Change the mentality
The biggest thing holding this Duke football team back right now is their mental toughness. Everyone knows that head coach David Cutcliffe breeds winners and keeps a winning attitude in the locker room, but now more than ever, he needs to boost the confidence level of team.
It is quite demoralizing to start your season 0-3 with some games you know you should have played better in. What the team needs now is the motivation to turn the season around. There are still a lot games left, and an ACC championship is not out of reach just yet.
There’s no one thing Cutcliffe or any of the five captains should specifically do, but it starts at the top and for the team to succeed, players need to see their leaders adopt a winning mentality.
Hang onto the ball
The Blue Devils have lost seven fumbles this season though three games this year. It’s nearly impossible to win when you’re averaging two or more fumbles per game. It will become crucial for the this team to learn how to protect the rock if they want to have any chance of succeeding down the line.
Right now, Duke is sporting a -9 turnover margin and it kills the Blue Devils' momentum. Not only does dropping the ball end your scoring chances, but it can put the enemy in prime position and completely reverse the momentum of the game.
Undoubtedly, this has been a point of emphasis in Cutcliffe’s practices, but that means nothing if it doesn’t show up in games. Quarterback Chase Brice can turn his season around if he starts making smarter decisions, and that starts with hanging onto the ball.
Stop the run
The run game seems like an obvious factor for Virginia Tech’s ability to win games. Last week in its season opener versus N.C. State, the Hokies went off for 314 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns on their way to a 45-24 victory.
They handed the ball off 41 times for an astounding 7.7 yards per carry. 13 of the team’s 22 first downs came by the ground, as Virginia Tech eclipsed 500 total yards. It is pertinent that Duke force them outside their comfort zone by keeping the ball in the air. This means the Blue Devils in the trenches are going to have to be giving 110 percent the entire game and coerce the Hokies into some third-and-long situations where they have to pass.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.