Offense: B+
Rush: Once again Duke’s rushing attack was subpar, earning only 81 yards on the ground on 39 carries, leading to a paltry 2.1 yard- per-carry average. Still, for the first time in recent memory the Blue Devil run game showed flashes of adequacy, as periodic five- and 10-yard rushes forced the Cavaliers to at least respect the possibility of a run. Duke may not have run the ball very well, but the backs still contributed in pass protection and in catching balls out of the backfield.
Pass: Behind the experience of Thaddeus Lewis and the playmaking ability of a young receiving corps, Duke’s passing attack continues to rank amongst the nations best. The “Killer Vs,” Donovan Varner and Conner Vernon, both eclipsed 100 yards receiving for the second straight game with seven receptions each. But Duke’s inability to convert inside the 20-yard line, including a Lewis interception in the end zone, kept this game close until the end despite Duke’s dominating effort through the air.
X's and O's: For a team that accumulated 424 yards of total offense it should be surprising that Duke came away with only 21 offensive points against Virginia, including five field goals by Will Snyderwine. Those issues prevented Duke from ever running away from the Cavaliers, a deficiency that must be addressed if the Blue Devils hope to continue their run at bowl eligibility.
Defense: A-
Rush: Against a team known for its powerful running game, the Blue Devil front seven showed once again that it is the core of Duke’s defense. In limiting the Cavaliers to 89 yards rushing, the Blue Devils forced Virginia’s offense to alter its game plan and rely more on the pass than it expected. As usual, linebacker Vincent Rey led the charge with 10 tackles, but for the second straight week Matt Daniels proved to be a significant contributor with seven tackles of his own.
Pass: The Blue Devil secondary made it obvious why Virginia is known as a run-first team after holding Cavalier quarterbacks below a 35 percent completion rate. Despite only recording two sacks, Duke maintained consistent pressure on the Virginia signal-callers throughout the game, forcing them to make quick decisions that played right into Duke’s hands. Once again Leon Wright showed that he is developing into a shutdown corner, as he accumulated five tackles and an interception.
X's and O's: A constant presence in the backfield not only limited the damage done by Virginia’s running game, but forced the Cavaliers’ quarterbacks into uncomfortable situations. Despite a dominating defensive performance, a few blown plays and costly penalties allowed the Cavaliers to stay in the game and score 17 points despite accumulating only 196 yards of offense on the day.
Highest Marks: Singling out the kicker may seem anticlimactic, but without Snyderwine’s consistency Duke would have quickly lost control of this game. Indeed, if the special teams had performed as they did earlier this season, the Blue Devils would have had a slim chance at victory after their red-zone hiccups.
Hit the Books: It cannot be emphasized enough how close Duke was to losing a game which it dominated simply because it settled for three points too often. Needless to say, more poweful offenses like Miami and Georgia Tech will not be as forgiving as the Cavaliers were.
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