Duke Football Offseason

[Bob Green]

I'm not a QB expert by any means, so this is probably a figment of my imagination. Having said that, Jones' overall stance looked a bit different yesterday. His stance seemed tighter and his release quicker. He really looked comfortable.

See Post #108. In an interview, Daniel Jones stated Coach Cutcliffe had been working with him on "keeping everything tight, movements quick and balanced..."

[OZ]

See Post #108. In an interview, Daniel Jones stated Coach Cutcliffe had been working with him on "keeping everything tight, movements quick and balanced..."

Missed that. Thanks. Well, it's good to know it wasn't my usual ill informed imagination.

[PeteZaHut]

Am I the only one that is terrified every time Rahming is back to return a punt? I'd rather us have nobody back there at all and just let the ball roll.

[OldPhiKap]

Am I the only one that is terrified every time Rahming is back to return a punt? I'd rather us have nobody back there at all and just let the ball roll.

Our punt returns need improvement, agreed.

[Listen to Quants]

Am I the only one that is terrified every time Rahming is back to return a punt? I'd rather us have nobody back there at all and just let the ball roll.

I'm with you. Not just terrified, but also perplexed. But perhaps unlike you, I really really hate the long roll. If the single returner cannot catch the punt cleanly almost all the time, I'd like to see the old fashion two returner alignment which would stop the long roll. With a 4th and 1 you might not want to risk a 9-man defense (with 2 back) but in most cases it's not a serious risk.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

I'm with you. Not just terrified, but also perplexed. But perhaps unlike you, I really really hate the long roll. If the single returner cannot catch the punt cleanly almost all the time, I'd like to see the old fashion two returner alignment which would stop the long roll. With a 4th and 1 you might not want to risk a 9-man defense (with 2 back) but in most cases it's not a serious risk.

Seems like the decision to catch/not catch was as poor last year as any Coach Cut team. Cost a ton of yardage, and led to some bad field position.

[budwom]

Seems like the decision to catch/not catch was as poor last year as any Coach Cut team. Cost a ton of yardage, and led to some bad field position.

No doubt about it, the number of times we let catchable balls roll for 10+ yards was very very high.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

No doubt about it, the number of times we let catchable balls roll for 10+ yards was very very high.

And sometimes 20+, which is a major problem for a team who's weakness was having any offensive plays 20+

[Bob Green]

And sometimes 20+, which is a major problem for a team who's weakness was having any offensive plays 20+

That is an overstatement. Duke had plenty of 20+ yard plays last season. Here are 20 examples:

1. Chris Taylor 52 yard TD reception against Northwestern.
2. Shaun Wilson 65 yard TD run against Baylor.
3. Brittain Brown 34 yard TD run against Baylor.
4. Shaun Wilson 50 yard TD run against Baylor.
5. T.J. Rahming 45 yard reception against North Carolina.
6. Davis Koppenhaver 28 yard TD reception against North Carolina.
7. Brittain Brown 38 yard run against North Carolina.
8. Shaun Wilson 20 yard run against Miami.
9. T.J. Rahming 28 yard reception against Miami.
10. Johnathan Lloyd 27 yard reception against Miami.
11. Daniel Jones 24 yard run against Virginia.
12. T.J. Rahming 30 yard reception against Virginia.
13. Johnathan Lloyd 20 yard reception against Virginia.
14. T.J. Rahming 57 yard reception against Florida State.
15. Chris Taylor 21 yard reception against Florida State.
16. Shaun Wilson 58 yard TD reception against Pitt.
17. T.J. Rahming 39 yard TD reception against Pitt.
18. Daniel Jones 33 yard run against Virginia Tech.
19. Johnathan Lloyd 41 yard reception against Virginia Tech.
20. Davis Koppenhaver 23 yard reception against Virginia Tech.

There are a lot more examples.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

That is an overstatement. Duke had plenty of 20+ yard plays last season. Here are 20 examples:

1. Chris Taylor 52 yard TD reception against Northwestern.
2. Shaun Wilson 65 yard TD run against Baylor.
3. Brittain Brown 34 yard TD run against Baylor.
4. Shaun Wilson 50 yard TD run against Baylor.
5. T.J. Rahming 45 yard reception against North Carolina.
6. Davis Koppenhaver 28 yard TD reception against North Carolina.
7. Brittain Brown 38 yard run against North Carolina.
8. Shaun Wilson 20 yard run against Miami.
9. T.J. Rahming 28 yard reception against Miami.
10. Johnathan Lloyd 27 yard reception against Miami.
11. Daniel Jones 24 yard run against Virginia.
12. T.J. Rahming 30 yard reception against Virginia.
13. Johnathan Lloyd 20 yard reception against Virginia.
14. T.J. Rahming 57 yard reception against Florida State.
15. Chris Taylor 21 yard reception against Florida State.
16. Shaun Wilson 58 yard TD reception against Pitt.
17. T.J. Rahming 39 yard TD reception against Pitt.
18. Daniel Jones 33 yard run against Virginia Tech.
19. Johnathan Lloyd 41 yard reception against Virginia Tech.
20. Davis Koppenhaver 23 yard reception against Virginia Tech.

