When Duke takes the field for the first time since its 36-31 loss in the Sun Bowl to Arizona State on Dec. 27, 2014, a flurry of once-familiar faces will be missing from the starting lineup.
However, the departure of the nine experienced starters, including All-American selections Jamison Crowder and Laken Tomlinson, has opened the door for younger players to compete for valuable playing time in 2015.
Everyone will get an early glimpse at the 2015 squad this Saturday, when the Blue Devils play their annual Spring Game at 10 a.m. inside the Brooks Practice Facility. The game will not be held at Wallace Wade Stadium due to the multi-million dollar facelift it is receiving during the offseason. The practice facility is too small to accommodate fans, so the Duke faithful will have to watch the game on ESPN3.com or using the WatchESPN application.
Despite the change-of-scenery, head coach David Cutcliffe said that his team could not be more ready to hit the gridiron for the first time in two months.
"We are excited for a lot of reasons," Cutcliffe said. "Maybe the biggest reason is that we are extremely eager. We have outstanding senior leadership. The last thing is that we can run. If you look at us on film right now, we look fast as a football team on the field."
The biggest questions for Cutcliffe and his team is on the offensive side of the football. Two-year starter Anthony Boone graduated in December and is attempting to kickstart a career in the NFL, leaving redshirt junior Thomas Sirk, who played as the team's short-yardage quarterback in 2014, to take the reigns under center.
The Glen Saint Mary, Fla. native, completed 10-of-14 passes last season for 67 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for eight touchdowns last season, including the game-winning score in Duke's thrilling 51-48 double-overtime win at Pittsburgh Nov. 1, 2014.
Cutcliffe named Sirk the starting quarterback heading into spring practice and he has kept a firm grip on the role so far, even though redshirt sophomore Parker Boehme and redshirt freshman Nico Pierre are performing well in Spring Practice.
"It's been exciting for me, transitioning into this role," Sirk said. "Following someone who has done so much for this program, Anthony Boone, I have learned a lot over the years from him and Sean Renfree, just trying to carry it on. What we do with our program takes a lot of hard work and preparation to become that starting quarterback in Spring ball."
Offensive coordinator Scottie Montgomery will look for new and explosive weapons to emerge around Sirk, as Crowder and his high school teammate Issac Blakeney, who combined for 132 receptions 1,603 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. Slot receiver Max McCaffrey and Johnell Barnes return with the most experience at wideout, with Barnes scoring a touchdown in last season's Sun Bowl loss.
Although he won't suit up for the Spring Game tight end Braxton Deaver will join the duo of Barnes and McCaffrey in 2015 after sitting out all of last season with a torn-ACL. The Charlotte native was one of the top tight ends in the ACC heading into the 2014 season after catching 46 passes for 600 yards and four touchdowns in 2013.
In the backfield, another multi-faceted rushing attack has emerged with senior Shaquille Powell emerging as the starter, but Shaun Wilson, Joe Ajeigbe and Jela Duncan, who sat out the 2014 season because of an academic suspension, will get their share of carries.
But one player the coaching staff has been high on this Spring is redshirt sophomore Terrance Alls, who saw playing time mostly on special teams last season. According to Cutcliffe, Alls has been making strides in practice and is positioning himself for playing time come September.
"[Terrance Alls] is making plays," Cutcliffe said. "His strength, his body it's all coming together. I don't know how fast he is right now, but he is really fast. Really fast. He is another one of those guys who has wrapped himself in humility and is great teammate."
On the defensive side of the football, the good news is that fewer questions remain for Jim Knowles' squad, which was 24th in the nation last season allowing only 21.8 points per contest. In addition to returning all five starters in the secondary, the Blue Devils will welcome back All-ACC Kelby Brown, who was granted a sixth year of eligibility after injuring his knee just weeks before the 2014-15 season began. This will prevent him from playing in Saturday's Spring Game, but he is expected to start come September.
Brown will need to lead a particularly young front six in 2015, as the Blue Devils must replace three starting defensive linemen who graduated last season. A major concern is the defensive end position, which returns Kyler Brown and Britton Grier, who saw playing time in reserve roles last season.
Brown, however, will get some help at linebacker as senior Dwayne Norman is in the process of transitioning from a safety to will linebacker and will compete for time with redshirt sophomore Chris Holmes and sophomore Zavier Carmichael at the position which was vacated by the graduation of David Helton.
Cutcliffe is optimistic about the interior of the defensive line, which includes senior Carlos Wray, who has the most experience amongst a young group inside the tackles.
"We haven't skipped a beat," Wray said. "These guys stepped into their roles. They go out there and hold their end up and I hold my end up. We are in it together. I don't try to do a lot of talking. I try to lead by example."
Wray and the rest of Cutcliffe's squad will look to an example of winning that the program has exhibited during the last two seasons in which Duke has gone 19-8, resulting in a duo of bowl appearances against some of the nation's top teams.
Cutcliffe is hoping that experience across the field can combine with young and untapped talent to create a potent, winning, team that knows what it is like to compete for an ACC Coastal Championship and play in the postseason.
Spring practice and and the spring game will showcase this determination, fueled by competition in practice to become better in all aspects of the game.
"We have blended a good offense, kicking game and defense," Cutcliffe said. "That is how we have to win. So the better you get on any one side of the ball, it makes the other side of the football respond. We have some competition between the offense and defense. It's healthy and that creates good, positive competition."
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