After a comeback victory against Troy last week, the Blue Devils return to Durham with hopes of improving to 3-0 against Charlie Weis’ Kansas Jayhawks. Kick-off is at 3:30 p.m. at Wallace Wade Stadium. Here are the keys to this afternoon’s game:
Force turnovers
Despite two victories by large margins, the Blue Devil defense has yet to record a turnover. Sophomore safety DeVon Edwards managed to force two fumbles against Troy, but the Duke defense recovered neither. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles would love to see the Blue Devils make a more concerted effort to attack the football when going to make hits and to see his unit wreak more havoc in general Saturday against the Jayhawks.
As for the passing game, Kansas’ dual-threat sophomore quarterback Montell Cozart struggled in limited action last season, completing just 36.5 percent of his attempts and throwing no touchdowns and two interceptions. Duke’s defensive backs, "the cheetahs," should feel comfortable being more aggressive, taking risks and jumping routes. The Blue Devils were able to get by against Elon and Troy without forcing any turnovers, but will need to find a way to change that as competition ramps up.
Continue to Run First, Pass Later
So far this season, Duke’s offense has run the ball early and often. In Week one against Elon, Duke ran for 275 yards, with an average of 6.3 yards per carry and four players recording more than 50 yards on the ground. Last week, the team ran for 182 yards on 41 attempts, with quarterback Anthony Boone contributing 47 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
Similar run production will be a much greater challenge against the Jayhawks’ defense that returns nine starters from a year ago, including the Big 12’s top returning tackler in linebacker Ben Heeney. That being said, offensive coordinator Scottie Montgomery should not turn away from its run first, pass later strategy that has brought so much success already this season. When Duke is able to establish the run game early, the passing game opens up and receivers often face single coverage.
All-ACC wideout Jamison Crowder is always going to draw attention from opposing defenses and it is no surprise that he is still among the ACC’s leaders in catches, but it is 6-foot-6 redshirt senior Issac Blakeney that has benefited most from the new offensive tactics. His three touchdowns have him tied for the most by an ACC receiver.
Don’t Fall Behind Too Early
Last week against Troy, the Blue Devils found themselves trailing 14-3 late in the first quarter in a hostile environment. Fortunately, they were able to climb their way back into the game by keeping their composure and scoring 21 unanswered points in the second quarter.
But many of Duke’s upcoming games are against very different opponents than Troy, and with a road trip to Miami Gardens, Fla. fast approaching, it is essential that the Blue Devils not make a habit of starting slowly.
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