Duke football scrimmage

[jimsumner]

Duke had a football scrimmage tonight, open to the media.

Nothing earth-shaking. It was pretty vanilla, with a lot of key players held out as a precaution or with minor tweaks.

Best news? I didn't see any apparent injuries.

Duke ran about 70 scripted plays. Lineups were mixed up, so that each unit had some starters, some key backups, some true freshmen, some walk-ons. By design.

Converted QB Nico Pierre and Harvard transfer walk-on Zach Boden were the running backs, so its hard to tell much about the running game. Braxton Deaver, Trevon Lee, Anthony Nash and Terrance Alls also sat out.

Sirk looked sharp but didn't throw much deep. All four recruited QBs played.

Johnell Barnes and Max McCaffrey clearly are the top two WRs. Barnes had the highlight, a long reception in traffic. He probably had a half-dozen receptions, maybe more. McCaffrey caught everything thrown his way. Chris Taylor looks like the No. 3 right now but true freshman T.J. Rahming got some work. There's a lot of TBD at this spot.

Erich Schneider had a nice TD catch and looks much improved. He, Deaver and Reeves should make TE a real strength.

Good to see the return of some injured players. CB Johnathan Lloyd, DE Taariq Shabazz, OG Trip McNeill and S Jake Kite seem recovered from an assortment of injuries. With Bryon Fields out with an injury--he should be back in a week or so--Lloyd got a lot of work at safety.

As did true freshman Jeremy McDuffie, who made a tough interception of a jump ball. Cut has played four true freshmen CBs over the last two seasons, so it's not impossible that he'll see the field this season.

I can practically guarantee that Ben Humphries will play this season. He's one of these guys who's just around the ball. DE Marquies Price was also on the field a lot.

No punts, no kickoffs. Probably prudent.

Didn't really get much of a look at the construction work--the game was on the Brooks Practice Field--but there's still a lot of construction equipment around.

Truth be told, this is impressionistic and probably vague. The media were sequestered on the far end of the field, at field level, so I'm sure I missed some stuff. A second scrimmage is scheduled for next weekend and Cut told us that it will more closely replicate game conditions.

Still, it's nice to see something approaching real football. It's been awhile.

[uh_no]

any word on a jela timetable?

[sagegrouse]

Converted QB Nico Pierre and Harvard transfer walk-on Zach Boden were the running backs, .

I must have slept through this development in the off-season...

Any background here?

[jimsumner]

I must have slept through this development in the off-season...

Any background here?

Boden is 5-10, 200 pounds, from Atlanta, went to Lovett School. He rushed for 484 yards at Harvard in 2011, wasn't on the team in 2012, had a knee injury in 2013 and sat out last season as a transfer. I suspect he's an upgrade over Eric Adams as a practice runner but the injury big would likely have to bite pretty deep for him to see meaningful snaps at Duke.

And let's hope it doesn't. But I would like to see him a lot at end of games mopping up another big Duke win.

Duncan? No updates. I think we're still in wait-and-see-mode or maybe rest-and-see. I'd be surprised to see him back in September but would be more surprised not to see him back on the field sometime this season.

[sagegrouse]

Boden is 5-10, 200 pounds, from Atlanta, went to Lovett School. He rushed for 484 yards at Harvard in 2011, wasn't on the team in 2012, had a knee injury in 2013 and sat out last season as a transfer. I suspect he's an upgrade over Eric Adams as a practice runner but the injury big would likely have to bite pretty deep for him to see meaningful snaps at Duke.

And let's hope it doesn't. But I would like to see him a lot at end of games mopping up another big Duke win.

Duncan? No updates. I think we're still in wait-and-see-mode or maybe rest-and-see. I'd be surprised to see him back in September but would be more surprised not to see him back on the field sometime this season.

Is he a grad student or law student?

[jimsumner]

Is he a grad student or law student?

He's listed as a redshirt junior, majoring in political science. He also played baseball at Harvard. Not sure if Pollard would be interested.

[sagegrouse]

He's listed as a redshirt junior, majoring in political science. He also played baseball at Harvard. Not sure if Pollard would be interested.

