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Duke's Ben Frye: "We've Got to Earn the Right to Rush the Passer"

Tackle also wrestles for Blue Devils

Redshirt junior defensive tackle Ben Frye is starting in the middle of the Duke line this season.

Frye did double duty last year, also wrestling at 285 for Duke’s wrestling team.

“I’ve been wrestling since high school,” he said. “I’m a lighter side defensive tackle. The same things you learn in wrestling, I use as a defensive lineman—using your hands, shedding blocks, finding angles. Even as a heavyweight wrestler, I’m always wrestling bigger dudes than me. It definitely helps on the line of scrimmage.”

For the third straight week, Frye and the rest of the line is preparing for an experienced opposing offensive line in Virginia.

“Honestly, I think it comes down to a physical line of scrimmage,” he said. “I know they’ve got an older o-line. I think we’ve got a really good defensive line. I think the battle’s going to be won up front. We’ve got to stop the run and get after the quarterback.”

The Blue Devils have had success rushing the passer this year, but the line has to do its job stopping the run before it can focus on bringing down the quarterback.

“We’re an aggressive style, get off defense,” he said. “ I think we’ve got lot of guys with a lot of ability to rush the edge. I think we’ve got to earn the right to rush the passer. We come into every game saying the first thing we’ve got to do is stop the run. After that things are going to open up in the pass game.”