Duke will face a formidable opponent in Clemson Week 1, and in order to pull off the upset, it will need to play air-tight football. The Blue Zone brings you three keys to a Blue Devil victory:
Turnover battle
The key to an upset is making a few significant plays that can change the course of the game. Turnovers are a great example, and these takeaways can be an leveling factor between teams. Last season, Duke was excellent at forcing turnovers, ranking second in the country in turnover margin.
Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik is an elite talent, but he is still in the early stages of his development as a passer. With only one career start under his belt, the sophomore is vulnerable to rookie mistakes. Therefore, the Blue Devils have an opportunity to force him into pressure situations by changing up defensive coverages and bringing the heat in obvious passing downs.
On the flip side, junior quarterback Riley Leonard did a great job protecting the ball last season, throwing a just six interceptions. The Tiger's secondary recorded 14 interceptions last season, so it will be crucial for Leonard to make smart decisions. In a close contest, one or two plays can make all the difference, so winning this battle is essential for either side.
Stop the run
Arguably the biggest loss for Duke was linebacker Shaka Heyward, who was second on the team with 94 tackles. The first was cornerback Darius Joiner, who also moved on to the professional ranks. While the defensive line is elite, it is imperative for the second line of defense to be reliable in stopping rushers once they get past the trenches. Clemson brings one of the best backs in the country — first-team all-ACC runner Will Shipley — who is also a pass-catching threat out of the backfield.
Duke should not ignore the potency of fellow junior running back Phil Mafah, who ran for over 500 yards and four touchdowns. While Mafah has mostly lived under Shipley’s shadow, he would probably be a high-level starter at most college programs and provides a deadly counterpunch to Shipley.
The rushing attack will be a large part of new offensive coordinator Garrett Riley’s “Dirt Raid” scheme. This is especially the case as Riley works to ease Klubnik into the season and the revamped Tiger offensive scheme. If the Blue Devils can limit the Tigers’ backfield tandem, they will minimize the explosive capabilities of Clemson’s offense and keep the game close in the long run.
Maintain offensive identity
Last season, Duke was able to produce offensively largely due to balancing the rushing and passing attack. While quarterback Riley Leonard was a spark in expanding the passing game, the real strength of the Blue Devil offense is its ability to sustain long drives using the run game. Duke was third in the ACC in rushing yards per game and second in rushing touchdowns with 31. Keeping Clemson’s offense off the field and wearing out the Tiger defense is one recipe for success. Because the Blue Devils have so many potent backs — Jaylen Coleman, Jordan Waters and Jaquez Moore to name a few — the fresh legs are a big advantage. After a few plays on the ground, Leonard will have more freedom to take shots down the field and spread out the secondary. It is imperative not to try and do too much against the elite Clemson defense and stick to the methodical nature of Duke’s offense.
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Ranjan Jindal is a Trinity junior and sports editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.