There are a lot more examples.

I am less than sure Coach Cut would agree Duke had "plenty" of explosive plays last season. As your list shows, most of the 40+ yarders were early season, as were a lot of the 20+ but less than 40 yard plays as well.

[duke09hms]

That is an overstatement. Duke had plenty of 20+ yard plays last season. Here are 20 examples:

1. Chris Taylor 52 yard TD reception against Northwestern.
2. Shaun Wilson 65 yard TD run against Baylor.
3. Brittain Brown 34 yard TD run against Baylor.
4. Shaun Wilson 50 yard TD run against Baylor.
5. T.J. Rahming 45 yard reception against North Carolina.
6. Davis Koppenhaver 28 yard TD reception against North Carolina.
7. Brittain Brown 38 yard run against North Carolina.
8. Shaun Wilson 20 yard run against Miami.
9. T.J. Rahming 28 yard reception against Miami.
10. Johnathan Lloyd 27 yard reception against Miami.
11. Daniel Jones 24 yard run against Virginia.
12. T.J. Rahming 30 yard reception against Virginia.
13. Johnathan Lloyd 20 yard reception against Virginia.
14. T.J. Rahming 57 yard reception against Florida State.
15. Chris Taylor 21 yard reception against Florida State.
16. Shaun Wilson 58 yard TD reception against Pitt.
17. T.J. Rahming 39 yard TD reception against Pitt.
18. Daniel Jones 33 yard run against Virginia Tech.
19. Johnathan Lloyd 41 yard reception against Virginia Tech.
20. Davis Koppenhaver 23 yard reception against Virginia Tech.

There are a lot more examples.

How many do we have compared to the teams we want to be with? Offense was pretty darn anemic last year.

[Bob Green]

As your list shows, most of the 40+ yarders were early season, as were a lot of the 20+ but less than 40 yard plays as well.

Really? How about the last three games of the season:

1. Shaun Wilson 31 yard run against N. Illinois.
2. T.J. Rahming 33 yard TD reception against N. Illinois.
3. Daniel Helm 20 yard reception against N. Illinois.
4. Davis Koppenhaver 20 yard reception against N. Illinois.
5. T.J. Rahming 41 yard reception against Wake Forest.
6. Daniel Helm 33 yard TD reception against Wake Forest.
7. Chris Taylor 36 yard reception against Wake Forest.
8. Brittain Brown 35 yard reception against Wake Forest.
9. Daniel Jones 32 yard TD run against Georgia Tech.
10. Shaun Wilson 39 yard run against Georgia Tech.
11. Brittain Brown 31 yard run against Georgia Tech.
12. Parker Boehme 21 yard run against Georgia Tech.
13. Johnathan Lloyd 27 yard reception against Georgia Tech.

Duke had plenty of explosive plays last season. Unfortunately, we also had a lot of 3 and outs especially during the six game skid. Lack of explosive plays was not the problem consistently sustaining drives was.

[jimsumner]

Duke absolutely wants to have more explosives this year. Especially from the wide-receiver corps. That is a priority.

I think a coaching upgrade will be useful in this area.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Really? How about the last three games of the season:

1. Shaun Wilson 31 yard run against N. Illinois.
2. T.J. Rahming 33 yard TD reception against N. Illinois.
3. Daniel Helm 20 yard reception against N. Illinois.
4. Davis Koppenhaver 20 yard reception against N. Illinois.
5. T.J. Rahming 41 yard reception against Wake Forest.
6. Daniel Helm 33 yard TD reception against Wake Forest.
7. Chris Taylor 36 yard reception against Wake Forest.
8. Brittain Brown 35 yard reception against Wake Forest.
9. Daniel Jones 32 yard TD run against Georgia Tech.
10. Shaun Wilson 39 yard run against Georgia Tech.
11. Brittain Brown 31 yard run against Georgia Tech.
12. Parker Boehme 21 yard run against Georgia Tech.
13. Johnathan Lloyd 27 yard reception against Georgia Tech.