Reilly linked the bio for me -- Thanks. Poli Sci major with business/marketing interests as well. Just turned 23. Curious why a Harvard guy would transfer before getting a degree --maybe he was looking for an upgrade. Also has a year of eligibility left after this season -- unless he is whacked with the five-year eligibility clock.

Zach Boden may have only a minor role in Duke footbll or other sports, but I like hearing the back stories.

[Olympic Fan]

Another interesting guy from the scrimmage is sophomore defensive end Danny Doyle, a walk-on who had the only two sacks of the scrimmage.

That might not mean much -- sometimes the scrubs work against the scrubs. Still, two sacks are two more than anybody else got Saturday night.

I can't see Doyle as a factor this season -- he's 6-1, 200 pounds from Bradenton, Fla. He got on the field last year as a true freshman for two snaps -- one in the Kansas game, one in the Tulane game.

Just got a few of the stats from the scrimmage:

Passing:
Sirk 13-of-21 for 104 yards
Boehme 6-of-10 for 90 yards, one TD and one INT
Jones and Harris also got some snaps at QB, but I don't have their numbers

Receiving
Barnes 5 catches for 103 yards
McCaffrey 4 for 42 yards

I also know that Erich Schneider caught the only TD pass of the scrimmage -- a 9-yard throw from Boehme
Apparently, they did a lot more throwing than running -- Shaq Powell was the leading rusher with four carries for 15 yards
Xavier Carmichael had an interception and a fumble recovery
Freshman CB Jeremy McDuffie had an interception and a pass breakup.

[Bob Green]

Still, it's nice to see something approaching real football. It's been awhile.

Thank you very much for the report! It is encouraging to read some of the younger players have recovered from injuries as depth is always critical.

[Bob Green]

Here are highlights from the scrimmage:

http://www.goduke.com/mediaPortal/pl...db_oem_id=4200

Coach Cutcliffe states in the video clip that the scrimmage was about identifying playmakers. "This isn't scheme heavy or about moving the ball steady it is about players."

[devildeac]

Duke had a football scrimmage tonight, open to the media.

Nothing earth-shaking. It was pretty vanilla, with a lot of key players held out as a precaution or with minor tweaks.

Best news? I didn't see any apparent injuries.

Duke ran about 70 scripted plays. Lineups were mixed up, so that each unit had some starters, some key backups, some true freshmen, some walk-ons. By design.

Converted QB Nico Pierre and Harvard transfer walk-on Zach Boden were the running backs, so its hard to tell much about the running game. Braxton Deaver, Trevon Lee, Anthony Nash and Terrance Alls also sat out.

Sirk looked sharp but didn't throw much deep. All four recruited QBs played.

Johnell Barnes and Max McCaffrey clearly are the top two WRs. Barnes had the highlight, a long reception in traffic. He probably had a half-dozen receptions, maybe more. McCaffrey caught everything thrown his way. Chris Taylor looks like the No. 3 right now but true freshman T.J. Rahming got some work. There's a lot of TBD at this spot.

Erich Schneider had a nice TD catch and looks much improved. He, Deaver and Reeves should make TE a real strength.

Good to see the return of some injured players. CB Johnathan Lloyd, DE Taariq Shabazz, OG Trip McNeill and S Jake Kite seem recovered from an assortment of injuries. With Bryon Fields out with an injury--he should be back in a week or so--Lloyd got a lot of work at safety.

As did true freshman Jeremy McDuffie, who made a tough interception of a jump ball. Cut has played four true freshmen CBs over the last two seasons, so it's not impossible that he'll see the field this season.

I can practically guarantee that Ben Humphries will play this season. He's one of these guys who's just around the ball. DE Marquies Price was also on the field a lot.

No punts, no kickoffs. Probably prudent.

Didn't really get much of a look at the construction work--the game was on the Brooks Practice Field--but there's still a lot of construction equipment around.

Truth be told, this is impressionistic and probably vague. The media were sequestered on the far end of the field, at field level, so I'm sure I missed some stuff. A second scrimmage is scheduled for next weekend and Cut told us that it will more closely replicate game conditions.

Still, it's nice to see something approaching real football. It's been awhile.

Very nice to read. Thanks for taking the time to post this. Your last two sentences made me smile.

[Bob Green]

Xavier Carmichael had an interception and a fumble recovery
Freshman CB Jeremy McDuffie had an interception and a pass breakup.

