Duke Football Spring Practice Thread

[Bob Green]

Spring training commences on Monday March 4th and culminates with the Spring Game on April 13th. My intentions were to start a thread this weekend, after the Miami game concluded, but with the news early enrollee LB Dominic McDonald underwent knee surgery, I decided to start the thread now:

http://blogs.newsobserver.com/dukenow/early-enrollee-dominic-mcdonald-to-miss-spring-practice#wgt=rss


Continuing a trend from last season, LB Dominic McDonald, an early enrollee, underwent surgery Monday to repair a torn medial meniscus in his right knee. He will miss Spring practice.

Hopefully, the injury bug goes away before biting us again. The defense was decimated by injuries last season so this news is a tough pill to swallow.

[PDDuke85]

Bob,
It was announced that Re'quan Boyette was named running backs coach yesterday so I believe the staff is now set in moving forward.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Bob,
It was announced that Re'quan Boyette was named running backs coach yesterday so I believe the staff is now set in moving forward.
It's interesting that this promotion and the realignment of duties within the staff have generated little discussion. I view the changes as very healthy, perhaps helping to generating a fresh look at what everyone is to do. :cool:

[jimsumner]

Spring Training?

Confusing sports, again, Green? :)

Anyway.

Here's the entire press release on McDonald

"Duke head football coach David Cutcliffe announced on Tuesday that freshman linebacker Dominic McDonald has undergone surgery to repair a torn medial meniscus in his right knee.

The procedure was performed on Monday by Dr. Claude T. Moorman III, Duke’s head team physician and the director of Duke Sports Medicine.

McDonald is expected to miss Duke’s spring practice, which begins on Monday, March 4 and concludes with the program’s annual Spring Game on Saturday, April 13 at 4 p.m. in Wallace Wade Stadium.

A 6-2, 240-pound native of Longwood, Fla., McDonald enrolled at Duke in January after graduating from Lake Brantley High School in December of 2012. He was listed as the No. 59 outside linebacker in the country by ESPN.com and, as a senior, totaled 65 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and eight sacks en route to earning first team all-state (8A) honors from the Associated Press."

Meniscus surgery shouldn't be as serious as ACL surgery. So, he should be fine for the fall. But it rather lessens the benefits of his showing up early.

[Bob Green]

Spring Training?

Confusing sports, again, Green? :)



Yep, too many S words on my mind I guess. Spring Training, Spring Practice, Sequ...hmm, I guess I shouldn't go there. Perhaps one of my fellow mods will have mercy on me and edit the title to say Spring Practice, I would do it myself but that seems like cheating. ;)

[loran16]

Spring training commences on Monday March 4th and culminates with the Spring Game on April 13th. My intentions were to start a thread this weekend, after the Miami game concluded, but with the news early enrollee LB Dominic McDonald underwent knee surgery, I decided to start the thread now:

http://blogs.newsobserver.com/dukenow/early-enrollee-dominic-mcdonald-to-miss-spring-practice#wgt=rss



Hopefully, the injury bug goes away before biting us again. The defense was decimated by injuries last season so this news is a tough pill to swallow.

The d was lousy the year before so I still have trouble buying the "It was all because of injuries" excuse.

Also silent news was the addition of ANOTHER Roper to the coaching staff. Which will make us all thrilled I'm sure.

[jimsumner]

The d was lousy the year before so I still have trouble buying the "It was all because of injuries" excuse.

Also silent news was the addition of ANOTHER Roper to the coaching staff. Which will make us all thrilled I'm sure.

Injuries in football are normal and expected.

The number of injuries suffered by the Duke defense last season was neither.

Zac Roper has been a member of the Duke football coaching staff since January 2008.

His responsibilities have changed. I trust you see the difference.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

The d was lousy the year before so I still have trouble buying the "It was all because of injuries" excuse.

Also silent news was the addition of ANOTHER Roper to the coaching staff. Which will make us all thrilled I'm sure.

Zac Roper joined the staff in January 2008.
http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22665&SPID=1843&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=1363473&Q_SEASON=2012

[PDDuke85]

In more pre-season news, Brandon Braxton will be moving back to the offensive side for the upcoming year.

Re: coaching changes. Thrilled that Montgomery and Boyette have been added to the staff. As much as Coach Middleton contributed to the building of the foundation, and briefly, Coach Lubick's efforts, having 2 former players and natives of NC is huge in the continuation of recruiting NC kids. Nothing wrong with on occasional transfusion.

[Olympic Fan]

In more pre-season news, Brandon Braxton will be moving back to the offensive side for the upcoming year.


Interesting news. Going into spring, the two major areas of concern were at wide receiver and cornerback. It's funny, we may have the two best players in the ACC at those two positions
-- WR Jamison Crowder and CB Ross Cockrell -- but behind them, there's no experience whatsoever at those positions. Moving Braxton back to WR, where he was a starter two years ago, helps at WR. Hopefully the kids -- McCaffery, Nash, plus Blakeney (moving over from his hybrid TE spot) will help there.

I assume they feel good enough about the safety depth. Jeremy Cash, the Ohio State transfer, is supposedly a stud, while Dwayne Norman and Corbin McCarthey looked very good playing as true freshmen last season. There are some nice redshirts at that postion too.

That still leaves CB as a question -- I'm hoping one of the Edwards kids -- Devon, who redshirted last year, or Evertt, a top recruit who enrolled early, can help there.

