Duke football player of the week: Week 11

Daniel Jones

Statline: 22-for-34 passing, 240 passing yards, 16 carries for 94 rushing yards and two touchdowns

The good: For the second straight week, Jones was extremely effective running the ball, with two touchdowns on the ground in the first half to bring Duke back into the game after falling behind 14-0 against No. 15 North Carolina. In the second half, the starting quarterback also ripped off a few big runs to keep the Blue Devils’ drives alive, especially on a key play in the fourth quarter when Duke faced a 3rd-and-13 on its own 16-yard line and Jones ran for 24 yards to keep the clock running in the Blue Devils' 28-27 win. In the read-option, Jones made the right decision more often than not, as running backs Shaun Wilson and Joseph Ajeigbe combined for 143 rushing yards and a touchdown as well.

Unlike in last week’s 24-21 loss against then-No. 23 Virginia Tech, Jones had some success throwing the ball, completing a go-ahead jump pass to tight end Davis Koppenhaver to give the Blue Devils a lead they would not relinquish in the third quarter. The Charlotte, N.C., native found success on third downs, as Duke went 10-for-17 in the game, and completed a pair of third-down passes to wideout T.J. Rahming on its final offensive possession to run some much-needed time off the clock before giving the ball back to the Tar Heels. Against one of the better pass defenses in the nation, Jones found a way to do just enough in the air to keep North Carolina’s vaunted offense on the sidelines.

Jones also had an impressive punt—the first of his career—after Duke lined up to go for it on fourth down late in the game, pinning the Tar Heels deep in their own territory to start their final drive.

The bad: Although he was effective for the most part in the passing game, Jones made a couple of questionable decisions going deep, including a fourth-down pass into double coverage in the fourth quarter that sailed out of reach of a North Carolina defensive back. Rahming also bailed Jones out on another pass into double-coverage that was nearly intercepted when he knocked the ball free from the hands of Tar Heel safety Dominquie Green.

The bottom line: Jones’ dual-threat abilities stood out for a second straight victory, and ultimately, he made enough plays to bring the Victory Bell back to Durham for the first time in three years.

Honorable mention: Redshirt freshman linebacker Joe Giles-Harris anchored a Blue Devil defense that held North Carolina to only six points in the second half, racking up 16 tackles and a tackle for a loss. Giles-Harris contained star Tar Heel running back Elijah Hood on the edge and worked with Duke’s secondary to also limit top wide receivers Bug Howard and Ryan Switzer in the second half, when the Blue Devils intercepted quarterback Mitch Trubisky twice to maintain a late lead.