For the week leading up to Duke football’s 2013 Spring Game, the Blue Zone will be breaking down this year’s returning squad unit by unit to examine the key changes you’ll see for next year’s Blue Devils. Today we go through the wide receivers, which we explored in more depth in yesterday's Chronicle.
Key returners: junior Jamison Crowder, senior Brandon Braxton, redshirt junior Isaac Blakeney
Key departures: Conner Vernon, Desmond Scott
Now in the mix: sophomore Max McCaffrey, redshirt freshman Anthony Nash
2012 performance: Last season, Duke's passing attack ranked 31st in the nation in yards per game and was one of the most formidable in the ACC. Nearly two-thirds of the team's receptions on the season came from the Blue Devils' top three receiving targets—Vernon, Crowder and Scott. During his senior season, Vernon became the ACC's all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards, reeling in 85 catches for 1,074 yards and eight touchdowns.
After seeing limited playing time during his freshman season, Crowder had a breakout year during his sophomore campaign and was one of the most explosive deep threats in the conference. He finished the year with 76 catches for 1,074 yards and eight touchdowns. Vernon and Crowder set the record for the most catches by a receiving duo in ACC history, recording 161 catches on the season.
Scott, who was playing wide receiver for the first time after three years as a running back, was incredibly productive in the slot, adding 66 catches for 666 yards and two scores through the air.
The Blue Devils were constantly a threat to score through the air in 2012, and their quick-strike ability was evident against even some of the ACC's most vaunted defenses.
Season outlook: A lot of rebuilding needs to take place in the Duke receiving corps. Losing Vernon and Scott means losing 151 catches of production, which is no small order by any stretch.
Brandon Braxton returns to the offensive side of the football for the Blue Devils after starting most of the team's games last season at safety. His experience from his first two seasons at wide receiver will be crucial for this unit's success with the team's young and largely inexperienced group of receivers.
Assuming Braxton can return to form and regain the starting spot he had two seasons ago, Blakeney, McCaffrey and Nash will likely be competing to see time in the slot this season. Blakeney is lauded for his size, speed and athleticism, McCaffrey is having a productive spring and looks to make the leap after seeing limited action in his freshman campaign. Nash is more of a longterm project, but wide receivers coach Scottie Montgomery said he is showing some of the fastest improvement he has seen. Expect for now that it will be some combination of Blakeney and McCaffrey in the slot. Chances are that unlike last season, you will see more of a rotation in the receiving corps instead of the receptions being concentrated among a few players.
Overall, this year's receiving unit shows great promise for the future, but all of its pieces will have to play to form if Duke's passing attack hopes to be as prolific as it was last season.
Previous unit breakdowns: Quarterbacks, running backs
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