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. Patricia Lee started with the offensive backfield last week. This week, Laura Keeley previews the wide receivers, and next week Stuart Price will look at the offensive and defensive lines. — Scott Rich
"To be at Duke, you have to be self-motivated." The new passing game coordinator, Matt Lubick, said this after he had complimented about seven of his players on their work ethic. The fact that there were seven names mentioned in the conversation should signal something else—the Blue Devils have ample depth in the receiving corps.
Lubick, who left Arizona State to join the coaching staff in February, is not planning to change much from last year's scheme. Look for a mixture personnel on the field—some sets with three receivers, others with two tight ends and even ones featuring four different sets of hands. The top three appear to be set. There is competition throughout the rest of the depth chart, Lubick said.
Donovan Varner, 5'9", 170 lbs. junior—Varner ended last season with first team all-ACC honors after leading the league in receptions (65), receptions per game (5.42) and receiving yards per game (87.2). He ranked second in receiving yards (1,047) and touchdown catches (8). Varner is picking up where he left off, as he was the only Blue Devil to be named to the preseason all-ACC team.
Varner suffered a "scary" foot injury this summer, according to Lubick, but has been running at full speed for more than a month.
They said it— On what to expect from Varner this year: “Exactly what they saw last year, and some," according to fellow receiver Conner Vernon (the two have been teammates since attending the same high school in Miami).
Conner Vernon, 6'2", 195 lbs. sophomore—Vernon may be the younger of the two top receivers, but he's five inches taller. As a true freshman last season, he caught 55 passes for 746 yards and three touchdowns. After a "huge'' jump in the spring, Vernon feels much more comfortable and his body is a year better, Lubick said.
They said it—On what fans should expect: “Coming out every day and working hard to put on a good show," Vernon said. " We want to fill the stadium every game and play well to make sure they come back.”
Austin Kelly, 6'2", 200 lbs. senior—The returning starter with a last name that doesn't start with V. Kelly has only missed one game in his three-year Duke career, and his appearances in 35 games gives him the most experience out of all the receivers. Last year Kelly snagged 54 passes for 625 yards, and he combined with Varner and Vernon to become the first trio in school history to each have over 600 receiving yards in a single season. Expect Kelly to draw less defensive attention than the top two receivers, and for new quarterback Sean Renfree to exploit those lapses in coverage.
Who fills the fourth spot? The last of the starting spots is up in the air right now, Lubick said. Several receivers are competing for the spot. Both Varner and Vernon named Tyree Watkins, a redshirt freshman, as their pick to have a breakout year. Watkins played in the four games last year, catching seven passes for 41 yards, before suffering a season-ending knee injury. The NCAA granted him a redshirt, so he still has four years of eligibility remaining. Lubick said he was the fourth receiver this spring.
Also look for redshirt sophomore Tony Foster. Vernon mentioned his name as a breakout candidate as well, and Lubick said he is the fastest receiver. Redshirt junior Josh Trezvant is durable, Lubick said, and has the ability to line up in any of the four receiver spots on the field. True freshman Brandon Braxton could compete for time as well.
Analysis—The receivers are Duke's strong spot on offense. Varner and Vernon could be a lethal one-two punch, and Kelly could improve upon his totals from last year if defenses don't pay him enough attention. There is plenty of depth should there be any injuries. But—and this is a significant but—receivers can only make plays when their quarterback gets them the ball. Renfree is coming back from a well-documented ACL injury that limited his participation in spring practice.
The only people that have seen Renfree at full speed this year are his coaches and teammates—and they say he is healthy and more-than-capable of filling the starting role. "He is one of the best leaders I have seen," Lubick said. "Those guys know he will do something special."
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