season.
Highest marks: WR Donovan Varner; The temptation is to give this to Scott, but Varner caught six passes, two for touchdowns, and was open countless other times. He was subjected to a vicious hit on one of his scores after Lewis led him right into the safety, but he was able to hang on.
Hit the books: QB Sean Renfree; The freshman played fine, and even threw a touchdown pass, but in a game where almost everything went right, one has to nitpick a little. Renfree was personally responsible for half of N.C. Central’s points, throwing a pick that Eagle Jeffery Henderson returned for a touchdown.
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