I saw two interceptions in the highlights video. One by Jeremy McDuffie (#9) against Ryan Smith (#10), and the second by Alonzo Saxton II (#21), along the sideline, against Quay Chambers (#19). Was there a third by Zavier Carmichael (#24)?

[budwom]

good to see four (large) redshirt frosh on the OL two deep: Sanders, Harris, McNeill and Harmon.

[Olympic Fan]

I saw two interceptions in the highlights video. One by Jeremy McDuffie (#9) against Ryan Smith (#10), and the second by Alonzo Saxton II (#21), along the sideline, against Quay Chambers (#19). Was there a third by Zavier Carmichael (#24)?

Don't know ... I wasn't there. I was just passing on the stats that Duke released. I did see a TV report that listed three interceptions, so probably Saxton had one too.

The stats Duke released do not show Sirk with an interception. They do have Boehme with one. I guess the other two were by Harris-and-or-Jones.

Just one question about Bolden. I know that Duke lists him as a junior, but if you count his years -- he played at Harvard in 2011, wasn't on the team in 2012, was hurt in 2013, sat out as a transfer in 2014, is playing at Duke in 2015 -- that's five years. I guess the key question is why did he miss the 2012 season? If there was an injury that kept him out, then he almost certainly qualifies for a hardship year with two injury seasons (2012 and 2013). If it was for another reason, then he's unlikely to get a sixth year.

Even if he did miss 2012 with an injury, I find it off that Duke lists him as a junior. You can't apply for a hardship in advance, so even if he's eligible, Duke couldn't know he gets an extra year until next spring at the earliest. In the past, I know that they listed Kenny Anunike as a senior going into his fifth year, even though they expected him to get a sixth yea.

[jimsumner]

RE: Sacks.

Sacks were kept down by the fact that Sirk was off-limits.

It did seem to me that Duke tried a boatload of guys at DE. Grier, Brown, Williams, McDonald, Price, Doyle and McSwain. I don't recall Mugala or Jackson playing. But it was easy to miss people.

Still, this looks like a fluid position.

[devildeac]

RE: Sacks.

Sacks were kept down by the fact that Sirk was off-limits.

It did seem to me that Duke tried a boatload of guys at DE. Grier, Brown, Williams, McDonald, Price, Doyle and McSwain. I don't recall Mugala or Jackson playing. But it was easy to miss people.

Still, this looks like a fluid position.

Easy to miss people? At DE? C'mon, Jim, pay attention. These dudes are in the (estimated) 6-1 to 6-5 range and 250-300 lbs. I don't think we have enough cinderblocks to measure that kinda size.

(kidding, kidding)

[Bob Green]

Don't know ... I wasn't there. I was just passing on the stats that Duke released. I did see a TV report that listed three interceptions, so probably Saxton had one too.

Thanks! I saw a post over at TDD which indicated there were a total of three interceptions in the scrimmage.

[jimsumner]

Easy to miss people? At DE? C'mon, Jim, pay attention. These dudes are in the (estimated) 6-1 to 6-5 range and 250-300 lbs. I don't think we have enough cinderblocks to measure that kinda size.

(kidding, kidding)

It's easy to miss them when you're 5-10, with failing eyesight and located 75 yards away, at ground level.

And as an aside, to which 300-pound defensive ends were you referring?

[devildeac]

It's easy to miss them when you're 5-10, with failing eyesight and located 75 yards away, at ground level.

And as an aside, to which 300-pound defensive ends were you referring?

Damn, they're even smaller than I thought. Coulda sworn we had 1-2 of them that were 280-290 range at least, that's why I hedged and typed in the "estimated." I know Cut likes speed but some of those guys might not even be 250 in full battle attire, soaking wet.

[Bob Green]

Coulda sworn we had 1-2 of them that were 280-290 range at least, that's why I hedged and typed in the "estimated."

DD you are mixing up DT with DE. We have some big guys at DT inside: Ferguson (305), Cerenord (300), Ramsay (295) and Wray (290). DE is a speed and height position. Price (6'6"), McSwain (6'6"), Jackson (6'5"), Brown (6'4") and Shabazz (6'3") are all tall DEs.