Duke football notes, 8-2-18

[jimsumner]

Duke opened practice today and followed with a truncated press opportunity.

Still, gleaned a few tidbits.

Cut liked the effort but not the execution. Not unexpected for opening day.

Thought the secondary gave up a few too many long plays.

Of course, that suggests the Duke receivers were making long plays.

Jeremy McDuffie is "limited" but did practice today. Since, he's a veteran, Duke is letting him monitor his recovery. Duke still expects him to be ready to go in the opener.

Cut said that Joe Giles-Harris looked better today than at anytime last year. Stronger and faster.

Yikes!! JGH was an All-America last year.

FWIW, Ben Humphreys agree with Cut on this. Humphreys is 100 percent and told us that he was still nervous before today's first practice.
So, you can imagine what it's like for a freshman.

Humphreys told us to look out for some wrinkles on defense this season. He said this with a twinkle in his eye. But he's one of those folks who usually has a twinkle in his eye, so maybe he's messing with us, maybe not.

But the 4-2-5 is still the core defense,

Duke worked Michael Carter some at corner. Permanent move? TBD. But it does suggest that the competition for starting corner is ongoing.

The new redshirt rules? Duke not changing anything right now. The emphasis is still on determining which freshmen can contribute all season. As the season progresses and injuries start adding up, Duke expects to take advantage of the new rule.

Matt Guerrieri will call the plays for the defense this season.

How did Jack Wohlabaugh become eligible? No magic formula. The NCAA is just loosening up in that area. Wohlabaugh could play some guard this year.

A note on notes. We might change it up this season, move this from a post into an article, maybe spread it out. Still working out the details.

[devildeac]

Duke opened practice today and followed with a truncated press opportunity.

Still, gleaned a few tidbits.

Cut liked the effort but not the execution. Not unexpected for opening day.

Thought the secondary gave up a few too many long plays.

Of course, that suggests the Duke receivers were making long plays.

Jeremy McDuffie is "limited" but did practice today. Since, he's a veteran, Duke is letting him monitor his recovery. Duke still expects him to be ready to go in the opener.

Cut said that Joe Giles-Harris looked better today than at anytime last year. Stronger and faster.

Yikes!! JGH was an All-America last year.

FWIW, Ben Humphreys agree with Cut on this. Humphreys is 100 percent and told us that he was still nervous before today's first practice.
So, you can imagine what it's like for a freshman.

Humphreys told us to look out for some wrinkles on defense this season. He said this with a twinkle in his eye. But he's one of those folks who usually has a twinkle in his eye, so maybe he's messing with us, maybe not.

But the 4-2-5 is still the core defense,

Duke worked Michael Carter some at corner. Permanent move? TBD. But it does suggest that the competition for starting corner is ongoing.

The new redshirt rules? Duke not changing anything right now. The emphasis is still on determining which freshmen can contribute all season. As the season progresses and injuries start adding up, Duke expects to take advantage of the new rule.

Matt Guerrieri will call the plays for the defense this season.

How did Jack Wohlabaugh become eligible? No magic formula. The NCAA is just loosening up in that area. Wohlabaugh could play some guard this year.

A note on notes. We might change it up this season, move this from a post into an article, maybe spread it out. Still working out the details.

Always brings a smile to my face to start seeing football notes/posts for the year. I'm happy to read a thread/post/article, however you want to contribute, Jim. Thanks!!

[Bob Green]

Thanks, Jim. Your notes are pure gold!

Cut said that Joe Giles-Harris looked better today than at anytime last year. Stronger and faster.

Yikes!! JGH was an All-America last year.

That is great news to read. The defense has the potential to be dominate with linebacker play leading the way.

Duke worked Michael Carter some at corner. Permanent move? TBD. But it does suggest that the competition for starting corner is ongoing.

Competition is a good thing! The second cornerback is an unknown so the more options available the better the situation.

A note on notes. We might change it up this season, move this from a post into an article, maybe spread it out. Still working out the details.

As I stated, your notes are pure gold so however they are presented I'm going to eat them up.

[uh_no]

Duke opened practice today and followed with a truncated press opportunity.

Still, gleaned a few tidbits.

Cut liked the effort but not the execution. Not unexpected for opening day.

Thought the secondary gave up a few too many long plays.

Of course, that suggests the Duke receivers were making long plays.

Jeremy McDuffie is "limited" but did practice today. Since, he's a veteran, Duke is letting him monitor his recovery. Duke still expects him to be ready to go in the opener.

Cut said that Joe Giles-Harris looked better today than at anytime last year. Stronger and faster.

Yikes!! JGH was an All-America last year.

FWIW, Ben Humphreys agree with Cut on this. Humphreys is 100 percent and told us that he was still nervous before today's first practice.
So, you can imagine what it's like for a freshman.

Humphreys told us to look out for some wrinkles on defense this season. He said this with a twinkle in his eye. But he's one of those folks who usually has a twinkle in his eye, so maybe he's messing with us, maybe not.

But the 4-2-5 is still the core defense,

Duke worked Michael Carter some at corner. Permanent move? TBD. But it does suggest that the competition for starting corner is ongoing.

