Duke Blue Devils

Head Coach

David Cutcliffe	1st year
07-08	1-11
ACC	0-8
FCR	117

Previous Season Wins

Head Coach - Tennessee offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe has been hired to be the savior of football at Duke, known as a great quarterback mentor he's coached both Manning brothers and in Thaddeus Lewis he has a player who should benefit not only from his tutelage but the switch to a more pro-stlye offensive attack. Cutcliffes’ first order of business has been to improve the fitness level of the entire team; they lack the depth and need to be better conditioned to finish games. They return seventeen starters but need improvement in all phases of the game, improved line play offensively will go a long way for the Blue Devils as the look to become a more competitive team.

Quarterback - At quarterback will be junior Thaddeus Lewis who passed for 2,430 yards and threw 21 TD’s a year ago with 10 interceptions, he’s shown improvement from year to year and under the tutelage of Cutcliffe should makes big strides this fall. Good underneath passer and can move out of the pocket when necessary, showed the coaching staff this spring that he’s comfortable in the new attack and his decision making has improved. Junior Zack Asack is the backup, he’s got good size, moves well and an owns an excellent arm.

Running Backs - The Duke rushing attack ranked 117th in the nation, it’s a situation that senior running back Re’quan Boyette is well aware of. He rushed for just 432 yards with two scores, but his 4.0 yards per carry is respectable, one of he first priorities of the new coaching staff will be to establish a running game. Boyette will be the featured back and his attempts per game will increase and he’ll also be utilized more as a receiver, he had 14 receptions a year. In reserve will be senior Clifford Harris and Tony Jackson, who’s a converted safety who has the speed to make the big play that both Boyette and Harris lack.

Receivers - Duke most gifted offense player is senior wide receiver Eron Riley, he was 2nd team All-ACC a year ago and he’s the go to guy who had 40 receptions for 830 yards and nine scores, his 20.8 yards per catch led the ACC. Joining Riley on the outside will be senior Raphael Chestnut and sophomore Sheldon Bell, Chestnut started early last year but his season was cut short by injury and Bell took control of the third spot with his performance this spring. At tight end will be sophomore Brett Huffman, he got the size and his skills will be better utilized in the new attack and his production should take a big leap this fall.

Offensive Line - Three starters return but they allowed 45 sacks and the running attack was awful, Cutcliffe has demanded that the O-Line improve their fitness and it’s a step in the right direction. They return both tackles, with senior Cameron Goldberg on the left and junior Fred Roland on the right and he’ll be next to senior right guard Rob Schirmann. The new left guard will be junior Jarrod Holt and at center, sophomore Bryan Morgan, the Blue Devils need to make significant strides in all phases of O-Line play if they hope to get that elusive ACC win in 08”.

Defensive Line - New defensive coordinator Mike MacIntyre inherits a defense that returns ten starters but they were the 92nd ranked unit nationally and improvement in all areas is needed. On the outside both defensive ends return in junior Ayanga Okpokowuruk and sophomore Wesley Oglesby, they combined for 60 tackles but had but one sack between them. Inside junior Vince Oghobaase returns at defensive tackle and he’ll be joined by senior nose guard Clifford Respress, Oghobaase had 49 tackles and a team leading 4 ½ sacks while Respress added 21 tackles and two sacks in a reserve role last season. Oghobaase is clearly the best player upfront and controls the middle but Duke needs the ends to get more pressure upfield this fall.

Linebackers - The unit returns intact with senior Michael Tauiliili in the middle, senior Marcus Jones on the strongside and on the weakside junior Vincent Rey. Tauiliili and Rey were the teams top two tacklers and combined for 219 tackles and 6 ½ sacks while Jones has the athletic ability to cover the field and the former QB should improve in his second year at linebacker.

Defensive Backs - In the secondary junior Leon Wright returns at one corner and at the other corner will be with senior Jabari Marshall, Wright had 67 tackles and three picks and has grown into a solid corner. The safeties will be senior Glenn Williams and junior Catron Gainey, Williams is solid against and Gainey had 49 tackles a year ago as a reserve and earned the starting spot with this springs performance.

Special Teams - Special teams play at Duke were among the worst in America a year ago and some improvement here could go along way toward putting a few wins on the board. The Blue Devils made a total of three field goals and they averaged only 38 yards per punt. Coming out of spring senior Joe Surgan will be the placekicker and handling the punting will be sophomore Kevin Jones, but clearly neither has cemented their job and will need to hold off the competition right up to the first kickoff. Senior Jabari Marshall and junior Leon Wright will handle the returns; Marshall did a good job last year averaging just over 24 yards on his kickoff returns.

Schedule - Duke has put together a schedule that should insure that the Cutcliffe era gets a few victories in their first year, they start the year with four home games and opening with James Madison will get them to 1-0. The program will make progress and they’ll beat Navy or Virginia and they’ll get two wins on the board and they’ll have two wins before October. They’ll beat NC State at home and they’ll find another win somewhere and the Blue Devils will win 3 games this season.