Special teams have guided the Duke to a win more than once this season, but No. 15 Arizona State boasts talented kickers and returners of its own. If offenses stall, Saturday’s bowl matchup could boil down to a special teams showdown. Kickoff is at 2 p.m. at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas.
Punting
Duke: Redshirt junior Will Monday has a knack for booting the football far down field when his team needs to change field position on fourth downs. The two-time All-ACC punter finished the regular season averaging 43.4 yards per punt, having posted 17 punts downed inside the 20-yard line compared to just eight touchbacks. Monday’s consistency and reliability have had a palpable effect on games throughout the season. Expect Monday to alleviate some stress from the defense and position the Sun Devils deep in their own territory if the Duke offense stalls Saturday.
Arizona State: Sun Devil punter Matt Haack looks to be playing the best football of his career heading into Saturday’s bowl game. The sophomore upped his punting average this season to 43.3 yards per attempt and booted three punts more than 50 yards in his last two games. The West Des Moines, Iowa, native's season long boot—which ties Monday’s season high at 65 yards—came in the same two-game span. With Haack poised to put up his best numbers of the season, Duke will likely need to sustain long drives to score unless its defense can force some turnovers.
Kicking
Duke: Junior Ross Martin has looked like a star all season—except against Virginia Tech, when he missed two of four field goal attempts in the Blue Devils' 17-16 loss. In defeat, Duke’s dependence on the usually true-footed Martin became painfully clear. But, the Solon, Ohio, native has bounced back, going a perfect 2-for-2 through the end of the season to finish 18-of-20 in the regular season.
Another strong performance by Martin will be critical to the Blue Devils' chances of winning their first bowl game in 53 years. Duke can't afford to squander any opportunities to put points on the board against a high-powered Arizona State offense.
Arizona State: Sophomore kicker Zane Gonzalez is lights out from inside 40 yards, finding his target 14 times in 15 on the season. But, the Deer Park, Texas, native has struggled from long range. Gonzalez finished the regular season 5-of-9 on attempts longer than 40 yards, including missing his only attempt from 50 yards or more. The sophomore has shown poise in high-pressure situations, having booted in a 36-yard attempt in overtime to earn his team a win against Utah, and is usually almost just as reliable as Martin.
Returns
Duke: The Blue Devils have shown glimpses of their quickness and talent throughout the season in the return game. Senior Jamison Crowder posted a 52-yard punt return for a score against Syracuse. Lead kickoff returner DeVon Edwards ran 99 yards for a touchdown in Duke’s 51-48 shootout against Pittsburgh. In addition to these sparks, the Blue Devils are the second-best kickoff return team and leading punt return team in the ACC, averaging 25.1 yards per kickoff return and 11.2 yards per punt return.
If either Crowder or Edwards find the open field, the Sun Devils are likely to get burned and the duo could help Duke win the position battle in what could be a game of big plays Saturday.
Arizona State: Redshirt senior running back Kyle Middlebrooks handles both punt and kickoff returns for the Sun Devils. The Fountain Valley, Calif., native has yet to find the end zone during a return, notching a season-high run of 47 yards, but the Blue Devils would be wise not to sleep on Middlebrooks. At 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, the senior running back is built for speed and capable of making big plays if coverage units give him enough room. With Middlebrooks itching to break a special teams scoring drought, Duke will need to play physical football and make tackles to prevent a quick Sun Devil touchdown off the return game.
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