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jimsumner
09-23-2014, 02:35 PM
Laken Tomlinson was to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, announced by Allstate Insurance and the American Football Coaches Association.

You may have heard that the non-conference portion of Duke’s schedule is over.

Coaches always talk up their next opponent. But when David Cutcliffe describes Miami with such praise as “their offensive front is as good as we’ll see all year,” or “their speed at all skill positions is exceptional,” it doesn’t sound like coach-speak. This is Miami after all.

Then again, Miami has allowed 31 and 41 points against their two top-tier opponents this season.

Cut says Miami running back Duke Johnson is a first-round pick. He says Johnson is “a fierce, fierce competitor, with great strength and speed.”

When asked how Duke could control Johnson, Jeremy Cash smiled and said “tackle him.” When asked to elaborate, he added “cut him off at the knees.”

DeVon Edwards had a more nuanced approach. “We’ve just got to tackle great and fit our holes well and not make many false steps and just do what we’re supposed to do. As long as you’re disciplined, you’re going to have help coming."

Johnson did not play against Duke last season due to injury.

Miami’s quarterback is true freshman Brad Kayaa. Cutcliffe had high praise for Kayaa. But Duke flummoxed Tulane redshirt freshman Tanner Lee last week with multiple looks and lots of blitzing. Cutcliffe noted that Kaaya “is surrounded by a heck of a cast. We’ll have to mix things up not just to stop him but to stop Duke Johnson.”

Duke is entering a stretch with only one home game until November 15. Cutcliffe says his team likes playing on the road. Duke has a good routine and sometimes there are fewer distractions. He adds “We all know we have to win on the road to have the kind of season we want.”

Speaking of going on the road, Duke has 16 players from Florida, second only to the 23 from North Carolina. Cutcliffe said that Duke sends out letters to the parents before the season reminding them that road games are business trips and that opportunities for socializing will be limited. Jeremy Cash, from Miami, is the most prominent Duke Floridian.

Duke rushed for 358 yards against Miami last season. Takoby Cofield talked about the possibility of duplicating that this season. “Last year we really tried to establish our mentality and bring a physical presence and get downhill on them. Our running game is something we rely heavily on. We’re just trying to get after people and impose our will.”

An interesting discussion on Isaac Blakeney. When asked if Blakeney realized how high his ceiling was, Cut indicated that Blakeney sometimes “restricts himself. He needs to believe in himself.”

OldPhiKap
09-23-2014, 05:48 PM
Great stuff as always, Jim. Many thanks.

This is a very tough challenge, and this will be a good barometer of where this team really is. We took care of the business we were supposed to, with a few obvious points that need some improvement. Duke Johnson will test some of those all by himself.

LGD!

Bob Green
09-23-2014, 06:19 PM
Do you desire to understand Duke's running game? First, check out this webpage and watch the 12 minute video clip:

http://fishduck.com/the-chip-kelly-oregon-spread-offense-analysis/understanding-the-oregon-offense/first-fish-tutorial-the-inside-zone-read/

Then go watch Duke game highlights at ESPN. Like Kansas Coach Charlie Weiss stated in his post game comments, "All they are running is an Inside Read."

1. Kansas game videos. Scroll down to the 4th video clip of Shaun Wilson's 69 yard TD run. That is an Inside Zone Read (IZR):

http://espn.go.com/ncf/video?gameId=400547753

2. Now go to the Tulane game videos. Scroll down to the last video clip of Thomas Sirk's 50 yard run. That is an IZR with the QB keeping the ball:

http://espn.go.com/ncf/video?gameId=400547753

3. If you have access to ESPN3, you can see Duke run an Outside Zone Read (OZR) in the Tulane game replay. On Duke's first possession, Thomas Sirk scampers for 43 yards on an OZR.

http://espn.go.com/watchespn/player/_/league/NCAAF/gameId/400547673/

BigWayne
09-23-2014, 06:35 PM
Dave Harding had a good segment on the IZR explained by one of the running backs on the David Cutcliffe show a couple weeks ago.

BigWayne
09-23-2014, 07:58 PM
Duke rushed for 358 yards against Miami last season. Takoby Cofield talked about the possibility of duplicating that this season. “Last year we really tried to establish our mentality and bring a physical presence and get downhill on them. Our running game is something we rely heavily on. We’re just trying to get after people and impose our will.”
Duke’s Takoby Cofield was named the ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week (http://www.theacc.com/#!/news-detail/acc-football-players-of-the-week-2014-09-22)

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN – Takoby Cofield, Duke, Sr.-r, OT, 6-4, 310, Tarboro, N.C.
Cofield helped lead the way for a Duke offense which totaled 437 yards on just 70 snaps – a 6.2 yards per play average – in Saturday’s 47-13 win over visiting Tulane. The Blue Devils’ balanced offensive day included 256 rushing yards and 181 passing yards. Takoby and his fellow offensive linemen opened holes for a rushing attack that averaged 6.1 yards per attempt and had four different players score a rushing touchdown.