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Football Notebook: Duke Opens Season on Saturday
8/31/2016 9:49:00 AM | Football
DURHAM, N.C. -- David Cutcliffe will open his ninth season as Duke's head football coach Saturday when the Blue Devils kick off the 2016 season against cross-city rival N.C. Central.
Cutcliffe will be seeking his fifth straight bowl trip after last year's team ended the 2015 season with an overtime victory over Indiana in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl in Yankee Stadium – Duke's first bowl win since the 1961 Cotton Bowl.
“Defense, offense, kicking – we've got a lot to learn about our team, but it's time to play games and see how well that we can play,” the Blue Devil coach said.
In many ways, this is a season of uncertainty. Duke will have 11 new starters Saturday – 13 counting the kicker and punter. There has been the largest off-season turnover in the coaching staff since Cutcliffe's first season. And the team was rocked late last week when returning starting quarterback Thomas Sirk was lost for the season with his third Achilles tear.
Nevertheless, Cutcliffe refused to label the season a rebuilding year.
“We are a developmental program,” he said. “You hope you are not rebuilding – you hope you are building. I want to see us building every year. I want to see young players step into the lineup. That's kind of a normal process. I don't view that as a negative.
“Right now, we are a team that can compete for championships, if we play well.”
Indeed, over the last few months, Cutcliffe has described this as the fastest and the strongest team that he's had at Duke.
That will be on display against the Eagles, an FCS team that Duke has dominated in four previous meetings – winning 49-14 in 2009, 54-17 in 2012, 45-0 in 2013 and 55-0 last season.
Still, Cutcliffe warned that this year's NCCU team offers a real test for the young Blue Devils.
“They are back-to-back champions in their conference [MEAC] and they return nine or 10 starters on offense and seven or eight on defense,” the Duke coach said. “They are experienced in a lot of the right places – through the middle on defense and at quarterback, the receiving corps, running backs. They have weapons.
“We're going to have to play well. They're well coached. If you don't perform, you're not going to beat this team.”
Cutcliffe's Duke teams have won four straight openers, since losing to Richmond in 2011. That's also the last time the Blue Devils lost to an FCS opponent.
The Loss of Thomas Sirk
Duke has been relatively injury-free in preseason – with one glaring exception.
Fifth-year senior quarterback Thomas Sirk, who appeared to be on the path for a remarkable recovery after tearing his left Achilles tendon last February, suffered another partial Achilles tear late last week and will miss the season.
It's actually the third Achilles tear that Sirk has suffered at Duke – he missed the 2013 season after rupturing his right Achilles in spring practice that year.
“We're all heartbroken for Thomas,” Cutcliffe said.
He said that the scene at practice last Thursday, when Sirk was hurt, was depressing.
“You could have heard a pin drop,” he said. “Those are those moments when you don't try and sugarcoat it. We had an opportunity to meet [Friday] as a team. For two years in a row, we had that same feeling when Kelby Brown went down. We all felt like we had been kicked in the gut.
“I thought our team got right back to work. No disrespect to Thomas, but you've got to step up.
“The last part of the equation was Thomas Sirk himself. He came into the team meeting with a smile on his face. And it wasn't false. I thought back a year ago and Kelby was the same way. He's been an inspiration for many of us – and certainly for me.”
Like Brown, who served as a team captain last year from the sidelines, Sirk was voted as a captain for this year's team. He will be working with his replacements, especially redshirt freshman Daniel Jones.
“He's not missed a meeting,” Cutcliffe said. “Thomas will help us win.”
Stepping Into the Breech
Sirk was one of the most effective quarterbacks in the ACC last season. He finished third in the ACC in total offense, had the lowest turnover-per-play rate of any quarterback in the league and led the Blue Devils to eight victories – including their first bowl win in more than half a century.
He will be hard to replace.
But Cutcliffe has considerable confidence in redshirt freshman Daniel Jones.
“Daniel has a great opportunity,' the Duke coach said.
Jones actually came to Duke as a walk-on. Cutcliffe explained last week that he had finished his recruiting class when he got a call from Jones' coach at Charlotte Latin School, Larry McNulty. He was hoping to get Cutcliffe's help in finding Jones a scholarship.
Cutcliffe said that after watching Jones' film, his reaction was, “he can play for us.”
Jones was recruited as a walk-on with the understanding that when a scholarship opened up, he would get one. An injury last summer eliminated one of Duke's 85 scholarship players and Jones was put on aid.
He spent last year running the scout team, but impressed the coaches with his accuracy and speed on the ground. Sirk's injury opened up playing time in the spring and Jones took advantage of it – first pushing, then surpassing more-experienced holdover Parker Boehme.
