The Blue Devils have their work cut out for them as 35-point underdogs Friday against No. 7 Louisville and Heisman Trophy frontrunner Lamar Jackson at quarterback. The game starts a grueling second half of the schedule for Duke, with four of its last six games against ranked opponents. Every week throughout the football season, the Blue Zone will break down a player on each team who could be the difference-maker in the upcoming contest:
Duke: linebacker Ben Humphreys
With the Blue Devils currently third in the ACC in sacks, Duke's defensive line and linebacker corps deserve credit. But when the Blue Devils encounter Jackson on Friday night, they will be going up against a type of player they have yet to face this season. A dual-threat option under center, Jackson will pose an enormous challenge to Duke, as the Blue Devils are still searching for their first ACC win of 2016.
But Humphreys might be just the antidote the Duke defense needs. The sophomore is the team’s leading tackler with 48 and only safety Corbin McCarthy has more tackles for loss than Humphreys. A versatile player, the Blue Devils’ mike linebacker can do more than just bring the heat—in addition to a fumble recovery, Humphreys added a pick against Virginia, setting up his team with a chance to tie the Cavaliers late in the Week 5 contest.
Against Louisville, the Newport Beach, Calif., native will need to bring his entire skillset to the table. The Cardinals boast one of the most efficient offenses in the nation, averaging 58 points per game to lead the nation. Duke defensive coordinator Jim Knowles will likely look to Humphreys to limit a Louisville rushing attack that picks up 7.1 yards per carry and put pressure on Jackson in the backfield, but the 6-foot-2 linebacker will also play a role in stopping a pass game that employs a talented tight end in Cole Hikutini. If the Blue Devils have any chance at a major upset this weekend, it will start on the defensive side of the ball.
Louisville: tight end Cole Hikutini
An emerging piece of the Cardinals’ passing attack, Hikutini had his most productive outing of the season two weeks ago at No. 3 Clemson. After hauling in eight receptions through Louisville’s first three games of 2016, the redshirt senior racked up 11 catches in the last two games—tallying 169 yards and a pair of touchdowns. His seven receptions against the Tigers were tied for the most of any Cardinal wideout and Hikutini now ranks third among all Louisville receivers with 261 yards on the season.
After transferring from Sacremento State in 2014 following his second season, Hikutini found a home in Kentucky—becoming a role player in the Cardinal receiving corps last year. On just 19 catches, Hikutini registered nearly 350 yards and added a trio of touchdowns, setting him up to become a cog in Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino’s offense this season. With a pair of lightning-fast receivers on the outside in James Quick and Jamari Staples, the Cardinals’ top tight end is the perfect complement—a 6-foot-5, 248-pound frame with soft hands that will likely continue to be an even bigger part of their passing attack.
Jackson's passing ability has been crucial to Louisville’s early success, and nothing indicates that will change Friday against the Blue Devils. Given an already-weakened Duke secondary that is without All-American safety DeVon Edwards, look for Hikutini to be targeted often as the Cardinals will try to exploit a Blue Devil defense that is vulnerable to long-yardage plays.
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Twitter: @mpgladstone13
A junior from just outside Philadelphia, Mitchell is probably reminding you how the Eagles won the Super Bowl this year and that the Phillies are definitely on the rebound. Outside of The Chronicle, he majors in Economics, minors in Statistics and is working toward the PJMS certificate, in addition to playing trombone in the Duke University Marching Band. And if you're getting him a sandwich with beef and cheese outside the state of Pennsylvania, you best not call it a "Philly cheesesteak."