Offense: C- Rush: Duke was dismal on the ground yet again, rushing for only 25 yards on 24 attempts. Frequent stops at the line of scrimmage or in the backfield on first down crippled the Blue Devil offense for the entire game. The Yellow Jackets never gave Duke any openings, and poor first-down efforts led to lengthy third downs that Duke could not overcome. Freshman Desmond Scott did show glimmers of his terrific potential, gaining 20 yards on six carries, including a 12-yard scamper on which he slipped out of several arm tackles.
Pass: Quarterback Thaddeus Lewis looked more comfortable in the pocket this week than against North Carolina, but couldn’t develop a rhythm with his receivers. Running backs Scott and Re’quan Boyette combined for 11 catches and 110 yards on the day off of short swing passes out of the backfield. The duo accounted for about half of Lewis’ totals—22 completions and 212 yards—and Boyette caught the only Blue Devil touchdown. The “Killer V’s”, Donovan Varner and Conner Vernon, managed only six catches for 34 yards, their lowest output of the season.
X's and O's: The Yellow Jackets quickly figured out that if they stopped Duke’s rushing attack on first down, defending the pass would get much easier on second and third. Blue Devil playcalling proved to be predictable, and Duke struggled to move the ball on the ground or through the air after the first quarter.
Defense: C-
Rush: The triple option ran right, left, down the middle and all over the Blue Devils all day long. Georgia Tech racked up 306 yards on the ground, led by 110 yards from big bruiser Jonathan Dwyer. Duke sorely missed the presence of defensive tackle Vince Oghobaase, who sat out the game due to injury. The Blue Devils seemed to be in position more often than not, but the Yellow Jackets were simply bigger, faster and stronger, and the Duke defense wore down quickly.
Pass: Just when you thought Georgia Tech would be happy to run the ball all day long—BAM! Long strike through the air! Josh Nesbitt completed 6-of-10 passes for 195 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Blue Devils provided poor coverage for most of the game, giving up a 75-yard bomb to Demaryius Thomas and three other deep completions of 31, 32 and 37 yards.
X's and O's: The Yellow Jackets were a step ahead of Duke for nearly the entire game. They found the perfect balance of the rush and the pass that the triple option demands and made exploiting the Blue Devil defense look easy. Georgia Tech ran the ball at will and kept Duke honest with the long-ball threat. Head Coach Paul Johnson gets an A+ for this game.
Highest Marks: RB Re'quan Boyette
Although the rushing attack was subpar once again, Boyette proved himself as a receiving threat out of the backfield, leading the team with six catches for 65 yards and the Blue Devils’ only touchdown of the game. The fact that he caught so many passes, though, means Duke’s receivers were well-covered downfield.
Hit the Books: The Offensive Line
The unit was porous throughout the day as Duke turned in another miserable rushing performance. The right side was particularly ineffective, as it seemed to cave in on nearly every play—including the third-quarter sack that cost Sean Renfree his season.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.