Duke's All Decade Team: Offense 2010-2019
In addition to missing out on a bowl game, Duke’s 5-7 record in 2019 kept the Blue Devils from reaching a .500 record for the decade 2010-2019.
Still, even at one game below .500, Duke enjoyed its most successful football decade in a half century and won more games than any decade since the Great Depression. The Blue Devils also ended an incredible string of having their win-loss percentage fall for seven straight decades.
For the next several days, we’ll look back at the decade where Duke turned its program around—the best performances, most memorable games and more.
Today, we’ll look at the offense of Duke’s All Decade Team for 2010-2019.
Quarterback:
Daniel Jones, 2016 to 2018. Sean Renfree threw for more yards, but there’s little doubt that Jones was the Blue Devils’ best quarterback of the decade. Thrust into a starting role as a redshirt freshman when Thomas Sirk was injured just before the start of the regular season, Jones started for three years, throwing for 52 touchdowns. Jones was also dangerous running the ball. He left Duke a year early and was the sixth overall pick in the NFL Draft, knocking Eli Manning out of a starting job.
Running backs:
Shaun Wilson, 2014 to 2017. The leading rusher for the decade, Wilson gained 2,463 yards, fourth most in school history. His 245 yards against Kansas are a school single-game record. He scored 18 touchdowns on the ground and was also a receiving threat.
Jela Duncan, 2012 to 2016. The only other Blue Devil to rush for 2,000 yards in the 2010s (2,025, actually), Duncan is seventh on Duke’s all-time rushing list. He scored 17 rushing touchdowns in his Duke career.
Shaq Powell, Deon Jackson and Josh Snead also deserve honorable mention.
Wide receivers:
Jamison Crowder, 2011 to 2014. With apologies to Clarkston Hines, there is a short list of two for best Duke receiver in history, and both of them played for the Blue Devils in this decade. Crowder has three of the top four highest single-season catch totals in Duke history, as well as the highest single-season yardage total. He’s also well on his way to being the top Duke alumni in the NFL.
Conner Vernon, 2009 to 2012. His freshman season doesn’t count for the decade totals, but Vernon is the most consistent receiver in school history and tied Crowder for most catches in Duke history. His 85 catches in 2012 break up Crowder’s logjam at the top of the single-season list.
In most other decades, T.J. Rahming would have a case for a spot on the team, but not this one.
Tight end:
Braxton Deaver, 2011 to 2015. The tight end spot has been an underrated but important part of David Cutcliffe’s offense, and Duke has had a steady stream of solid players at this spot for the last decade, starting with Cooper Helfet (775 yards and six TDs in two years before an NFL career), and including Isaac Blakeney, Davis Koppenhaver and current tight end Noah Gray. With 75 catches, 890 yards and six touchdowns, Deaver had the best combination of goal-line threat and deep ball potential.
Offensive line:
Center: Matt Skura, 2012 to 2015. The two-time All-ACC selection gets the nod by a hair over Jack Wohlabaugh.
Guard: Laken Tomlinson, 2011 to 2014. An All-American and ACC male athlete of the year, Tomlinson went on to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Guard: Dave Harding, 2010 to 2013. He split time between center and guard and was a mainstay of the offensive line. Gets the nod by a slim margin over current NFLer Lucas Patrick.
Tackle: Perry Simmons, 2010 to 2013. It’s easy to see why the early-decade Duke offenses were so explosive, playing behind this offensive line. Simmons was a freshman All-American and went on to be one of the best tackles in the league all four seasons.
Tackle: Takoby Cofield, 2011 to 2014. Yet another member of that rock-solid line of the early decade, Cofield was All-ACC and went on to a career in the CFL.
