Bye Week Report: A Look At Duke's Defense and Special Teams
Six games into the 11-game season, Duke has its off week. We broke down the offense in the first post in the series. Here’s a look at the Blue Devils defense and special teams.
Defense: Thought to be the strength of the team heading into the season, the defense has also struggled, most notably with conditioning. A tired defense is more likely to give up explosive plays, which has also plagued the Blue Devils during several second-half points explosions by opponents.
The secondary has performed admirably, considering it lost both starting corners early in the season.
The Duke pass rush has been almost as good as advertised. The Blue Devils are third in the ACC in sacks.
What can be done? It’s tough to improve conditioning levels or depth midway through a season, but Duke needs to spend its week off trying its best to do so. An offense that is able to hold onto possession and eat clock will also help to save wear and tear on the defense.
Special teams: It’s been a maddeningly mixed bag for the Blue Devils. Duke had to replace both specialists with redshirt freshmen. Kicker Charlie Ham has been solid, connecting on 10 of 12 field goals and 12 of 13 extra points.
Punter Porter Wilson hasn’t been quite as consistent, although overall, he’s been reliable. He had a punt blocked for a touchdown against NC State, cancelling out one that Duke blocked for a score earlier in the game.
While the newcomers have stepped up, the return men, who were experienced and thought to be a strength, have deserted the Blue Devils. Damond Philyaw-Johnson, who tied a single-game NCAA record for touchdowns last year and entered this season as a preseason All-American, has lost his job. (He continued at wide receiver, although it’s possible he may have an unreported nagging injury that prevents him from returning kicks.) Punt returner Josh Blackwell was lost with an early-season injury. Duke’s coverage teams have struggled, giving up explosive plays in the return game.