What pushed Jones into the starting role?
“There reaches a time when productivity goes into everything that you do – accuracy, game management … all the different abilities a quarterback's got to take into a game to be successful,” Cutcliffe said. “Parker is doing really well. He's doing what you expect. The last three or four practices, he's been pushing back. Quentin Harris is pushing.”
Jones said his game has developed in practice, but still needs to be tested in game action.
“You need to play the game to get better at it,” he said.
Although at 6-5, Jones appears to be more of a pocket passer (while Sirk was a very strong runner), Cutcliffe said the offense won't change that much this season.
“Daniel Jones is fast,” he said. “He is a really good runner with the football – big, strong. So he is going to be a threat to run the football.”
Johnathan Lloyd, who came to Duke as a quarterback, but is now slated to start at wide receiver, said that Jones will bring a lot to the table.
“Daniel is really, really talented,” Lloyd said. “He's a young guy, still learning, but he has a really bright future. He can really throw that thing.
“He's getting better every day. You can see it.”
Finding a Home
Johnathan Lloyd has struggled to find a position.
The Graham, N.C. product came to Duke in December of 2013 as a quarterback. He got a taste of practice as Duke prepared for the Chick-fil-A Bowl, then went through spring practice.
But an ankle injury required surgery that June and he was not healthy the entire next season. When he finally got back on the field in the spring of 2014, he was moved to the secondary – where Duke's experienced depth mostly limited him to special teams duty.
Last December, as Duke prepared for the New Era Pinstripe Bowl, Lloyd moved again – this time to wide receiver. He got to work there all spring and is now slated to start the season as Duke's first team slot receiver.
“I definitely feel like I've found a home,” Lloyd said. “It's been a transition. It's a lot of learning at each position. It's been fun – I feel like I know the game so much better at receiver after being different places. I feel like I'm home now.”
Lloyd was regarded as a high profile prospect coming out of Southern Alamance High School. He was offered by such programs as Notre Dame, Clemson, Ohio State, Florida, Miami and West Virginia. But his career has been slowed by the ankle injury he suffered in his earlier days at Duke.
“I always believed in myself,” he said. “I thought I had the talent. I just had to put it together. It took me a while to settle in and find the right spot. Now I'm ready to settle down and keep getting better as a receiver.”
Cutcliffe likes what he's seen from Lloyd so far.
“Just consistency, route-running, blocking – the slot receiver is asked to do a lot of things in our offense,” he said. “He's got to read coverage. He's got to be physical. He's become our best blocker at receiver.
“Johnathan is a mentally tough person from an incredible family. He's very smart and very resilient.”
Rebuilding the Offensive Line
Duke's offensive front has been a consistent strong point over the last four seasons, despite having to replace one or two starters almost every year.
Last spring, the line was crippled by a collection of injuries – some major and some minor. Even going into preseason camp, Cutcliffe was concerned about the health of a couple of key players – especially senior guard Tanner Stone, who was recovering from offseason back surgery.
But Stone has returned in good shape, giving new line coach Marcus Johnson three returning starters to build around – Stone at guard, plus tackles Casey Blaser and Gabe Brandner. In addition, redshirt junior Austin Davis seems ready to step into Matt Skura's shoes at center, while redshirt freshman Zach Baker has emerged at the other guard.
Suddenly, the O-line looks as solid as ever.
“Definitely in the spring, there was a lot of rotation – injuries, bumps and bruises; Tanner not being there,” Blaser said. “I guess you could say spring ball, we were just putting the pieces in there, hoping it would work out.
“At the same time, it helped our depth. A lot of guys got reps. Now, with Tanner back in there, with Sterling [Korona] back, taking guard and tackle reps, then Baker growing, me and Gabe growing … our chemistry together is just helping us improve.”
Blaser has enjoyed working with the new line coach, Johnson.
“I think it's been a smooth transition,” he said. “Coach Johnson has a lot of energy. He's eager to get us better.”
Blaser has also been impressed by the four freshmen offensive linemen – on paper, they are the highest rated offensive line recruits that Cutcliffe has landed. One of them – guard Julian Santos, a 6-3, 315-pounder from East Lake, Fla., has already cracked the two-deep as a backup to Baker at left guard.
“He's a really, physical and quick guy,” Cutcliffe said.
No true freshman has played on the offensive line during Cutcliffe's tenure at Duke.
However, a handful have cracked the second team in the past – including Dave Harding and Laken Tomlinson. They would have played if necessary, but weren't needed.
