Last season, Duke traveled to Blacksburg, Va. to play a highly favored Virginia Tech team without starting quarterback Thaddeus Lewis. And despite completing more passes to the opposition than to Blue Devil receivers, Duke somehow found itself only down four with 1:31 remaining, before eventually falling 14-3.
This season, Duke faces No. 6 Virginia Tech (3-1) under more fortuitous circumstances, as the teams will face off in the friendly confines of Wallace Wade Stadium Saturday at 12 p.m. Plus, senior captain Lewis has returned to form after throwing two touchdown passes versus N.C. Central last weekend in what was his best performance of the year.
But for the Blue Devils (2-2) to pull off one of the biggest upsets in school history, they know that the emotional boost provided from last year’s near miss against the Hokies and last week’s shellacking of the Eagles will not be enough without a solid performance on the field.
“We have to go out and execute,” Lewis said. “We know what we have to do this year, we know they’re the No. 6 team in the country, and they’re No. 6 for a reason, so we know we have to play a hard-nosed football game against them.”
Executing offensively, though, will surely be more difficult against Virginia Tech than against the Eagles. The Hokies allowed only seven points last week to a potent Miami offense, and have allowed only 56 in their four games so far this season.
Additionally, Virginia Tech has become renowned for its consistent execution under head coach Frank Beamer, especially in the kicking game, leading many to affectionately coin Virginia Tech’s special teams “Beamer Ball.”
“By far the biggest test we’ve had to this point is Virginia Tech,” Duke head coach David Cutcliffe said. “Balance, balance, balance is what Virginia Tech is about.”
That balance is not only present on the defensive side of the ball, where three different players have recorded at least 30 tackles this season, but also on offense.
While the Hokies have focused on the running game behind athletic quarterback Tyrod Taylor and running back Ryan Williams, Taylor’s passing ability has improved greatly since his inconsistent sophomore season. Now the uncontested starter, Taylor has thrown for four touchdowns this year and has demonstrated his tremendous ability to run in the open field.
“He puts the ball where it needs to be and he can obviously run the ball very well,” linebacker Vincent Rey said. “He’s very effective, and the most important thing is he makes the play when they need it.”
But unlike last season, when the Blue Devils were struggling with key injuries and a three-game losing streak before facing the Hokies, Duke carries momentum from last weekend’s victory into this season’s matchup. Playing in front of a home crowd as opposed to 66,000 Virginia Tech fans at Lane Stadium could serve to augment that energy.
“Winning always gives a team confidence,” Lewis said. “No one likes to lose. But at the same time you don’t want to be content with winning that one game.”
The Blue Devils also might have the most confidence they have had in their running game yet this season after the emergence of Desmond Scott against N.C. Central. In his first collegiate game, the freshman rushed for 100 yards and scored his first career touchdown.
And if Scott is able to overcome a nagging injury suffered in practice this week, he may provide a spark to a sagging Blue Devil running game.
Still, though Duke knows it can compete with the Hokies after last year’s heartbreaking loss, the Blue Devils also realize that this Virginia Tech team will not be as willing to let them stick around in the second half.
“There’s some confidence that was gained by playing in that game [last year],” Cutcliffe said. “But this is a better Virginia Tech team than that team... so we have to find a way to be a better Duke team in order to have a chance in the fourth quarter to win the game.”
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