Somebody has to do it so it may as well be me. Discuss the game here. Daniel Jones has been named starting quarterback and the weather report is calling for beautiful weather at Wallace Wade Stadium for the season opener. Hopefully we see a 2-deep roster and injury report sometime this week.
Projected starters per Duke Football twitter:
QB - Daniel Jones
RB - Jela Duncan
WR - T.J. Rahming
WR - Anthony Nash
WR - Johnathan Lloyd
TE - Erich Schneider
OT - Casey Blaser
OG - Tanner Stone
C - Austin Davis
OG - Zach Baker
OT - Gabe Brandner
S - DeVon Edwards
S - Deondre Singleton
S - Corbin McCarthy
CB - Bryan Fields
CB - Breon Borders
LB - Ben Humphreys
LB - Joe Giles-Harris
DE - Marquies Price
DT - Mike Ramsay
DT - A.J. Wolf
DE - Dominic McDonald
Last edited by Bob Green; 08-29-2016 at 04:16 PM. Reason: List projected starters
Bob Green
Would love to see a 63-0 Duke win :-)
I'll go with a 42-7 count. New QB, Cut will substitute liberally 2nd half and NCCU will get a fluke TD at some point. It'll show we can run, pass and have good D against an out-manned foe. If Central scores more than that (like Elon did a few years ago), it won't bode well for the year.
[redacted] them and the horses they rode in on.
I would not say that a close game does not bode well for the season. I'll take a win, good film for coach to use, and no injuries.
But we gotta win first. LGD!!
(And I'll say to the usual chat-roomers, at the beach this weekend and in Vagas next, so likely will join y'all for Northwestern. Then dd and I will live chat from South Bend).
You mean more than 13? That's what Elon scored against Duke in 2014, when Duke ended up with nine wins and a last-second loss to Arizona State in the Sun Bowl. Or do you mean the 27 that Elon scored in 2010, when Duke finished 3-9. NCCU scored 17 against Duke in 2012, when Duke finished 6-7 and played in a bowl.
FWIW, NCCU is a strong FCS program, coming off two straight conference championships. They have 13 starters back (one more than Duke) off an 8-3 team. They return third team All_MEAC QB Malcolm Bell and first-team All-MEAC running back Dorrell McClain. NCCU was picked third in the 2016 MEAC preseason poll.
Now, they are an FCS program and Duke should win -- and win easily. But don't go in with ridiculous expectations. They are a solid FCS team -- not far behind the Richmond teams that thrice beat us in 2006, 2009 and 2011 (when Duke was admittedly much weaker).
I'll be very happy with a comfortable win, no significant injuries and a promising showing by at least one of our new QBs.
I had their 27 point game in mind. Didn't have a good feeling after that game for the rest of the season. Richmond beat us 3 times?!?! I remembered 2 of those and I guess the 2006 game had been relegated to an unpleasant, unretrievable set of neurons. Glad we stopped scheduling those guys (and got a new coach, too) .
[redacted] them and the horses they rode in on.
I walked out of one of the Richmond games and said to my wife "I need a new hobby."
I also went to Duke when the Bball team was last or tied for last in the ACC all 4 years I was there.
In 1978 Duke went through the ACC and NCAAs and lost in the final. The Bad Days were over.
Since 2012 the Cut has made the Bad Days over. We may or may not win at a high level this year but we are a program that will compete and excel.
No real surprises ... The players listed above include six players from the recruiting class of 2015 (sophs or younger):
WR TJ Rahming, LB Ben Humphreys and DE Marquies Price are true sophomores (who played last year as freshman)
OG Zach Baker, QB Daniel Jones and LB Joe Gilles-Harris are redshirt freshmen ... they came in at the same time, but redshirted last year.
BTW, to the six players listed above should be added both kickers -- punter Austin Parker is a redshirt freshman ... placekicker AJ Reed is a true freshman.
Cut said late last week that a number of true freshmen (other than Reed) are likely to see action, including CB Mark Gilbert, DEs Chidi Okonya, Terrell Lucas and James Hornbuckle and maybe OG Julian Santos. We could also see RB Brittain Brown and/or RB Elijah Deveaux (I'm guessing we see one, while the other redshirts). We'll see freshman WR Scott Bracey at some point, but probably not the NCCU game (he's still healing a pulled hamstring). Very possible TE Mark Birmingham sees some action.
Look for a bunch more redshirt freshmen to play for the first time, including DE Trevor McSwain, DE Twazanga Mugala, S Brandon Feamster, S Jordan Hayes, WR Aaron Young and QB Quentin Harris (I'll bet he gets some work in the Connette package).
There could be a few more or less ... I'll try to post a list of the first-time players Sunday.
This is one of the lesser spoken about subjects. Our kicking game has been a real weapon the last few years. Have there been reports on how well the new kickers have done in practice? Naturally, nothing replaces real game pressure, but curious about this component. Especially with an inexperienced quarterback taking the reins, the kicking game will be more vital.
I was surprised at Dominic McDonald and Joe Giles-Harris being listed as starters. Does that mean Bere will mainly backup at MLB? Bere played a bunch last year and at times was very good, especially against the run. I'm more surprised at Dominic McDonald starting. I have heard no buzz about him at all. Thoughts?
"This is the best of all possible worlds."
Dr. Pangloss - Candide
I will be in town and attending the NCCU game (first game in 30 years) and bringing my son (the young colt) who is AAD (also a Daniel).
Would love to run into other DBR members; kindly tatoo your names on your foreheads so you are easily recognizable
Larry
DevilHorse