Duke football improved to 4-0 with an impressive 45-17 win against Middle Tennessee. Now, it sets its sights on a massive matchup against crosstown rival North Carolina. So as the Tar Heels prepare to travel to Wallace Wade Stadium — one season removed from a double overtime 47-45 win against the Blue Devils in Chapel Hill — The Chronicle takes a look at their roster.
Omarion Hampton
When it comes to the North Carolina offense, the game plan is straightforward: stop Omarion Hampton. If the Duke defense can contain the star junior running back Saturday afternoon, it should be very successful. That’s quite the if, though, as Hampton has 555 rushing yards through four games while averaging a whopping 6.5 yards per carry. Hampton has gone over 100 yards in three out of these four games, also ripping off a 20-plus yard rush in three contests. Simply put, Hampton is dangerous.
What makes the Clayton, N.C., native so difficult is his quickness when hitting the hole. If there is space, he can accelerate with the best and make the defense pay for it. And once he gets going, it’ll take more than one hit to bring him down. Watch here as he hits the hole hard and brushes off multiple defenders before strutting into the end zone for a score against James Madison.
If the Tar Heels’ offensive linemen are able to get to the second level and limit Duke’s linebacker corps from filling gaps, Hampton will have yet another big outing Saturday. The Blue Devil defensive line is going to have to commit to the run game to stop him up front. If not, it will be a long day for head coach Manny Diaz’s team.
“He's been successful running the football on just about anybody he's gone against, which is why he's one of the top backs in the country,” Diaz said. “Well, what's good defense about? You got to get multiple hats to the football. If he's in a lot of one-on-one situations, it’s gonna be a problem, so don't let him get going. Now, that's easy to say. That's hard to do.”
Turnovers
Duke has had its fair share of turnovers this season. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Maalik Murphy has thrown an interception in each of the first four games, and wide receiver Que’Sean Brown lost a fumble against Northwestern earlier this season. Fortunately for the offense, the Blue Devil defense has been spectacular in forcing turnovers.
Duke has racked up three interceptions and recovered five fumbles as a team, generating an overall turnover ratio of plus-three through four games. Look for that to continue this weekend, as the Blue Devils face a turnover-happy North Carolina team fresh off of a five-turnover performance against the Dukes.
The main perpetrator of these miscues is quarterback Jacolby Criswell. The fifth-year senior from Morrilton, Ark., threw two interceptions — one of which was returned for a pick six — and lost a fumble last week. Of course, it is possible that a hard reset will take place and head coach Mack Brown will place an emphasis on taking care of the ball in Durham.
However, defenses coached by Diaz are known for getting into the backfield and forcing turnovers; Duke currently leads the nation in tackles for loss. The sharks will certainly be smelling blood after watching some film of Criswell this past weekend.
“I did like the three turnovers we forced in the first quarter [against Middle Tennessee],” Diaz said. “You look at all the data — the expected points per possession when you have a negative yardage play [or] when you have a sack — those numbers go way down, which is ultimately what it's about.”
Watch here as Criswell gets sacked, and then throws an interception on the following play while facing pressure again. (9:07)
Secondary woes, Murphy throws
To put it bluntly, the Tar Heels’ secondary was abysmal last time out. James Madison quarterback Alonza Barnett III threw for 388 yards and five touchdowns and ran for two more, with a long rush of 38 yards. The Dukes ran by the secondary all day long, as North Carolina’s defensive backs at times looked lost.
On the other side of the ball, Murphy is known for his deep ball. While he hasn’t found a consistent rhythm thus far, he has not been shy to attempt the throws. Against the Blue Raiders, a breakdown in coverage led to a 71-yard touchdown pass to tight end Nicky Dalmolin. If receivers like Jordan Moore and Eli Pancol can get behind the Tar Heels, look for Murphy to take multiple deep shots to create quick scores. (3:06)
Ultimately, game planning can only go so far when it comes to a rivalry matchup like the one that lies ahead for Duke.
“Our expectation is, no matter what, you're going to get somebody's best shot. We're in the ACC now, these games are all going to be close. They're going to come down to the fourth quarter,” Diaz said.
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