The Duke coach said that he does expect Santos to play.
“I'm leaning towards playing him,” Cutcliffe said. “I think he can be an impact offensive lineman as the season goes on.”
Cutcliffe will be seeking his fifth straight bowl trip after last year's team ended the 2015 season with an overtime victory over Indiana in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl in Yankee Stadium – Duke's first bowl win since the 1961 Cotton Bowl.
“Defense, offense, kicking – we've got a lot to learn about our team, but it's time to play games and see how well that we can play,” the Blue Devil coach said.
In many ways, this is a season of uncertainty. Duke will have 11 new starters Saturday – 13 counting the kicker and punter. There has been the largest off-season turnover in the coaching staff since Cutcliffe's first season. And the team was rocked late last week when returning starting quarterback Thomas Sirk was lost for the season with his third Achilles tear.
Nevertheless, Cutcliffe refused to label the season a rebuilding year.
“We are a developmental program,” he said. “You hope you are not rebuilding – you hope you are building. I want to see us building every year. I want to see young players step into the lineup. That's kind of a normal process. I don't view that as a negative.
“Right now, we are a team that can compete for championships, if we play well.”
Indeed, over the last few months, Cutcliffe has described this as the fastest and the strongest team that he's had at Duke.
That will be on display against the Eagles, an FCS team that Duke has dominated in four previous meetings – winning 49-14 in 2009, 54-17 in 2012, 45-0 in 2013 and 55-0 last season.
Still, Cutcliffe warned that this year's NCCU team offers a real test for the young Blue Devils.
“They are back-to-back champions in their conference [MEAC] and they return nine or 10 starters on offense and seven or eight on defense,” the Duke coach said. “They are experienced in a lot of the right places – through the middle on defense and at quarterback, the receiving corps, running backs. They have weapons.
“We're going to have to play well. They're well coached. If you don't perform, you're not going to beat this team.”
Cutcliffe's Duke teams have won four straight openers, since losing to Richmond in 2011. That's also the last time the Blue Devils lost to an FCS opponent.
The Loss of Thomas Sirk
Duke has been relatively injury-free in preseason – with one glaring exception.
Fifth-year senior quarterback Thomas Sirk, who appeared to be on the path for a remarkable recovery after tearing his left Achilles tendon last February, suffered another partial Achilles tear late last week and will miss the season.
It's actually the third Achilles tear that Sirk has suffered at Duke – he missed the 2013 season after rupturing his right Achilles in spring practice that year.
“We're all heartbroken for Thomas,” Cutcliffe said.
He said that the scene at practice last Thursday, when Sirk was hurt, was depressing.
“You could have heard a pin drop,” he said. “Those are those moments when you don't try and sugarcoat it. We had an opportunity to meet [Friday] as a team. For two years in a row, we had that same feeling when Kelby Brown went down. We all felt like we had been kicked in the gut.
“I thought our team got right back to work. No disrespect to Thomas, but you've got to step up.
“The last part of the equation was Thomas Sirk himself. He came into the team meeting with a smile on his face. And it wasn't false. I thought back a year ago and Kelby was the same way. He's been an inspiration for many of us – and certainly for me.”
Like Brown, who served as a team captain last year from the sidelines, Sirk was voted as a captain for this year's team. He will be working with his replacements, especially redshirt freshman Daniel Jones.
“He's not missed a meeting,” Cutcliffe said. “Thomas will help us win.”
Stepping Into the Breech
Sirk was one of the most effective quarterbacks in the ACC last season. He finished third in the ACC in total offense, had the lowest turnover-per-play rate of any quarterback in the league and led the Blue Devils to eight victories – including their first bowl win in more than half a century.
He will be hard to replace.
But Cutcliffe has considerable confidence in redshirt freshman Daniel Jones.
“Daniel has a great opportunity,' the Duke coach said.
Jones actually came to Duke as a walk-on. Cutcliffe explained last week that he had finished his recruiting class when he got a call from Jones' coach at Charlotte Latin School, Larry McNulty. He was hoping to get Cutcliffe's help in finding Jones a scholarship.
Cutcliffe said that after watching Jones' film, his reaction was, “he can play for us.”
Jones was recruited as a walk-on with the understanding that when a scholarship opened up, he would get one. An injury last summer eliminated one of Duke's 85 scholarship players and Jones was put on aid.
He spent last year running the scout team, but impressed the coaches with his accuracy and speed on the ground. Sirk's injury opened up playing time in the spring and Jones took advantage of it – first pushing, then surpassing more-experienced holdover Parker Boehme.
What pushed Jones into the starting role?