Duke had plenty of explosive plays last season. Unfortunately, we also had a lot of 3 and outs especially during the six game skid. Lack of explosive plays was not the problem consistently sustaining drives was.

So not to be clear, but I was focusing on the six games we lost...that's where the problem was. There was no problem with explosives in the 7 wins. Again sorry not to be clear. And I agree with you on the 3 and outs - but I believe the coach agrees that in the losses, the lack of explosives was a major problem (as was giving up too many).

I would add that not all explosives (normally considered 20+) are of equal value. A 90 - 100 yard play can and often does turn an entire game around. Think Notre Dame early 2016. Or in reverse, think Pitt's 93 yard TD run last season. A 25-30-35 yard play is great, but doesn't change a game like an 80-90-100 yard play does. In the past, we've had some of those 80 plus plays.

Off top of my head, I don't think we had any kick off returns last season, and we never did have an 80-ish yard bomb last year I don't think...in a win or a loss. I believe the longest pass was a short pass and run for 58, which is great, but does not open up a defense the way a long bomb does. And when Jones scrambled and threw the 57 yard to TJ, I'm not sure we even scored on that drive (again, not sure).

I just didn't feel like the team was anywhere near as dynamic on offense, or as scary to defensive coordinators, as the DeVon Edwards/Jamsion Crowder teams were. And I think that wore down our defense mentally and physically, which was extremely good for much of the season. The explosives that won the Baylor and NC games were on defense.

[Bob Green]

Duke absolutely wants to have more explosives this year. Especially from the wide-receiver corps. That is a priority.

I think a coaching upgrade will be useful in this area.

I have no disagreement with the above statement. Wide receiver production (lack of) has been widely discussed on the board.

And sometimes 20+, which is a major problem for a team who's weakness was having any offensive plays 20+

My reaction (okay, I admit overreaction) was to the statement the team didn't have "any" offensive plays of 20+ yards.

[Bob Green]

I just didn't feel like the team was anywhere near as dynamic on offense, or as scary to defensive coordinators, as the DeVon Edwards/Jamsion Crowder teams were. And I think that wore down our defense mentally and physically, which was extremely good for much of the season. The explosives that won the Baylor and NC games were on defense.

I'm going to move on from this discussion, I promise...but not before addressing the third sentence in the quoted statement above. I completely agree with sentence #1 and #2 but disagree with #3. Yes, the defense had a Pick 6 in the wins over Baylor and North Carolina; however, the offense had explosive plays as well especially against Baylor where running backs ran for three TDs of 65, 50 and 34 yards. If those are not explosive plays, I don't know what constitutes an explosive play.

[Acymetric]

https://www.wralsportsfan.com/duke-s...koff/17487490/

Interesting article here...I was not aware of this rule change but agree with Coach Cut that it doesn't really do anything to lessen the risk of kickoff injuries...it offers some additional incentive not to return which protects the returner, but the blockers are still having to engage all the way down the field until it is known what the returner is going to do.

Excerpt:

In continuing efforts to increase the number of touchbacks after kickoffs, which will minimize injuries that occur after kickoffs, the Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved a rule to allow receiving teams to fair catch kicks inside the 25-yard line and have them result in a touchback.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

I'm going to move on from this discussion, I promise...but not before addressing the third sentence in the quoted statement above. I completely agree with sentence #1 and #2 but disagree with #3. Yes, the defense had a Pick 6 in the wins over Baylor and North Carolina; however, the offense had explosive plays as well especially against Baylor where running backs ran for three TDs of 65, 50 and 34 yards. If those are not explosive plays, I don't know what constitutes an explosive play.

Fair enough, and i"ll move on after saying yes, the Baylor game was indeed the high point of explosiveness for Duke all season. Unfortunately, it was an outlier, not a trend.

[Bob Green]

Blue Devil 360 Podcast:

http://www.goduke.com/mediaPortal/pl...200&id=6258915

A 45 minute discussion of Duke Football Spring Practice. David Shumate, John Roth and Dave Harding with a few guests.

Part 1 - Noel Durfey talks strength and conditioning.
Part 2 - Defense discussion. Visit with new linebackers coach Lanier Goethie. Joe Giles-Harris drops in.
Part 3 - Offense discussion including interview with Daniel Jones.
Part 4 - Word association: the three co-hosts wrap things up.

[chrishoke]

Another interview with a very impressive duke lineman - future surgeon OL Rik Chambers.
http://www.goduke.com/mediaPortal/pl...200&id=6259217