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  1. #21
    Our team must play 4 quarters well.
    We must get an early lead.
    I believe we.will win.

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Raleigh, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Green View Post
    Defensive end Tre Hornbuckle did not play in the GT game. Hopefully we receive some team health updates this afternoon when Jim Sumner posts his Tuesday football article after Coach Cutcliffe’s press conference.
    Hornbuckle is good to go for Saturday.

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Raleigh
    Quote Originally Posted by jimsumner View Post
    Hornbuckle is good to go for Saturday.
    Great news! Any other injury updates?
    [redacted] them and the horses they rode in on.

  4. #24
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Raleigh, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by devildeac View Post
    Great news! Any other injury updates?
    Nope.

    As an aside, did you know that one cannot answer just "no?" Not enough letters.

  5. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by jimsumner View Post
    Nope.

    As an aside, did you know that one cannot answer just "no?" Not enough letters.
    Yepp

  6. #26
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Thomasville, NC
    Trust me. Nothing would make me happier than a Duke win.

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Raleigh
    Quote Originally Posted by jimsumner View Post
    Nope.

    As an aside, did you know that one cannot answer just "no?" Not enough letters.
    Yessir! Four beer, err, character minimum.
    [redacted] them and the horses they rode in on.

  8. #28
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Norfolk, VA
    Quote Originally Posted by jimsumner View Post
    Hornbuckle is good to go for Saturday.
    Thanks Jim! We all appreciate the updates you provide.
    Bob Green

  9. #29

  10. #30
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Norfolk, VA
    Jim Sumner article on Duke preparing for Virginia:

    https://www.dukebasketballreport.com...devil-football

    Coach Cutcliffe says Duke is prioritizing Virginia QB Bryce Perkins.
    Bob Green

  11. #31
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Vermont
    Mendenhall has defended Duke very well since he arrived...not sure how we break that trend...I'll be thrilled and surprised if we leave with a win. I think we'll need a lot more out of our wide receivers than we've been getting...

  12. #32
    At the midway point of the season, we sit at 4-2. After playing Alabama in the opener, can't argue with our standing. Yes, we would have liked to have beaten Pittsburgh, but I would have signed up for 4-2 in a heart beat. Looking at the team at the midpoint, a few things are interesting based on preseason question marks:

    * Linebackers. Our linebackers have played very well overall. We really questioned them stepping in for Humphreys and Harris, especially how they played at the end of 2018. However, the unit has played well. The defense in general has played well, but a special shout out to the linebacking corp, which was the unknown defensive unit coming into the season.

    * Wide Receivers. Another unit that was a big unknown and thought to be the weakness of the team. We have all seen that we have a lot of young talented receivers on this team. In fact, surprisingly, our passing attack has been more reliable than our running attack. Now, against better teams, we are not getting the ball to our receivers quite as much. That's just a combination of inexperience, better defenses and a still evolving Harris. However, even without Bobo making a mark, I am very excited about this group. Plus, three of our 12 recruits for the 2020 class are wide receivers (each over 6 feet tall). Now we just need to find our quarterback for future seasons, but we'll deal with that later.

    * AJ Reed. Major props to AJ Reed. His freshman season was a disaster to put it mildly. I wasn't sure he would ever kick again at Duke. Even in the 2018 spring event he was missing kicks. It is so hard for a kicker that develops the yips, or just shanks every kick, to get their confidence back. Look at Aguayo after he left FSU. We also see it in baseball in particular. He not only won the job, but he has been very solid from all distances. The kicks have been pretty true. We haven't seen him have to make a big kick with the lead on the line at the end of the game yet, but who cares. He's going to miss some kicks eventually this year. However, regardless of that, amazing comeback for him and one of the great stories of the team this year. Good for him.

    * Running game. Coming into the season, our running game was supposed to be our strength while QH and wide receivers found themselves. Not sure if it's because people are trying to take aware our running attack and dare us to beat them through the air, whether it's some inexperience in the line, or injuries, but other than a few brief periods of time, we have not been running well consistently. And if we are running, it's usually QH leading the way. Brown's injuries play a part. Durant has played well and good for him. Jackson has not really been as much of a consistent factor impacting the game as I expected, though again, defenses are probably keying on him. I think a lot of our success down the stretch this season may ride on our ability to start running more consistently. It will also help our passing attack against better teams.

