After falling out of the AP top 25, Duke looks to rebound with a statement win at Wallace Wade Stadium Thursday against in-state rival Wake Forest. The Blue Zone provides three keys to a Blue Devil victory:
Pass the ball
Last Saturday, Duke quarterback Riley Leonard — still managing an ankle injury — struggled against Louisville, completing only nine of his 23 passing attempts for 121 yards. To return to September’s level of play, the Blue Devils need to do better through the air. Luckily for Duke, Wake Forest has the worst passing defense in the ACC, giving up 2,052 yards in just eight games. Receivers Jordan Moore and Jalon Calhoun have come up big for the Blue Devils in previous games, but Thursday is an opportunity to take control of the offense and add to their combined season touchdown total of five.
This week in particular, Duke needs to improve its passing game because of Leonard’s injury status. Early in the season, the Blue Devils relied heavily on Leonard’s ability to scramble and rush for first down. Continuing this offensive strategy will leave Leonard vulnerable to re-injury, so Duke will need to get creative and find new ways to earn first downs — notably, through the air.
Avoid penalties
Unnecessary flags have generally not been a problem for the Blue Devils this season, but during the Oct. 28 blowout loss to Louisville, they conceded 10 penalties for a whopping 82 yards. This week, head coach Mike Elko has to stress the importance of discipline. Wake Forest is distinctly good at drawing penalties from opposing teams — the Demon Deacons gain an average of 77.25 yards per game thanks to flags. Penalties cannot become a new habit of Duke football, especially this week, when the Blue Devils are desperately looking to win back some respect for the program.
Don’t lose confidence
Last weekend, Duke failed to score a single point against Louisville. After such a lopsided defeat, it’s easy to lose confidence and fall into a losing mentality. In a potentially bowl-clinching game, it’s imperative for the Blue Devils to avoid this Thursday. So much of Duke’s success this year has come from the swagger generated off the back of the Week 1 win against then-No. 9 Clemson. The unprecedented belief in this year’s team has allowed Duke to soar to new heights in the AP Poll, dominate in-state rival N.C. State and nearly beat Notre Dame, one of the most successful college football programs of all time.
Staying confident isn’t just key for players, though — Thursday’s contest is home at Wallace Wade Stadium. For Duke football to regain any semblance of momentum, players and fans alike will have to show their dedication to the program. The Blue Devil faithful must come in abundance this week in order to show the team that — even after two tough defeats on the road — they still believe.
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