The Duke Blue Devils fell to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 38-14 this afternoon at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C. Duke jumped out front of the Yellow Jackets, taking a 7-3 lead in the first quarter, but Georgia Tech, led by sophomore quarterback Vad Lee, would score the next 28 points and ultimately garner 469 yards of total offense which made for an impressive 24-point win.
Revisiting the three keys to the game:
- Involve Many Offensive Players: Duke’s three backs sparked a rushing attack that propelled the Blue Devils to 254 yards of total offense, with sophomore running back Jela Duncan leading the team with 89 rushing yards on 16 attempts. Duncan and senior back Juwan Thompson saw a majority of the carries, and sophomore Shaquille Powell also gained nine yards on two carries. Redshirt junior running back Josh Snead did not receive any carries. Through the air, Georgia Tech managed to hold explosive junior wide receiver Jamison Crowder to just 38 yards receiving on six receptions. Connette found reliable targets in tight end Braxton Deaver and wide receiver Isaac Blakeney, but could not best the Yellow Jacket pass defense which held Connette to just 122 yards passing.
- Ace The Test: Continue to Shut Down the Run: It was no surprise that the Yellow Jackets were going to pound the ball into the heart of the Blue Devil defense, but Duke still managed to give up a season-high 344 yards on ground. The steady and powerful Georgia Tech spread offense drew in the Blue Devil defense, paving the way for redshirt sophomore quarterback and Durham native Vad Lee to throw for 125 yards and a career-best four touchdowns.
- Stay Healthy: While there were no major injuries for either team today, the Blue Devils missed the presence of redshirt junior quarterback Anthony Boone under center, as Connette seemed uncomfortable in the pocket at times and could not get into a rhythm during the game. Although Connette did not throw any interceptions, he did not complete a pass for more than 21 yards, taking away Duke’s big-play offensive threat that has been prevalent during coach head coach David Cutcliffe's tenure at the helm. Connette will need to provide Duke with better play under center as the Blue Devils advance further into ACC play.
Three key plays:
- On second and goal from the Georgia Tech one-yard line, Duncan takes the handoff, runs right and leaps into the end zone for Duke’s first touchdown of the afternoon. The score also gave the Blue Devils their first—and only—lead of the game.
- With 10:15 to play in the second quarter, Lee steps up in the pocket in a third-and-long situation and squeezes the ball between Duke defenders Ross Cockrell and Dwayne Norman to find junior wideout DeAndre Smelter for a 24-yard touchdown. This play would cap a 10-play, 64-yard drive and pad the Yellow Jacket lead to 10 points.
- Late in the third quarter, facing a third-and-five from the Georgia Tech 39-yard line, Connette drops back to pass and is sacked by Georgia Tech linebacker Jabari Hunt-Days for a loss of seven yards. This stop by the Yellow Jacket defense would stall the drive and force the Blue Devils to punt for the seventh time in the game.
Three key stats:
- Georgia Tech gains 469 yards of total offense. After holding North Carolina Central and Memphis to less than 250 yards of offense apiece, the Blue Devil defense collapsed under the pressure from the Georgia Tech triple-option. The Yellow Jackets rushed for 344 yards, and Lee threw for 125 yards.
- The Blue Devils commit five penalties for 52 yards. Duke committed number of key penalties that ended up prevented big plays. At the end of the first half, freshman kick returner Johnell Barnes returned a kick deep into Georgia Tech territory, but a Duke penalty would bring the play back to near the Blue Devils' own 20-yard line. A facemask penalty committed by defensive end Kenny Anunike added 15 yards to a short Vad Lee run. And on fourth-and-1 on the Duke 27-yard line, the Blue Devil defensive line jumped offsides, giving the Yellow Jackets a free first down, one that would lead to a Tech touchdown.
- Duke goes 3-of-14 on third down. The Blue Devils could not keep their offense on the field, converting only 21.4 percent of their third down tries. Duke often faced third-and-long, which made it difficult for the offense to move the sticks forward. Duke punter Will Monday punted a season-high nine times, slowly ceding control of the game to Georgia Tech.
And the Duke game ball goes to…Jela Duncan
Duncan stood out as one the lone bright spot in the Duke offense, rushing for 89 yards on 16 attempts. Duncan also nosed his way into the endzone for a one-yard touchdown run early in the first quarter. Duncan’s touchdown would give the Blue Devils a brief 7-3 lead before Georgia Tech scored 28 unanswered points.
And the Georgia Tech game ball goes to…Vad Lee
Lee may have been making his first career road start, but the Durham native returned home and commanded the offense like a veteran. Lee was a key part of the Georgia Tech option, picking apart the Duke defense with 125 yards and four touchdowns through the air, and adding 76 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Lee’s impressive numbers overshadowed his lone interception, which came in the second quarter.
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