Take a quick look at the game-by-game results for the Blue Devils this year, and it is easy to dismiss this team as another losing bunch, with no hope of reaching a bowl game.
The latter part of that argument has some merit, as the likelihood of this team making its first postseason appearance since the 1994 season is somewhere between slim and none. But, as someone that has watched every play of the 2011 Duke campaign, it is very apparent that this group is different from the many lackluster squads that have inhabited Durham over the last 20 years.
This year’s version could easily have a 6-2 record instead of the 3-5 mark it currently possesses. The only two games this year that Duke did not have a reasonable chance of winning were against Florida State and Stanford. And while the Blue Devils had no chance of competing with the Seminoles by the end of the first quarter, they could have had the lead at the break against the Cardinal had Will Synderwine and Jeffrey Ijjas not combined to miss three first-half field goals. Keeping it close with Stanford for the entire game would have been unlikely, but Duke’s effort against one of the country’s top teams is an indicator of the progress head coach David Cutcliffe has made.
The first half against Stanford can be considered a moral victory, but losses to Richmond, Wake Forest and Virginia Tech should have been Blue Devil wins.
Despite a slow start against Richmond, Duke was in position to win until Synderwine missed a 28-yard chip shot that would have put the Blue Devils on top with less than two minutes to play. Facing the Demon Deacons, Duke was clinging to a 23-17 lead late in the fourth quarter when a missed tackle in the secondary turned a short pass into a game-deciding 66-yard touchdown reception. And, against the Hokies, six trips inside the Virginia Tech 30-yard line resulted in just ten points due to two missed field goals, a fumble and a turnover on downs.
While it is clear that Duke is not always executing when it comes to kicking, tackling and protecting the ball, emphasis should be put on the plays that are being made.
“We’re playing really good football,” Cutcliffe said. “That gets lost when we’re getting beat. There are a lot of football players playing well in all three phases. When you have an error or two at an inopportune time, sometimes that gets lost.”
The Virginia Tech game provides a perfect case study.
On the defensive side of the ball, there was a level of playmaking that has not been seen before in the Cutcliffe Era. Safety Matt Daniels made impressive breaks on three balls in the air, intercepting two and nearly a third, to erase Hokie scoring opportunities. Backup safety Jordon Byas put two massive hits on Virginia Tech wideouts that not only sent them staggering off the field, but also made it clear that the athletes on a deeper defense have gotten bigger, stronger and faster.
Even with talented pass rusher Kenny Anunike sidelined for the season with a knee injury, and a stable of young ends and tackles rotating in and out, the undersized defensive front was able to penetrate and record seven stops for losses against a very talented backfield.
I had grown accustomed to watching and even hearing the defensive mentality described as “bend-but-don’t break” in previous seasons. That’s why seeing aggressive play at the line of scrimmage, more blitzing and other efforts to force takeaways was so refreshing. Perhaps because the coaching staff has recruited better athletes, it is finally able to take a more aggressive approach.
“Coach said all week that we really matched up well with them from a defensive standpoint,” Daniels said. “We understood that each person could go out and win their individual battles. We were able to do that.”
The proof is in the numbers too, as the Blue Devils already have 15 sacks this season, after recording just 12 and 18 in the two previous years. And, the unit is giving up 27.4 points and 403.1 yards per contest, compared to 35.4 points and 450 yards last season.
Before dismissing this season as a disappointment even if it culminates with a losing record, consider the foundation being built, especially defensively. While it does get frustrating to always be waiting for next season, with the vast majority of starters returning, Cutcliffe will have no excuse if his talent is not executing to produce wins next fall.
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