Duke football Player of the Week: Week 3

Jeremy Cash 

Statline: 11 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble

The Good: Redshirt senior Jeremy Cash—the clear-cut leader of a talented Blue Devils secondary—played an integral role in the team's strong defensive effort against Northwestern. Wildcats quarterback Clayton Thorson was held to just 70 yards through the air on 9-of-23 passing and threw two interceptions. The returning captain and All-American safety helped keep the pressure on Northwestern’s playmakers and succeeded in a phenomenal all-round effort to control the Wildcats’ passing game. Cash’s forced fumble and constant presence around the ball visibly motivated the rest of the Devils defense, which held Northwestern to just 271 yards of total offense. The Miami native has continued to display his exceptional football IQ and knack for finding the ball which will make him a coveted prospect at the next level

The Bad: Cash and the defense played about as well as it could have, pressuring the Wildcats offense all game. But the defensive line slowly began to tire after staying on the field so long and gave up some larger plays in the second half. Northwestern outscored the Blue Devils 16-3 after halftime and began to run away with an easy victory. Duke gave up 182 yards on the ground in the second half and began to move the ball offensively by running plays away from Cash. 

The Bottom Line: Although the safety led the Blue Devils to yet another solid defensive effort, quarterback Thomas Sirk and the offense struggled to put points on the board and take pressure off the defense. If the 6-foot-2, 210-pound ballhawk continues to play at this level, expect Cash to continue to be a nuisance to opposing defenses and be in contention for top defensive honors by the end of the season. 

Honorable Mention: Senior running back Shaquille Powell led the Blue Devils’ running game with 71 yards on only nine carries. But with Duke playing from behind for most of the second half, his opportunities were limited. The senior did make the most of his chances, including a 30 yard gain near the end of the second quarter to set the Blue Devils up for a field goal before halftime and cut the Wildcats’ lead to 12-10.