Halfway through the victory in Annapolis two weeks ago, it appeared that the key adjustments the Duke defense had been making were coming to fruition with some degree of permanence. But, just six quarters of football later, it is very clear such a hasty conclusion was ill drawn.
The season started off with three terrible performances in which the defense yielded an average of 48 points a game on 511 yards of total offense. In those games, the defense was victimized by both strong rushing and passing attacks and its own mistakes, including penalties and miscommunication.
Following the humiliating defeat at the hands of Alabama, the defense, specifically the front seven, began to demonstrate some improvement over the next four outings. Despite a turnover epidemic in those games that resulted in opposing offenses continually starting possessions deep in Duke territory, the defense relented a more respectable average of 32 points a game on 392 yards of total offense.
The unit furthered this sense of momentum by blanking Navy for a half, but any hope of sustained defensive improvement would completely vanish shortly. The Midshipmen erupted for 31 second-half points and almost pulled off the unfathomable upset. And, in last week’s win, the Blue Devils were gashed for 48 points and 643 yards, and the offense had to drive the length of the field in two minutes after a double-digit fourth quarter lead was relinquished.
It has become clear to me the respectability that the defense showed just a few weeks ago was actually an aberration.
Poring over statistics to try and determine its major area of weakness is a difficult task. Pretty quickly it becomes apparent that it is the group’s deficiencies as a whole that are leading to these track meets.
In terms of total points allowed and yards given up, Duke ranks 114th and 116th out 120 teams in Division 1-A. In both of these categories, Duke is the lowest-ranked major conference team with the exception of Pacific-10 cellar dweller Washington State.
The run defense and pass defense, giving up 200 and 258 yards per game, respectively, are equally responsible for the opposition’s huge outputs. To many in the stands, it may seem like the Blue Devil defense is too basic and conservative. Instead of putting pressure on offenses, they are content to use a ‘bend-but-don’t break’ mentality, which the team insists isn’t the reality.
“I don’t feel like that is our philosophy, though it may seem like it to an outsider,” linebacker Abraham Kromah told me yesterday. “The coaches put us in the right place, and then we have to go force turnovers and make plays. That’s something that we control.”
The coaching staff has preached increasing takeaways, and, in fact, Duke has not lost in a game in which it has won the turnover battle. Not much progress has been made, however.
At the end of the week, Duke came in 117th in the nation with just eight sacks, and its eight interceptions put it in the bottom half of the country in that category. In many respects, the two statistics go together as a quarterback under duress is more likely to make a bad decision. But concerns in the secondary have limited Duke’s willingness to send extra rushers.
“We’re not rushing the passer very well, and that’s something we’re looking at,” Cutcliffe said in yesterday’s press conference. “But, to get more into blitzing, it’s dependent on the matchups in coverage.”
Cutcliffe also pointed to the great size that many of the ACC receivers have and the problem that poses for his smaller defensive backs. So, even when the communication is sound and they are in the right position, their lack of ball skills is getting them beat.
Not much has gone right on the defensive side for Duke this year. Fortunately, this lack of success leaves plenty of room for improvement, and the ever-optimistic Cutcliffe praises even the unit’s smallest victories as he works to solve his team’s most pressing need.
“With all these points being scored, the defense has been on the field when the game was won [the last two weeks],” Cutcliffe said. “They are doing what they need to do in crunch time.”
But not on many other occasions.
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