“There reaches a time when productivity goes into everything that you do – accuracy, game management … all the different abilities a quarterback's got to take into a game to be successful,” Cutcliffe said. “Parker is doing really well. He's doing what you expect. The last three or four practices, he's been pushing back. Quentin Harris is pushing.”
Jones said his game has developed in practice, but still needs to be tested in game action.
“You need to play the game to get better at it,” he said.
Although at 6-5, Jones appears to be more of a pocket passer (while Sirk was a very strong runner), Cutcliffe said the offense won't change that much this season.
“Daniel Jones is fast,” he said. “He is a really good runner with the football – big, strong. So he is going to be a threat to run the football.”
Johnathan Lloyd, who came to Duke as a quarterback, but is now slated to start at wide receiver, said that Jones will bring a lot to the table.
“Daniel is really, really talented,” Lloyd said. “He's a young guy, still learning, but he has a really bright future. He can really throw that thing.
“He's getting better every day. You can see it.”
Finding a Home
Johnathan Lloyd has struggled to find a position.
The Graham, N.C. product came to Duke in December of 2013 as a quarterback. He got a taste of practice as Duke prepared for the Chick-fil-A Bowl, then went through spring practice.
But an ankle injury required surgery that June and he was not healthy the entire next season. When he finally got back on the field in the spring of 2014, he was moved to the secondary – where Duke's experienced depth mostly limited him to special teams duty.
Last December, as Duke prepared for the New Era Pinstripe Bowl, Lloyd moved again – this time to wide receiver. He got to work there all spring and is now slated to start the season as Duke's first team slot receiver.
“I definitely feel like I've found a home,” Lloyd said. “It's been a transition. It's a lot of learning at each position. It's been fun – I feel like I know the game so much better at receiver after being different places. I feel like I'm home now.”
Lloyd was regarded as a high profile prospect coming out of Southern Alamance High School. He was offered by such programs as Notre Dame, Clemson, Ohio State, Florida, Miami and West Virginia. But his career has been slowed by the ankle injury he suffered in his earlier days at Duke.
“I always believed in myself,” he said. “I thought I had the talent. I just had to put it together. It took me a while to settle in and find the right spot. Now I'm ready to settle down and keep getting better as a receiver.”
Cutcliffe likes what he's seen from Lloyd so far.
“Just consistency, route-running, blocking – the slot receiver is asked to do a lot of things in our offense,” he said. “He's got to read coverage. He's got to be physical. He's become our best blocker at receiver.
“Johnathan is a mentally tough person from an incredible family. He's very smart and very resilient.”
Rebuilding the Offensive Line
Duke's offensive front has been a consistent strong point over the last four seasons, despite having to replace one or two starters almost every year.
Last spring, the line was crippled by a collection of injuries – some major and some minor. Even going into preseason camp, Cutcliffe was concerned about the health of a couple of key players – especially senior guard Tanner Stone, who was recovering from offseason back surgery.
But Stone has returned in good shape, giving new line coach Marcus Johnson three returning starters to build around – Stone at guard, plus tackles Casey Blaser and Gabe Brandner. In addition, redshirt junior Austin Davis seems ready to step into Matt Skura's shoes at center, while redshirt freshman Zach Baker has emerged at the other guard.
Suddenly, the O-line looks as solid as ever.
“Definitely in the spring, there was a lot of rotation – injuries, bumps and bruises; Tanner not being there,” Blaser said. “I guess you could say spring ball, we were just putting the pieces in there, hoping it would work out.
“At the same time, it helped our depth. A lot of guys got reps. Now, with Tanner back in there, with Sterling [Korona] back, taking guard and tackle reps, then Baker growing, me and Gabe growing … our chemistry together is just helping us improve.”
Blaser has enjoyed working with the new line coach, Johnson.
“I think it's been a smooth transition,” he said. “Coach Johnson has a lot of energy. He's eager to get us better.”
Blaser has also been impressed by the four freshmen offensive linemen – on paper, they are the highest rated offensive line recruits that Cutcliffe has landed. One of them – guard Julian Santos, a 6-3, 315-pounder from East Lake, Fla., has already cracked the two-deep as a backup to Baker at left guard.
“He's a really, physical and quick guy,” Cutcliffe said.
No true freshman has played on the offensive line during Cutcliffe's tenure at Duke.
However, a handful have cracked the second team in the past – including Dave Harding and Laken Tomlinson. They would have played if necessary, but weren't needed.
The Duke coach said that he does expect Santos to play.
“I'm leaning towards playing him,” Cutcliffe said. “I think he can be an impact offensive lineman as the season goes on.”
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