Ramblings and Predictions

Bob Green · Post by **Bob Green** » July 14th, 2014, 5:05 am

Duke gained 58.2 percent of their yards through the air and 41.8 percent on the ground, which was the most balanced offense in the Coach Cutcliffe era. Can we do it again in 2014?

http://bluedevilnation.net/2014/07/bala ... l-success/

CameronBornAndBred · Post by **CameronBornAndBred** » July 15th, 2014, 12:57 pm

Add another name (again) to Duke's growing list of preseason lists. Jamison Crowder was named to the Biletnikoff Award watch list. That puts us on well over a dozen lists.

Bob Green · Post by **Bob Green** » July 21st, 2014, 5:04 am

Boone needs to throw less interceptions in 2014. This article discusses Turnover Margin:

http://bluedevilnation.net/2014/07/turn ... ment-2014/

CameronBornAndBred · Post by **CameronBornAndBred** » August 6th, 2014, 11:27 am

Season preview from ESPN.
http://espn.go.com/blog/acc/post/_/id/7 ... on-preview

Bob Green · Post by **Bob Green** » August 6th, 2014, 4:19 pm

From the ESPN Preview:

Projected winning percentage: .645 = 7.74 wins in the 12 game regular season. I'd be slightly disappointed if we go 7-5, but 8-4 plus a bowl win would be acceptable. Of course, I'm rooting for 12-0 and a return to the ACCCG!

CameronBornAndBred · Post by **CameronBornAndBred** » August 6th, 2014, 9:44 pm

I want us to to everything we did last year, and more, but I'm trying to be realistic. That doesn't mean I don't think we CAN do as well, but we are going to (for the first time in forever) get every single team's best shot when they play us. Not only because they will want to beat us, but because they are just generally pissed off that we did so well and that we've had the success we've experienced. They will want to prove to us that we are the doormat that we are supposed to be.
It is going to be interesting to see how our guys respond to be being champions. We will have to play our best game every game, because the other guys sure will be.

CameronBornAndBred · Post by **CameronBornAndBred** » August 11th, 2014, 12:03 pm

The folks at ESPN have released their "power rankings" for the season. Duke is third behind FSU and Clemson, so that puts us first in the Coastal with the Heels on our heels.
http://espn.go.com/blog/acc/post/_/id/7 ... -preseason

CameronBornAndBred · Post by **CameronBornAndBred** » August 14th, 2014, 8:14 am

Duke is #24 on USA Today's countdown of all teams.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc ... /13978731/

Bob Green · Post by **Bob Green** » August 19th, 2014, 2:23 pm

Fun article: http://www.whatifsports.com/beyondthebo ... ACCPreview

Good news: Computer simulations have Duke winning 11 of 12.
Bad news: The one loss is to Carolina.

11-1 would mean a return trip to ACCCG.

DevilWearsPrada2.0 · Post by **DevilWearsPrada2.0** » August 20th, 2014, 11:39 am

Bob Green wrote:Fun article: http://www.whatifsports.com/beyondthebo ... ACCPreview

Good news: Computer simulations have Duke winning 11 of 12.
Bad news: The one loss is to Carolina.

11-1 would mean a return trip to ACCCG.

Duke has lost 4 players for this season: Kelby Brown and Braxton Deaver.......... ACL injuries
Jela Duncan academic suspension
Brandon Connette transfer for family reasons

And we haven't kicked off yet. TIME to step up and fill those big shoes!!!!

CameronBornAndBred · Post by **CameronBornAndBred** » August 21st, 2014, 9:40 am

Three players named to ESPN's Preseason All-ACC team. I would imagine that it might have been four had not Brown been injured.

http://espn.go.com/blog/acc/post/_/id/7 ... acc-team-2

Bob Green · Post by **Bob Green** » August 21st, 2014, 6:33 pm

Here is an article on the TE situation that includes quotes from Boone, Reeves and Schneider:

http://bluedevilnation.net/2014/08/duke ... -punch-te/

Losing Braxton Deaver is very unfortunate; however, Duke is very fortunate to have an proven starter in David Reeves to step into the line-up.

Bob Green · Post by **Bob Green** » August 22nd, 2014, 10:34 am

Another prediction article:

http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.co ... eview-acc/

This one has Duke at #5 in the Coastal ahead of Georgia Tech and Virginia. I have to believe the national media is guilty of looking at what we have lost instead of what we have returning.

1. Our special teams should be some of the best in the conference: Monday, Martin, Crowder, Edwards
2. Playmakers on offense: Crowder, Boone, Snead, Powell + at least one more receiver (Blakeney, McCaffrey, Barnes, Reeves, Lee, Taylor)
3. Solid but not spectacular defense: Cash, Helton, Edwards, Borders, Bruce, Wray, Fields

I'll go on record right here, folks are under appreciative of the talent we can put on the field. Yes, our depth took a couple of serious blows, but Duke is a talented football team with a great coaching staff.

CameronBornAndBred · Post by **CameronBornAndBred** » August 22nd, 2014, 10:58 am

The national media still suffers from "Same Old Duke" syndrome. It is amazing how hard it is to break that image.

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