[loran16]

Zac Roper has been a member of the Duke football coaching staff since January 2008.

His responsibilities have changed. I trust you see the difference.


Zac Roper joined the staff in January 2008.
http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22665&SPID=1843&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=1363473&Q_SEASON=2012

Fair enough.

[jimsumner]

In more pre-season news, Brandon Braxton will be moving back to the offensive side for the upcoming year.

Re: coaching changes. Thrilled that Montgomery and Boyette have been added to the staff. As much as Coach Middleton contributed to the building of the foundation, and briefly, Coach Lubick's efforts, having 2 former players and natives of NC is huge in the continuation of recruiting NC kids. Nothing wrong with on occasional transfusion.

I'm also told that Powell is back at RB.

With Braxton and Powell back on O, Duke has Cash, Norman, McCarthy and Young-Wiseman with some experience at safety. Cash played sparingly at OSU two seasons ago and redshirted last year after transferring. Practice reports are promising. But that's practice.

McCarthy missed most of the season with an injury, while Norman was a true freshman. Duke moved Nick Hill from WR to safety before the Belk Bowl. Spring will be his time to show that he deserves some snaps in real games. Michael Westray redshirted as a freshman last season. But he might end up at corner.

Lots of names, not much experience. Remember Duke is replacing Walt Canty and Jordan Byas and needs three safeties on the field to play its 4-2-5. So, the youngsters are going to have to grow up in a hurry at both safety and corner.

[Bob Green]

More on Spring Practice and the zone-read offense:

http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22672&SPID=1843&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=206604161&DB_OEM_ID=4200

The article discusses taking advantage of QB Anthony Boone's speed, so I have to ask: what is Boone's time in the 40? I've viewed Boone as a strong runner but not necessarily a fast runner. How fast is he?

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

More on Spring Practice and the zone-read offense:

http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22672&SPID=1843&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=206604161&DB_OEM_ID=4200

The article discusses taking advantage of QB Anthony Boone's speed, so I have to ask: what is Boone's time in the 40? I've viewed Boone as a strong runner but not necessarily a fast runner. How fast is he?
Anthony has already acknowledged that he's not as fast as Johnny Football.

[loran16]

More on Spring Practice and the zone-read offense:

http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22672&SPID=1843&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=206604161&DB_OEM_ID=4200

The article discusses taking advantage of QB Anthony Boone's speed, so I have to ask: what is Boone's time in the 40? I've viewed Boone as a strong runner but not necessarily a fast runner. How fast is he?

Interesting. The Zone-Read makes sense for Boone but does it make sense for Sirk? That sort of sounds like Boone (for logical reasons) has the leg up on the starting job.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Interesting. The Zone-Read makes sense for Boone but does it make sense for Sirk? That sort of sounds like Boone (for logical reasons) has the leg up on the starting job.
Go back and look at some of the videos of Thomas before his arrival at Duke. I'll think you'll see that this type of offense is one that matches well with his strengths.

[loran16]

Go back and look at some of the videos of Thomas before his arrival at Duke. I'll think you'll see that this type of offense is one that matches well with his strengths.

I don't find much value in highlight videos honestly - but I'll trust your word for it.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

I don't find much value in highlight videos honestly - but I'll trust your word for it.
At various times Coach Cutcliffe has talked about Thomas, his talents and his size. I believe he was recruited, as have been subsequent QBs, to fit this style of offense. The offensive models Coach Cutcliffe has used up until now have fit personnel already onsite or about to be, but he's recruited to be able to transition to his preferred style of offense.

Anthony will start at the beginning of the season, but I believe that as the progression of development continues for Thomas, he will establish himself and move into a very important role before the season ends.

[Olympic Fan]

Interesting. The Zone-Read makes sense for Boone but does it make sense for Sirk? That sort of sounds like Boone (for logical reasons) has the leg up on the starting job.

I've seen Sirk in practice and in scrimmages -- he is definitely suited to the zone read. Physically, he looks like Colin Kaepernick -- tall and very, very mobile. I have to believe he's faster than Boone, although not as strong.

But the point is that Duke is not going to the zone read just to take advantage of Boone's particular strength. Cut has been planning this for years. Ever since Renfree, every quarterback he has recruited has been suited for this approach -- starting with Connette and Boone ... Sirk ... and Parker Boeheme, the kid who enrolled in time for spring practice.

Our quaterbacks can all run ...

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

I've seen Sirk in practice and in scrimmages -- he is definitely suited to the zone read. Physically, he looks like Colin Kaepernick -- tall and very, very mobile. I have to believe he's faster than Boone, although not as strong.

But the point is that Duke is not going to the zone read just to take advantage of Boone's particular strength. Cut has been planning this for years. Ever since Renfree, every quarterback he has recruited has been suited for this approach -- starting with Connette and Boone ... Sirk ... and Parker Boeheme, the kid who enrolled in time for spring practice.

Our quaterbacks can all run ...

Thank you! You comment covers in detail what I was trying to say in a more global way.

[Greg_Newton]

To add on, Boone supposedly only ran a 5.0 40 in HS, but looks like he's down to about a 4.75 by now, which sounds about right. Sirk, however, ran a 4.5 in HS, per Rivals, which is obviously great for a QB. Duke has him officially timed at 4.63, which is the fastest of their QBs.

[Greg_Newton]

To late to edit, but I meant to ask - are any of these practices open to watch? I'd love to see how our younger guys look at some point.