    * Harris. He's done the job. I was definitely one of the people not sure what we were going to get, and I was concerned. He's looked like a P5 starting quarterback. Not much for me to say, but he's done what we needed. He really looks like he is the leader of the offense and in control. I'm not going to overstate his performance, but I can't argue or complain. He's smallish and didn't have much experience before this season, and is throwing to mainly first and second year players. He's actually played better than I expected, and if we are going to make a run at the Coastal, he'll be the one to lead us there (as it is with most quarterbacks).

    With that said, big game on Saturday (aren't they all at this point?). Like most of our games, definitely a winnable game. I don't want to make a prediction, because I won't like my prediction. The key, as others have said, is containing Perkins. Last year, he beat contain and kept drives alive with his legs. We couldn't get our defense off the field last year. I recall them having long drives making all of these third down plays to keep drives alive, and nickle and diming their way to scores. If we can keep him in the box and make him have to throw from the pocket for first downs, I think we have a chance. I think offensively, Harris's ability to run will be the key. I get concerned by our lack of consistent running to help our passing. I think Harris's ability has been opening things up. He'll need to be successful at running and converting broken plays to beat UVa's pass rush.

    The big X factor is whether Virginia's loss to Miami is a motivator for them or a sign that they are vulnerable. I fear the former but am praying for the latter. In any case, I think this is a fourth quarter game. We may need to see Harris have to drive us down the field late fourth quarter on the road and possibly see Reed make a pressure late game kick. I would love to see both (for a win).

    As always, let's go Duke!

  13. #33
    Quote Originally Posted by Avvocato View Post
    At the midway point of the season, we sit at 4-2. After playing Alabama in the opener, can't argue with our standing. Yes, we would have liked to have beaten Pittsburgh, but I would have signed up for 4-2 in a heart beat. Looking at the team at the midpoint, a few things are interesting based on preseason question marks:

    * Linebackers. Our linebackers have played very well overall. We really questioned them stepping in for Humphreys and Harris, especially how they played at the end of 2018. However, the unit has played well. The defense in general has played well, but a special shout out to the linebacking corp, which was the unknown defensive unit coming into the season.

    * Wide Receivers. Another unit that was a big unknown and thought to be the weakness of the team. We have all seen that we have a lot of young talented receivers on this team. In fact, surprisingly, our passing attack has been more reliable than our running attack. Now, against better teams, we are not getting the ball to our receivers quite as much. That's just a combination of inexperience, better defenses and a still evolving Harris. However, even without Bobo making a mark, I am very excited about this group. Plus, three of our 12 recruits for the 2020 class are wide receivers (each over 6 feet tall). Now we just need to find our quarterback for future seasons, but we'll deal with that later.

    * AJ Reed. Major props to AJ Reed. His freshman season was a disaster to put it mildly. I wasn't sure he would ever kick again at Duke. Even in the 2018 spring event he was missing kicks. It is so hard for a kicker that develops the yips, or just shanks every kick, to get their confidence back. Look at Aguayo after he left FSU. We also see it in baseball in particular. He not only won the job, but he has been very solid from all distances. The kicks have been pretty true. We haven't seen him have to make a big kick with the lead on the line at the end of the game yet, but who cares. He's going to miss some kicks eventually this year. However, regardless of that, amazing comeback for him and one of the great stories of the team this year. Good for him.

    * Running game. Coming into the season, our running game was supposed to be our strength while QH and wide receivers found themselves. Not sure if it's because people are trying to take aware our running attack and dare us to beat them through the air, whether it's some inexperience in the line, or injuries, but other than a few brief periods of time, we have not been running well consistently. And if we are running, it's usually QH leading the way. Brown's injuries play a part. Durant has played well and good for him. Jackson has not really been as much of a consistent factor impacting the game as I expected, though again, defenses are probably keying on him. I think a lot of our success down the stretch this season may ride on our ability to start running more consistently. It will also help our passing attack against better teams.

    * Harris. He's done the job. I was definitely one of the people not sure what we were going to get, and I was concerned. He's looked like a P5 starting quarterback. Not much for me to say, but he's done what we needed. He really looks like he is the leader of the offense and in control. I'm not going to overstate his performance, but I can't argue or complain. He's smallish and didn't have much experience before this season, and is throwing to mainly first and second year players. He's actually played better than I expected, and if we are going to make a run at the Coastal, he'll be the one to lead us there (as it is with most quarterbacks).

