Editor’s Note: Over the next four weeks, The Blue Zone will preview the 2010 Duke Blue Devils position by position, leading up to the season opener versus Elon on September 4. Last week, Laura Keeley examined Duke's wide receivers. This week, Stuart Price previews the offensive and defensive lines, and next week Jacob Levitt will look at linebackers and defensive backs. — Scott Rich
The Offensive Line:
Last year Duke’s offensive line excelled in pass blocking, ranking third in the ACC in sacks allowed per pass attempt, to help quarterback Thaddeus Lewis lead the ACC in passing. The line struggled mightily in the running game, however, and the Blue Devil offense averaged only 63.5 rushing yards per game, good for last in the ACC. In 2010 the offensive line, with four returning starters, looks to rebound from last year’s disappointment and drastically improve production in the ground game en route to a more balanced offensive attack. Rising senior center Bryan Morgan put it simply: “We want to run the football. And we want to run it well. We want to have a more balanced offense.”
Center- Morgan enters the season riding a streak of 24 consecutive starts and having been recently named to the 2010 Rimington Trophy Watch, an award given each year to the country's most outstanding collegiate offensive center. The 6-foot-3, 260-pound Morgan will continue to assume a leadership role not only on the offensive line but also within the entire offense. He is known for his sound technique and impressive agility that allows him to deal with bulkier defensive linemen. Morgan is backed-up by 6-foot-4, 290-pound redshirt freshman Joey Finision, who is known for athleticism.
They said it- Morgan on being named to the 2010 Rimington Trophy Watch: “It’s great to have recognition like that, and it is a big deal, but the biggest thing I’m focusing on is making sure all of us, all five of us offensive linemen are on the same page. Rimington… that’s great and all, but I want to do well this season and that has really been my focal point.”
Guards- At right guard, Brian Moore, a 6-foot-2, 275 pound redshirt sophomore, returns from a 2009 campaign that featured a Freshman All-ACC selection. He will team up with 6-foot-2, 315-pound redshirt senior Brandon Harper, who logged five starts last season. Moore is coming off a notable spring season, in which he posted the third-highest power clean lift on the team and also ranked second best amongst offensive linemen in the vertical and broad jumps along with the 20-yard dash. Meanwhile, Harper continues his transition from defensive tackle to offensive guard. He looks to use his imposing strength (a team high 445 lbs. bench press) to overpower opponent defensive linemen. Moore and Harper are backed up by redshirt senior Mitchell Lederman (seven starts in 2009) and redshirt freshman Dave Harding.
They said it- On establishing chemistry amongst offensive linemen and with new quarterback Sean Renfree: “Chemistry, you know, is there—we just have to keep working to make sure we’re on the same page each and every play. It hasn’t just been this big turnover. Sean knows what he’s doing and we have all the confidence in him and he has confidence in us,” said Morgan.
Tackles- Preseason third team All-ACC left tackle Kyle Hill and Jon Needham are charted to start as Duke’s offensive tackles in 2010. Hill, a 6-foot-6, 290-pound redshirt junior, has started 24 consecutive games at the left tackle position and is known for his outstanding effort and determination in protecting the blindside of Blue Devil quarterbacks. On the other side of the line, Needham, a 6-foot-7, 315-pound redshirt junior, enters 2010 with only one start under his belt. He is known for his great size and length, and offensive line coach Matt Luke will look for him assert himself early on in the season. Hill and Needham’s primary backups look to be redshirt-sophomore Conor Irwin and redshirt freshman Perry Simmons.
They said it- On improving the offensive line’s run blocking: “In the spring our emphasis was being more physical in the running game and being able to move the ball on the ground. During the spring we started to get much better at it and kept working at it. Just kept repping and repping it. You have to make a conscious effort to correcting yourself,” said Morgan.
Analysis- Duke’s offensive line is experienced and seems poised for a breakout season. The line has talent at all three positions, and Bryan Morgan, Brian Moore, and Kyle Hill should contend for postseason awards. While Duke struggled running the football last year, the offensive line and its coach Matt Luke have made correcting this issue their foremost priority during the offseason, in spring practice, and currently during the preseason. Look for a revamped, more balanced offensive attack this year which will start at the offensive line.
The Defensive Line:
Coming into the 2010 season, Duke’s defensive line will have to cope with the loss two outstanding players in Ayanga Okpokowuruk and All-American Vince Oghobaase. Former defensive coordinator Mike MacIntyre has also moved on to be the coach at San Jose State. All these departures in addition to the defensive line’s transition from a 4-3 alignment to multiple defensive schemes including the 3-4 have raised concern with head coach David Cutcliffe. He admitted to USA Today that, “The biggest question mark we have going into our season is our defensive line.”
Despite some uncertainty, the defensive line and its coach Marion Hobby are confident that the line can continue to be productive and can increase its pass rush this year. Returning starting nose guard Charlie Hatcher said, “You really can’t replace guys like Vince and Ayanga.” Yet he reiterated that, “We have some good guys coming up-some good young guys and some good old guys. We have some great talent coming, so a lot of people are talking about our lack of depth, but I’d like to say we have a lot of talent at the defensive line.”
Nose Guard- Redshirt Junior Charlie Hatcher returns as the starting nose guard after an impressive 2009 season that included a game-sealing fumble recovery for a touchdown against Virginia. Listed at 6-foot-3, 300 pounds, Hatcher has the ability to clog up holes on the line of scrimmage while at the same time get into the backfield and pressure quarterbacks. He is often described as a “warrior” and will be the leader of the defensive line in 2010. Last season he amassed 39 tackles, 7.0 tackles for a loss, and 1.0 sack. His back-up at the nose guard position is redshirt-sophomore Curtis Hazelton, who played in five games last season.
They said it- Hatcher on his goals for the season: “I’d like to improve my conditioning and my pass rush. I’d like to cause the quarterback a little more commotion from the nose guard position and be a guy who consistently gives you 60 plays on Saturday.”
Defensive End- Veteran redshirt seniors Patrick Egboh and Wesley Oglesby are projected to start at the defensive end positions for the Blue Devils. Combined, the duo share 28 career starts; however, both are looking to make their mark as top defensive players in 2010. The 6-foot-4, 250 pound Egboh is coming off a 2009 campaign in which he led the defense in quarterback pressures and accumulated 34 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, and 1.0 sacks. Despite being on the ACC All-Freshman team in 2007, Oglesby only made two starts as a junior last year. He has worked hard to improve his speed and strength, and enters the season at 6-foot-5, 255 pounds. As a preseason starter, he looks to improve on his totals of 15 tackles, 4.0 tackles for a loss, and 1.5 sacks from last season. Top reserve defensive ends include redshirt-freshman Justin Foxx and redshirt-sophomore Kenny Anunike.
They said it- Charlie Hatcher on quieting critics about the lack of talent at the defensive line: “Patrick Egboh and myself, we have a lot of snaps between us so it’s not as big as a jump as it usually would be with losing [Ayanga Okpokowuruk and Vince Oghobaase].”
Analysis- It will be difficult for the defensive line to overcome the loss of Okpokowuruk and Oghobaase. The three starters on the defensive line—Hatcher, Egboh and Oglesby—are the only defensive linemen who have significant game day experience. Thus, should one of these starters suffer an injury, Cutcliffe would face a serious problem that could potentially affect the production of the entire defense. Another intriguing storyline is that Hobby is trying to improve the line’s pass rush and create more disturbances in opponents’ backfield. While this seems to be a smart philosophy in theory, it will be interesting to see if, despite the loss of talent from 2009, the defensive line can execute Hobby’s schemes and make a real difference creating pressure on opposing quarterbacks this year.
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