Duke football midseason report: Offense

Through the first half of the season, the Blue Devils are off to a fast start with a 5-1 record, including a perfect 2-0 mark in the ACC. No. 25 Duke is currently in the drivers seat for the ACC Costal division crown and a chance to play in the ACC Championship Game. But for the team to stay hot, the Blue Devil offense must improve. This week, we will break down all three phases of the game starting with the offense. Check back tomorrow for an update on the Blue Devil defense.

Three Key Numbers:

6.7: Quarterback Thomas Sirk is averaging only 6.7 yards per pass attempt this season. The redshirt junior has accumulated most of his yardage on short to intermediate throws and has rarely attempted to connect on a deep ball with one of his receivers. This has allowed the defense to either blitz with safeties or stack the box and defend against the short to intermediate throws. Sirk and offensive coordinator Scottie Montgomery will need to get more creative and attempt more deep throws as the season progresses in order to open up the offense.

3: In addition to Sirk, three running backs have recorded more than 100 yards on the ground this season. Duke's stable of backs has allowed runners to have fresh legs and bring their unique styles to the table. Shaun Wilson's nifty agility has been contrasted with Shaquille Powell's between-the-tackles running style and Jela Duncan's physicality. The mix of carriers has prevented Duke from skipping a beat even when making substitutions in the backfield.

19: Three receivers have more than 19 receptions this season for the Blue Devils. Senior Max McCaffrey and junior Johnell Barnes have led the way with 266 yards apiece on 19 and 20 catches, respectively. Freshman T.J. Rahming has also emerged as an up-and-coming receiver with 19 catches for 242 yards in only five games. Sirk’s ability to target many different receivers has prevented the defense from focusing on a single-go-to option. Unlike a season ago where Jamison Crowder was far and away the top weapon, the title of “go-to receiver” for Duke has seemed to change within every game, with different weapons helping keep the offense moving.

Three Key Players:

Quarterback Thomas Sirk: Although he has struggled some this season, Sirk is the leader of the Blue Devils' offensive attack. The Glen St.Mary, Fla., native has competed 62.4-percent of his passes for 1260 yards and seven touchdowns. Sirk has thrown only three interceptions on the year showing his ability to protect the football and keep the ball away from the defense. At times, Sirk has struggled going through his progressions under pressure and resorted to quick dump-off passes to running backs. But despite coming into the season with only 14 passes, Sirk has done what he’s been asked in order to help the Blue Devils start 5-1.

Center Matt Skura: After being voted the third team All-ACC center a year ago and a preseason All-ACC center this year, Skura has backed up his accolades thus far this season. The senior is the undisputed leader of the offensive line and has helped create sizable holes for the Blue Devil running backs. The offensive line has been a huge reason why Duke has boasted one of the top rushing attacks in the conference. Although his contributions do not show up on a box score, Skura's impact on the team should not be underestimated in the slightest. 

Duke vs. No 23 Northwestern, September 19: In their first true test of the year, Duke struggled against a stout Northwestern defense. After staking an early 7-0 lead, Sirk and the offense could not get anything going through the air, highlighted by a back-breaking interception with the team driving in Northwestern territory. 

Biggest Surprise:

T.J. Rahming: The freshman receiver has come along in a big way as a slot receiver and one of Sirk's favorite weapons. Ramming is tied for second in receptions and has flashed game-breaking speed reminiscent of Crowder. The Powder Springs, Ga., native continues to run crisp routes and should only continue to improve during his years in Durham. 

Biggest disappointment:

Passing Game: Although Sirk ranks second in the ACC with 1260 passing yards, the redshirt junior is  averaging only 210 yards per game this season. Duke's coaching staff has elected to play it safe and avoid turnovers with its new quarterback, leading to an abundance of swing passes and short screens. With teams losing respect for the redshirt junior's ability to stretch the field, Sirk's ability to scramble and create on the run has also taken a hit and hurt the team offensively.  

Key for the last five games: For the Blue Devils to remain successful against tougher ACC competition, they need to finish drives. Against Northwestern and Boston College, the Blue Devils settled for field goals on three of their six trips to the red-zone. In order to keep up with high-scoring opponents such as Miami and North Carolina in the coming weeks, Duke will need to put up more touchdowns in the red zone and rely less on the leg of Ross Martin. One possible solution for this could be implementing backup quarterback Parker Boehme as a goal-line runner going forward. 

Overall grade: B

Duke’s offense hasn’t been overly impressive so far this season, especially against tough defenses. The Blue Devils rushing attack continues to take pressure off of Sirk in the passing game and the defense and special teams have helped Duke manufacture points at times. But when the Blue Devil rushing attack was stuffed such against the likes of Boston College and Northwestern, the team struggled to pick up first downs and put its defense on the field far too much. Although the Duke has flashed explosiveness a couple times this season, it must consistently produce to improve its chances of reaching the ACC Championship game.