    With that said, big game on Saturday (aren't they all at this point?). Like most of our games, definitely a winnable game. I don't want to make a prediction, because I won't like my prediction. The key, as others have said, is containing Perkins. Last year, he beat contain and kept drives alive with his legs. We couldn't get our defense off the field last year. I recall them having long drives making all of these third down plays to keep drives alive, and nickle and diming their way to scores. If we can keep him in the box and make him have to throw from the pocket for first downs, I think we have a chance. I think offensively, Harris's ability to run will be the key. I get concerned by our lack of consistent running to help our passing. I think Harris's ability has been opening things up. He'll need to be successful at running and converting broken plays to beat UVa's pass rush.

    The big X factor is whether Virginia's loss to Miami is a motivator for them or a sign that they are vulnerable. I fear the former but am praying for the latter. In any case, I think this is a fourth quarter game. We may need to see Harris have to drive us down the field late fourth quarter on the road and possibly see Reed make a pressure late game kick. I would love to see both (for a win).

    As always, let's go Duke!
    Next two weeks are crucial. Two wins would make us bowl eligible. A split would be acceptable. Two losses would spell disaster.

  14. #34
    Quote Originally Posted by Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15 View Post
    ... Two losses would spell disaster.
    Two Ls certainly not are not desirable. I wouldn't characterize it as a disaster. We are underdogs in both games. We'd be at 4-4, and are currently favored over Syracuse and Miami (per the espn power index thingy) so we'd still be on track for 6 wins hopefully.

  15. #35
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Undisclosed
    Quote Originally Posted by Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15 View Post
    Next two weeks are crucial. Two wins would make us bowl eligible. A split would be acceptable. Two losses would spell disaster.
    I read this to mean that we must beat the Tar Heels, and the other game is gravy if we get it.

  16. #36
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Norfolk, VA
    Steve Wiseman on the defensive line:

    https://amp.newsobserver.com/sports/...mpression=true
    Bob Green

  17. #37
    Quote Originally Posted by Reilly View Post
    Two Ls certainly not are not desirable. I wouldn't characterize it as a disaster. We are underdogs in both games. We'd be at 4-4, and are currently favored over Syracuse and Miami (per the espn power index thingy) so we'd still be on track for 6 wins hopefully.
    Yes, but the feel of 6-2 against Notre Dame is very different than 4-4 on a losing streak.
    Last edited by Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15; 10-16-2019 at 05:58 PM. Reason: Fat fingers

  18. #38
    Quote Originally Posted by Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15 View Post
    Yes, but the feel of 6-2 against Notre Dame is very different than 4-4 on a losing streak.
    I agree those will feel differently. There's about a 16% chance we'll be 6-2, a 48% chance we'll be 5-3, and a 36% chance we'll be 4-4, per current win projections. So, a 64% chance of something that will seem semi-OK (5-3 or 6-2). And even if 4-4 comes, we'll keep working, fight like hell against ND (and all others) and still represent Duke well (and hopefully bowl).

  19. #39
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Earth
    Ball security and associated easy points have been a major problem against them during this losing streak. No stunning insight here, but good OL play and decision making will go a long way to prevent UVA from earning points like a UNC final exam.

    Our defense really needs to sustain intensity for 4 quarters. We aren't going to get a 3-4 TD lead like we had against GT and VT. This game sets up more like Pitt without the TOs: 17-10 (with hopefully a Duke win).

    I hope we're up for the challenge. The 3:30 start makes an easy boomerang day trip for those in NC and DC. It's an easier in/out than UNC.

  20. #40
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Vermont
    Quote Originally Posted by Reilly View Post
    I agree those will feel differently. There's about a 16% chance we'll be 6-2, a 48% chance we'll be 5-3, and a 36% chance we'll be 4-4, per current win projections. So, a 64% chance of something that will seem semi-OK (5-3 or 6-2). And even if 4-4 comes, we'll keep working, fight like hell against ND (and all others) and still represent Duke well (and hopefully bowl).
    I'd be happy with five wins going into the ND game I suppose (though if we win vs UVA I'll get greedy and demand six). I still think getting to a bowl this year will be an achievement, but we definitely have an opportunity...we need the offense to get going early at UVA, can't afford another three quarters of sleepwalking like last week...

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