As the 6-2 Blue Devils prepare to take on Florida State at Doak S. Campbell Stadium Saturday at 3:30 p.m., Duke released its weekly injury report. Here’s a rundown of the players are listed on the injury report this week:
PROBABLE
DE Dezmond Johnson (lower body)
DT Jamal Wallace (lower body)
QUESTIONABLE
QB Brandon Connette (shoulder)
DOUBTFUL
S Brandon Braxton (lower body)
OUT
CB Jared Boyd (leg)
LB Kelby Brown (leg)
TE Braxton Deaver (leg)
S Anthony Young-Wiseman (leg)
OUT FOR SEASON
TE Jack Farrell (leg)
WR Blair Holliday
DE Allen Jackson (shoulder)
S Corbin McCarthy (shoulder)
S Taylor Sowell (leg)
Breakdown: As the Blue Devils make their final preparations for the Seminoles this weekend, an injury in practice Wednesday caused a bit of a shake-up to their gameplan.
Starting safety Brandon Braxton finds himself back on the injury report this week with a lower body injury and is listed as doubtful for this weekend's contest. Braxton's role in the defensive backfield will likely be filled by freshman Dwayne Norman, who started in Braxton's absence in Duke's win against Virginia.
Braxton wasn't the only Blue Devil safety to find himself back on the injury report this week. Anthony Young-Wiseman will not play against Florida State due to an injured leg, becoming the latest of Duke's safeties to be knocked out of action.
The other notable player listed on the injury report is Brandon Connette, who did not play in last week's victory against North Carolina. Connette did not practiced this week and Duke's utility man will likely be a gametime decision.
Defensive end Dezmond Johnson and defensive tackle Jamal Wallace are both be listed as probable this week. Given that both players suited up in last week's contest against the Tar Heels, this appears to be merely a precaution.
One notable omission from the injury report this week was wide receiver Conner Vernon, who did not practice Sunday after tweaking his knee on a freak collision with North Carolina linebacker Shakeel Rashad. Vernon was hit from behind as Rashad substituted onto the field in the late stages of Duke's 33-30 victory. Rashad received a one-game suspension Monday for the hit.
It will be interesting to see how head coach David Cutcliffe addresses Duke's gametime decisions, specifically Connette and Braxton, coming into this weekend's matchup with Florida State. It would not be surprising to see Cutcliffe playing it safe with his injured players in this week's contest. The Blue Devils are 26 point underdogs heading into Saturday's road test in Tallahassee, and some might consider it logical to minimize potential injury risks as Duke heads into its final three games against Clemson, Georgia Tech and Miami. The Blue Devils have not had a single open date this year and will not receive a bye week until Nov. 3, a week after it faces Clemson. It will be interesting to see how this situation plays out this weekend in Duke's toughest test of the year.
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