A center is the quarterback of the offensive line. He has to direct blocking assignments, snap the ball and recover in time to protect the most direct route a defensive unit can take to reach the quarterback.
When Duke center Brian Moore went down early in fall camp with a broken arm, the Blue Devils lost their most steadfast offensive lineman. Moore had been the starting right guard for the past two seasons, and had recently been named to the Rimington Award preseason watch list, an honor given to the nation’s best center.
In his absence, David Harding, originally slotted to be the team’s starting left guard, was moved to center before the team’s first game.
“I was a little nervous at first because I’d never played center before,” Harding said. “The coaches were really supportive and all my teammates really helped me out.”
Harding and the reorganized offensive line debuted against FCS opponent Richmond in the first week of the season. The line played well despite the loss, opening holes for the running backs to rack up 178 yards while allowing only one sack.
Against then-No. 6 Stanford, however, Moore’s void was evident. The Duke quarterbacks were sacked six times—Sean Renfree on five occasions, and Brandon Connette on one—for a net loss of 50 yards. The entire Duke rushing attack settled for 30 net yards on the ground.
Moore understood the challenges Harding was experiencing in the move from guard to center, having made the transition himself earlier in his career.
“Even though its two feet to your left, you get different steps and looks from defenses at guard than at center,” Moore said. “You really have to have a great understanding of the offense and the differences between the run game and the pass game.”
By the third week of the season, however, the line started to come together. Over the next three games—all Duke victories—the offensive line didn’t allow a sack.
“Dave’s a natural leader,” offensive coordinator for the running game and offensive line Matt Luke said. “He’s handled [the transition to center] well.... It’s different going from not having a ball to having a ball and executing some of the techniques. At guard you can just do your deal, but at center you are in control of the offensive line. You don’t ever get a mental break because you’re always working, always trying to get people in the right spots, always communicating with the quarterback.”
The hardest challenge for Harding was being right up on the line of scrimmage, instead of enjoying the extra bit of space guards have.
“The center has all the action in his lap,” Harding said. “You have to snap the ball with someone breathing down your neck. You have to be able to block a 310-pound nose tackle. He’s watching the ball and as soon as you move it, he’s on you.”
Through the first seven games of the season, Duke running backs Juwan Thompson and Desmond Scott combined for 4.9 yards per carry. A fully-healed Moore moved Harding out of the starting lineup last Saturday against Wake Forest. But Luke believes a line that started three redshirt sophomores and a redshirt freshman during Moore’s absence gained invaluable experience, hopefully leading to increased depth and versatility in the future.
“Absolutely, it already has [made me a better football player],” Harding said. “It has helped me solidify my understanding of the offense and know what’s going on all around me. And versatility is key; injuries happen in football. So knowing how to play both guard and center is really valuable going forward.”
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