The new redshirt rules? Duke not changing anything right now. The emphasis is still on determining which freshmen can contribute all season. As the season progresses and injuries start adding up, Duke expects to take advantage of the new rule.

Matt Guerrieri will call the plays for the defense this season.

How did Jack Wohlabaugh become eligible? No magic formula. The NCAA is just loosening up in that area. Wohlabaugh could play some guard this year.

A note on notes. We might change it up this season, move this from a post into an article, maybe spread it out. Still working out the details.

Thanks jim, as always.

One of the big storylines last year was the offensive play-calling situation and how it developed over the course of the season. Has there been any feeling how this will be handled moving forward, or is it something that the program has largely kept to themselves.

[jimsumner]

Thanks jim, as always.

One of the big storylines last year was the offensive play-calling situation and how it developed over the course of the season. Has there been any feeling how this will be handled moving forward, or is it something that the program has largely kept to themselves.

I think there was/is a general understanding that Roper is still learning and improving.

I think Jones's secret rib injury also impacted the play calling.

I hope Duke's young defensive play caller has a smoother learning curve.

[OldPhiKap]

Yay!!!! Jimsumner and football notes are back!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This made my day.

[Acymetric]

I think there was/is a general understanding that Roper is still learning and improving.

I think Jones's secret rib injury also impacted the play calling.

I hope Duke's young defensive play caller has a smoother learning curve.

I was just a tad surprised that Guerrieri will be calling plays, my money would have been on Albert. In any case, I look forward to seeing how the defense thing plays itself out, we are certainly set up to have a legitimately great defense this year.

[BLPOG]

Yay!!!! Jimsumner and football notes are back!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This made my day.

2f66l2.jpg

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I think there was/is a general understanding that Roper is still learning and improving.

I think Jones's secret rib injury also impacted the play calling.

I hope Duke's young defensive play caller has a smoother learning curve.

Rib injury? I don't remember hearing what his injury was before now!

And yes, let's hope that Mr. Roper has learned and has improved, and keeps doing so quickly.

Thanks as always Jim!

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Rib injury? I don't remember hearing what his injury was before now!

All we heard up til now was that the injury was worse than people knew....
And you gotta know that a rib injury hurts throwing, running, even turning of your head...Duke must develop a back up QB who is better than Daniel Jones at sub 50%

[uh_no]

I think there was/is a general understanding that Roper is still learning and improving.

I think Jones's secret rib injury also impacted the play calling.

I hope Duke's young defensive play caller has a smoother learning curve.

Thanks for the update. As rough as those winnable games were, beating carolina and winning a bowl game trumps all. (but man it hurts looking back at some of those game scores)

Happy to have Daniel back at full strength. We're undefeated again

[peloton]

Thanks Jim as always for your football notes - lots of interesting stuff that we rabid Duke football fans wouldn't be aware of otherwise. Between you, Bob Green, and (now) Steve Wiseman, I'm even more psyched for the start of football than usual (and that's saying something)!

[cato]

A note on notes. We might change it up this season, move this from a post into an article, maybe spread it out. Still working out the details.

If you publish on the main site, can you also put the notes up here? I’ll read them there, but I value the discussion here afterwards.

[OldPhiKap]

If you publish on the main site, can you also put the notes up here? I’ll read them there, but I value the discussion here afterwards.

FWIW, I rarely check the front page (sorry, Julio). If there is something I need to know, it’s on the EK or OT board.

[dukejim1]

I was just a tad surprised that Guerrieri will be calling plays, my money would have been on Albert. In any case, I look forward to seeing how the defense thing plays itself out, we are certainly set up to have a legitimately great defense this year.

I would expect Coach G's experience in the box contributed to that decision and Coach Albert can use his motivational and communication skills on the sideline. Time will tell how co-coordinators work, not a big fan but Cut is probably one of best to manage it.

[du_bb1]

closer to fall and football is in the air--Thanks for all the info Jim

[loran16]

FWIW, I rarely check the front page (sorry, Julio). If there is something I need to know, it’s on the EK or OT board.

I third this suggestion. And glad to see the notes back again, can't wait for the opener.

[Avvocato]

Matt Guerrieri will call the plays for the defense this season.

Jim - Thanks, as always. Very grateful for any notes and insight you provide.

I was most intrigued by the above. Many have wondered how this would go. I have been wondering how makes the call on 3rd and 7 whether to blitz or play more coverage. Now we know. Looking forward to seeing this play out.

[swiseman]

FWIW, I rarely check the front page (sorry, Julio). If there is something I need to know, it’s on the EK or OT board.

In light of this comment, here's a link to our story on the first day of practice. Cut promised some pointed conversations with the pass catchers (or better yet, supposed pass catchers). Improvement is needed. Again.

https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/...215591105.html

[OldPhiKap]

In light of this comment, here's a link to our story on the first day of practice. Cut promised some pointed conversations with the pass catchers (or better yet, supposed pass catchers). Improvement is needed. Again.

https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/...215591105.html

Thanks for linking it here, too! (And enjoying your articles on twitter too, which is nice because I am not in the Triangle area anymore).

Again, nothing against the front page. I have the EK board bookmarked, and usually forget to check the front page.