Duke Football: Offseason & Spring Practice

[Reilly]

2020 bowls announced (no Detroit or Shreveport): https://sports.yahoo.com/acc-adds-ho...192250878.html

[jimsumner]

I have confirmed that DT Axel Nyembwe is no longer a member of the program.

[budwom]

I have confirmed that DT Axel Nyembwe is no longer a member of the program.

Yes, this has been known; the question is, is the door open for a possible return?

[chrishoke]

Yes, this has been known; the question is, is the door open for a possible return?

And, is he still in school?

[jimsumner]

Yes, this has been known; the question is, is the door open for a possible return?

Hence my use of the word "confirm."

No longer a member of the program.

I believe the door has slammed shut.

[jimsumner]

I really don't think losing Nyembwe is a major loss.

Trevon McSwain, Derrick Tangelo and Tahj Rice are solid, experienced and healthy. The DT rotation starts with them.

Edgar Cerenord and Ben Frye are recovering from knee surgery and both should be back sometime this season. When is a key variable. Cerenord is the more important, IMO. At 260 Frye is just too small to be a DT in any context other than pass-rushing situations.

Elijah Brown redshirted last year as a true freshman. He's a 300-pounder a legit 3-star and appears to have ACC-level talent, albeit inexperienced talent.

Even if Cerenord and Frye are slow to return, Duke still has a solid two-deep.

DeWayne Carter is a true freshman. I suspect Duke would like to sit him out this season.

Christian Rorie is listed as a DE. But he's also listed at 6-6, 270. Based on Cut's history I would expect Rorie to move to tackle. But he had ACL surgery last fall so a redshirt would seem to be prudent.

Assuming some halfway decent luck on the injury front Duke should have enough at DT to absorb the loss of Nyembwe without any significant issues.

[Acymetric]

I really don't think losing Nyembwe is a major loss.

Trevon McSwain, Derrick Tangelo and Tahj Rice are solid, experienced and healthy. The DT rotation starts with them.

Edgar Cerenord and Ben Frye are recovering from knee surgery and both should be back sometime this season. When is a key variable. Cerenord is the more important, IMO. At 260 Frye is just too small to be a DT in any context other than pass-rushing situations.

Elijah Brown redshirted last year as a true freshman. He's a 300-pounder a legit 3-star and appears to have ACC-level talent, albeit inexperienced talent.

Even if Cerenord and Frye are slow to return, Duke still has a solid two-deep.

DeWayne Carter is a true freshman. I suspect Duke would like to sit him out this season.

Christian Rorie is listed as a DE. But he's also listed at 6-6, 270. Based on Cut's history I would expect Rorie to move to tackle. But he had ACL surgery last fall so a redshirt would seem to be prudent.

Assuming some halfway decent luck on the injury front Duke should have enough at DT to absorb the loss of Nyembwe without any significant issues.

One nit...Cerenord is recovering from an Achilles tear, not a knee injury so it is possible he is very slow to return (I am hopeful, but Achilles tears are tough to come back from especially for the big guys).

[jimsumner]

One nit...Cerenord is recovering from an Achilles tear, not a knee injury so it is possible he is very slow to return (I am hopeful, but Achilles tears are tough to come back from especially for the big guys).

Yep on Achilles tears. Thanks. The NCAA granted Cerenord a sixth year in 2019 so I guess it's this season or not at all for him.

[Bob Green]

I really don't think losing Nyembwe is a major loss.

Trevon McSwain, Derrick Tangelo and Tahj Rice are solid, experienced and healthy. The DT rotation starts with them.

I agree Nyembwe is not a major loss but his loss is a blow to depth. Assuming Cerenord returns, that depth blow will be cancelled out.

A slow return for Cerenord could be a positive. If he returns mid-season with fresh legs, he could be a healthy presence when some of the other guys are feeling the effects of bumps and bruises.

[budwom]

When Cerenord went down last year, our DL got battered...now maybe some of that is due to injuries, but I think it's an open question as to how they perform this year. I agree that Tangelo, Rice, McSwain and Brown should be decent, but I guess we'll see...to me Frye (healthy or not) is just undersized for an ACC DT....

[HereBeforeCoachK]

A slow return for Cerenord could be a positive. If he returns mid-season with fresh legs, he could be a healthy presence when some of the other guys are feeling the effects of bumps and bruises.

I think this is a fascinating point. I've often wondered why the "fresh legs" dynamic of football isn't discussed more. It's a real factor (even more so in the NFL with more games and fewer bodies) - and the starkest example I can think of is when Timmy Smith broke the Super Bowl rushing record after playing in only 4 regular season games all year, sitting behind George Rogers. Rogers, clearly superior to Smith when both are healthy, was banged up late in the year. Smith in the Super Bowl was moving at a different gear than all the other players in the Super Bowl. I remember thinking at the time that dang, who is this guy? This fresh legs thing is for real.

[Bob Green]

Defensive end Victor Dimukeje on Bednarik Award watch list:

http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.db...CLID=211807085

A preseason All-ACC selection by Athlon Sports (3rd team) and Phil Steele’s College Football Preview (3rd team), Dimukeje has played in 26 career games, all starts. The Baltimore product owns 82 career tackles, 16.5 tackles for lost yardage, 5.5 sacks, one interception, two caused fumbles, two fumble recoveries, one pass breakup and 13 quarterback pressures.

Preseason watch lists being published is another indicator start of the season is just around the corner.

[texasdevil06]

Unrestricted article from 247 Sports:

Nick Saban has high praise for David Cutcliffe

...“He’s probably one of the best minds in this era of our game.”

"I don't know of anyone in the country that's done a better job with a program than he's done at Duke,” Saban said.

https://247sports.com/college/duke/A...ffe-133724610/

I know he's talking up his first opponent but it's high praise, indeed.

[devildeac]

Preview of the Coastal for 2019:

https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/...232729787.html

Duke predicted tied for 3rd behind UM and UVa.

"David Cutcliffe did some of his best work last season. That covers a lot of ground but given the injures he had to navigate (and the schedule), eight wins was the definition of the getting the most out of the least.

He’ll have to work some more magic this season, with quarterback Daniel Jones off to the NFL, but that’s just kind of what Cutcliffe does. It’s not flashy but it’s effective."

Hey, Bob, are you ready for some football yet?

[arnie]

Preview of the Coastal for 2019:

https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/...232729787.html

Duke predicted tied for 3rd behind UM and UVa.

"David Cutcliffe did some of his best work last season. That covers a lot of ground but given the injures he had to navigate (and the schedule), eight wins was the definition of the getting the most out of the least.

He’ll have to work some more magic this season, with quarterback Daniel Jones off to the NFL, but that’s just kind of what Cutcliffe does. It’s not flashy but it’s effective."

Hey, Bob, are you ready for some football yet?

Unfortunately tied with the Cheats. In fact he has two ties and with a 7-team division implies not much separation between 1-7.

[OldPhiKap]

LGD!!!!

[Bob Green]

Hey, Bob, are you ready for some football yet?

Absolutely ready!

[jv001]

LGD!!!!

And as always GTHC. GoDuke!

[jimsumner]

Brown and Jackson named to Doak Walker watchlist.

http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.db...DB_OEM_ID=4200

[jimsumner]

More watchlists

http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.db...DB_OEM_ID=4200

http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.db...DB_OEM_ID=4200