Coming into the game against Boston College, Duke had the top-ranked red zone offense in the ACC. The two-quarterback system featuring Sean Renfree as the primary passer and Brandon Connette as the rushing threat had combined for 19 touchdowns on 36 trips within their opponent’s 20-yard line.
With Connette completely shut down by the Eagles’ league-leading run defense, all Duke could muster in the red zone was two field goals on three drives that netted a total of minus-5 yards.
“They did the fundamental things right there to win a ballgame,” Cutcliffe said of Boston College’s red zone defense. “When they took away the run, it was hard because you just don’t have much space down there. They stopped Connette, basically, is what they did.”
The Blue Devils’ first opportunity in the red zone on their second drive of the game was a preview of how their other trips would pan out as well. Renfree had just hit Conner Vernon for a 48-yard pass completion to set up Duke (3-7, 1-4 in the ACC) at the visitors’ 4-yard line. Connette came in and replaced Renfree, as he has on many drives this season, for first-and-goal. He was promptly smothered in the backfield for a loss of five yards.
Left tackle Kyle Hill was flagged for a false start on the next snap, moving the Blue Devils back to the Boston College 13-yard line. Wide receiver Brandon Braxton was open on the ensuing play, waving his arms above his head in the right corner of the end zone. Connette didn’t see him, though, as he kept it himself after faking a hand off for a one yard gain.
Renfree was back in for the long third-and-goal attempt, but this time the Eagles had all of Duke’s receivers covered, and Renfree’s pass attempt to Donovan Varner fell incomplete.
“Getting stopped in the red zone is tough, you’d like to come away with touchdowns,” Renfree said. “Things just get tight down there, especially in the passing game. Windows become much smaller, and we don’t want to turn it over down there. They did a phenomenal job in the red zone.”
Renfree repeated several times that Boston College (5-5, 3-4) deserved credit for stopping what had been an effective two-quarterback rotation in the red zone. The Eagles drove the Blue Devils backwards again in the third quarter, sacking Renfree for a loss of 10 yards on third-and-goal from the 5-yard line. Renfree had completed a three-yard pass to Vernon on first-and-goal before Connette came in for a two-yard rush on second down.
Renfree, who completed 71 percent of his passes on the day, said coming in and out of the game doesn’t affect his rhythm, and he didn’t lobby to stay in on any of the red zone plays that Connette handled in his place.
“No, I’ll never question my coach for a call he makes,” Renfree said. “The calls he had on were great calls. I’ll come in for whatever situation they need me in there.”
When the game was on the line with about one minute remaining, Connette handled third-and-goal from the 4-yard line. Rolling to his right, Connette didn’t see a wide-open Vernon on the left side of the end zone. Instead, he threw to Cooper Helfet, who got a hand on the ball but couldn’t bring it down amongst a swarm of Boston College defenders. The switching continued as Renfree was back under center for fourth down, but his intended slant pass for Vernon was batted down at the line of scrimmage.
That drive was only the third time this season Duke has come away empty-handed in the red zone. Not even a fourth Will Snyderwine field goal, though, would have been enough to overcome the Blue Devils’ red zone woes.
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