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.
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/dukeno...actice#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.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.
Bob Green
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.
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
<devildeac> anyone playing drinking games by now?
7:49:36<Wander> drink every qb run?
7:49:38<loran16> umm, drink every time asack rushes?
7:49:38<wolfybeard> @devildeac: drink when Asack runs a keeper
7:49:39 PM<CB&B> any time zack runs, drink
Carolina Delenda Est
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.
Zac Roper joined the staff in January 2008.
http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.db...&Q_SEASON=2012
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.
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.
<devildeac> anyone playing drinking games by now?
7:49:36<Wander> drink every qb run?
7:49:38<loran16> umm, drink every time asack rushes?
7:49:38<wolfybeard> @devildeac: drink when Asack runs a keeper
7:49:39 PM<CB&B> any time zack runs, drink
Carolina Delenda Est
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.
More on Spring Practice and the zone-read offense:
http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.db...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?
Bob Green
<devildeac> anyone playing drinking games by now?
7:49:36<Wander> drink every qb run?
7:49:38<loran16> umm, drink every time asack rushes?
7:49:38<wolfybeard> @devildeac: drink when Asack runs a keeper
7:49:39 PM<CB&B> any time zack runs, drink
Carolina Delenda Est
<devildeac> anyone playing drinking games by now?
7:49:36<Wander> drink every qb run?
7:49:38<loran16> umm, drink every time asack rushes?
7:49:38<wolfybeard> @devildeac: drink when Asack runs a keeper
7:49:39 PM<CB&B> any time zack runs, drink
Carolina Delenda Est
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.
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 ...