As the 6-5 Blue Devils prepare to take on Miami at Wallace Wade Stadium Saturday at 12:30 p.m., Duke released its weekly injury report. Here’s a rundown of the players are listed on the injury report this week:
PROBABLE
S Jordon Byas (lower body)
S Anthony Young-Wiseman (leg)
QUESTIONABLE
S Brandon Braxton (lower body)
OUT
CB Jared Boyd (leg)
LB Kelby Brown (leg)
TE Braxton Deaver (leg)
OUT FOR SEASON
CB Lee Butler (leg)
TE Jack Farrell (leg)
WR Blair Holliday
DE Allen Jackson (shoulder)
S Corbin McCarthy (shoulder)
S Taylor Sowell (leg)
Breakdown: As this week's injury report is released, the Duke secondary does not have much to be thankful for. In a year where the Blue Devil defensive backfield has been ravaged by injuries, it lost another key member last week when redshirt senior Lee Butler suffered a season-ending knee injury. Tony Foster will fill in for Butler at cornerback this weekend.
The Blue Devils are still banged up at the safety position heading into their season finale against Miami. After missing Duke's last three games with a leg injury, Brandon Braxton is listed as questionable this week, his best injury status since he played his last game against North Carolina on Oct. 20. Fellow safeties Jordon Byas and Anthony Young-Wiseman are each listed as probable and should suit up for Saturday's contest.
Braxton's availability will be crucial for Duke's depleted secondary. Walt Canty and Dwayne Norman will start alongside Ross Cockrell and Foster, but with very little depth at corner and safety this week you could see the healthy members of Duke's secondary lining up all over the place. Cockrell is expected to spend a fair amount of time playing various safety positions this weekend, which means you should see redshirt junior Garett Patterson get more reps at cornerback than he has seen all season.
The health of the Blue Devil secondary has been the story of this season on the injury front. It's only fitting that for Duke's final injury report of the regular season, the only players listed are members of the team's defensive backfield.
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