You never know what you're going to get when Duke faces Miami on the gridiron.
You could get a shootout, like 2012's 52-45 Hurricanes victory, or you could get a big 48-30 Duke win over a ranked Miami squad, which happened in 2013.
 |
| Duke QB Daniel Jones is a versatile dual threat (News & Observer) |
The ACC said the game shouldn't have counted as a couple of Miami players were down before releasing the football, and the entire officiating crew was suspended in the aftermath.
The teams face off in Durham Friday night, and both are in the unusual position of being undefeated.
Miami has won its first two games -- two were cancelled or postponed due to Hurricane Irma -- and Duke has rolled off four straight victories on the strength of a stifling defense.
The Blue Devils beat North Carolina 27-17 last weekend, giving head coach David Cutcliffe his 100th victory.
"101 is going to be a lot harder to get than No. 1," Cutcliffe quipped.
Duke is 11th in the country in total defense, and second against the run, allowing just 65 yards per game and 2.3 yards per carry. The Blue Devils have fed off of turnovers, taking the ball away nine times, and love getting after the quarterback. Duke has 15 sacks in four games, fourth best in the country.
Senior defensive end Mike Ramsay has 3.5 sacks and 6 tackles for loss, and corner Bryon Fields has two interceptions, both of which he has returned for touchdowns. Linebacker Joe Giles-Harris leads the team with 8.5 tackles per game.
Duke hasn't been explosive on offense, but has over 900 yards rushing and passing, so teams can't just load up to stop one or the other.
It all starts with quarterback Daniel Jones, who is completing 62 percent of his passes and just two interceptions. He's not afraid to tuck it and run, either, scoring three times on the ground.
"He's got the size (6-5, 215), he's got the arm strength, he's got the mentality, he's got the toughness," Cutcliffe said. "And this guy can run. Whether it's touch or velocity or timing, he's got that kind of accuracy. It's almost scary."
Senior running back Shaun Wilson is averaging nearly six yards per carry and has five touchdowns, and he's been splitting time with explosive freshman Brittain Brown, who averages 6.3 yards per carry and has scored twice. Junior T.J. Rahming is Jones' favorite target, grabbing 24 passes and leading a deep corps of wideouts.
 |
| Miami QB Malik Rosier has been steady at the controls (Miami Herald) |
Quarterback Malik Rosier threw for 333 yards against the Rockets, all but 50 coming in the second half.
"He was rushing himself too much in the first half," Hurricanes coach Mark Richt said. "He was throwing it sooner than he had to. I thought his decision-making was excellent, but sometimes his feet were too fast and his brain was going a little too fast."
Rosier got his first collegiate start in that wild 2015 game in place of Brad Kaaya, who was out with a concussion. He threw for 272 yards and a pair of touchdowns in his first substantial game action.
Duke's run defense will be tested by Miami running back Mark Walton, who had 204 yards on just 13 carries against Toledo and has 352 yards in two contests. He has the speed to get to the outside and the elusiveness to make defenders miss in the hole. He doesn't get talked about as much as some of the other top-flight backs in the country, but he doesn't need to take a back seat to anyone.
"He's a very good, instinctive runner," Richt said. "The thing that he can do, when you set a play to go a certain way and they're defending it, he just has a great instinct to hit the brakes and find the best place to go. It's something you can't coach or teach."
Miami could be without top receiving target Ahmmon Richards, who has missed time with a hamstring injury. The Hurricanes have been a big-play passing attack, with four receivers averaging 15 yards or more per catch. Senior Braxton Berrios leads the way with eight grabs for 140 yards and two scores.
The Hurricanes are fifth in the country in total offense, and second in yards per play at 8.95. So it will be an interesting matchup of the irresistible force meeting the immovable object.
Miami's defense isn't up to `The U' standard, allowing 389 yards per game and over five yards per play. The Canes have been especially forgiving against the pass, ranking 114th in the country and allowing three touchdowns in two games. Miami has been showing its athleticism and speed, posting 16 tackles for loss in two games.
Miami has won 12 of the 14 games in the series, and is currently riding a three-game winning streak.
While Duke knows that it rightfully should have won the last time these two met in Durham, there won't be any lingering thoughts about the one that was taken away.
"I think our mind's in the right place," Cutcliffe said. "We've got to make sure our bodies are.
"Miami well may be the most talented team we play this season. This is about focus and team. You win games like this as a team."
No comments:
Post a Comment