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OUR 2002 DUKE BLUE DEVILS COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW
Saturday, October 5, 2002 - Time: 12:00 PM - Jefferson Pilot
Wallace Wade Stadium - Durham, North Carolina
Capacity (33,941)
(Game Six)
2001 Record: 0-11, 2001 Atlantic Coast Conference Record: 0-8 (Last)
Dubious Distinctions: The Blue Devils have the nations longest losing streak at 23 consecutive games. Their last win? 24-17 overtime win at Charlottesville back in 1999.
Stellar Stats: I'll get back to you.
Overview
I doubt any university in America has a wider gap between the fortunes of their Division 1-A football and basketball programs than Duke. Each year, Mike Krzyzewski's Blue Devils enter the season ranked in the top five with a focus on winning one game: the NCAA National Championship game. And just like the Duke basketball team, each year it seems Duke football enters the season focused on winning one game; maybe even two.
Entering the 2002 season on the heels of 23 straight losses, Duke fans might be thinking things couldn't get any worse. Think again. With the announcement in June that Duke senior quarterback D. Bryant was ruled academically ineligible and would not play his final season of eligibility with the Blue Devil squad things indeed got worse for Duke head football coach Carl Franks. "We are disappointed that D. will not have the opportunity to finish his playing career here at Duke," Franks said. "He has played an important role in our football program these last two seasons." In 22 career games with the Blue Devils, Bryant completed 316-of-642 passes for 3,902 yards with 16 touchdowns. On Duke's career charts, he ranks sixth in pass attempts, seventh in pass completions, seventh in passing yards, eighth in total offense (3,821 yards) and ninth in touchdown passes. As a junior in 2001, Bryant hit on 187-of-384 pass attempts for 2,454 yards and 11 touchdowns. In 2000, he was 129-of-258 throwing the football for 1,448 yards and five scores. With the loss of D. Bryant, the 2002 edition of Duke Football will feature just one senior, Jamyon Small. Entering spring practice, the remainder of the roster includes 17 juniors, 29 sophomores, 13 redshirt freshmen and 22 true freshmen. Virginia, with eight, has the second lowest number of returning seniors in the conference
Offense
The loss of Bryant leaves four candidates fighting it out for the starting position at quarterback. Maybe the best bet to win the job is the mobile Rutgers transfer Chris Dapolito (6-3 220 So.). Dapolito was expected to take over for the departed Mike McMahon (2nd leading passer in Rutgers history) last year, but with the arrival of a new head coach (Gary Schiano) and a new staff the dynamic changed and the starting job went to the son (Ryan) of Rutgers Offensive Coordinator Bill Cubit (go figure). During the annual White and Blue Spring Game Chris was impressive at times against the Blue Devils' revamped defense, completing 9 of 14 passes for 92 yards, but also looked like a sophomore when linebacker Giuseppe Aguanno picked off a pass Dapolito forced up the middle. Dapolito said he feels comfortable in Durham, even if his future playing time is still up in the air. He picked Duke because of some familiar faces. Duke assistant coach Brad Sherrod recruited Dapolito out of high school in Matawan, N.J. Duke defensive back coach Denny Creehan was on Rutgers' coaching staff during Dapolito's redshirt year (2001). Another option for Duke quarterback coach Jim Pry is Adam Smith (6-5 205 So.) who played in five games last season completing five-of-13 passes for 30 yards and tossing one interception. Smith hit three touchdowns passes in the final spring scrimmage and Dapolito threw for one. Chris Wispelwey (6-5 220 So.) who was active in four games last fall completed two-of-four passes for 55 yards and a touchdown and like Dipalito is from New Jersey. Don't be shocked if incoming freshman Mike Schneider (6-3 215 Fr.) wins the job this fall. Schneider was listed as the seventh-top quarterback and 29th-best overall prospect in Pennsylvania by SuperPrep and was named All-East Region by Prep Star magazine. As a high school senior he completed 70-of-139 passes for 1,320 yards and 13 touchdowns against two interceptions. Schneider was a two-time first team all-conference pick as well as an honorable mention all-state selection. In the end, we still think Dapolito will get the call.
One area where there is some degree of experience is on the Duke offensive front. All five projected starters have starting experience from last season. Drew Strojny (6-7 284 So.) who started the final eight games of the 2000 season and all 11 for the Devils last year will start at the left tackle position. Strojny who missed spring practice after undergoing shoulder surgery in December has the most starts of any returning offensive linemen and according to Duke sources is expected to return for fall camp. If Drew is not ready when the season starts, look for redshirt freshman Jim Moravchik (6-6 305) to get the nod. At 330 pounds (down from 345 last fall) "load" might be an understatement for Duke left guard Daryl Lewis (6-3 Jr.). Like Strojny, Lewis does have ample experience after starting 9 games as a redshirt freshmen and adding five additional starts during an injury riddled 2001 season. Right guard Rusty Wilson (6-3 320 Jr.) had a tremendous camp last spring and was rewarded by being voted Duke's Most Improved offensive lineman. He saw action in 10 games (8 starts) in 2001 (606 total plays), missing only the Vanderbilt contest due to injury. Christian Mitchell (6-7 325 So.) played in all 11 games (4 starts) last fall but was slowed by an injury early in the season. Look for Mitchell to handle the right tackle duties. With 12 career starts to his credit, center Luke Bayer (6-5 285 Jr.) should provide solid play in the middle. Bayer can play either guard or center.
Gone are Duke's leading wide receivers from 2001 Ben Erdeljac and All-Conference selection tight end Mike Hart. Hart and Erdeljac accounted for 72 receptions last fall and 45% of Duke's receiving yardage. After serving as Dukes 3rd receiver in their multiple set offense last year Reggie Love, a 6-4 226 pound sophomore is expected to move in to the starter role this season. Love has started 10 career games at wide receiver accounting for 26 pass receptions for 367 yards and one touchdown. Reggie is the Devils third leading retuning receiver from a year ago with 18 receptions for 266 yards. Rising sophomore wide receiver Khary Sharpe (5-11 170) emerged as a solid receiving threat over the final seven games of the 2001 campaign. After catching just two passes for 11 yards in the first four contests, Sharpe hauled in 21 passes for 263 yards over the final seven games seasons and returns as Dukes second leading pass catcher. Sophomores Lance Johnson (6-1 190) and Senterrio Landrum (5-9 185) should be in the mix for playing time for the Blue Devils this season as well.
Despite the loss of Hart, Duke's tight end situation is in good shape with the return of lettermen Nick Brzezinski (6-5 245 Jr.) and Calen Powell (6-5 235 So), along with redshirt freshman Andy Roland (6-4 225 Fr). Brzezinski finished 2001 with 13 receptions for 133 yards and three touchdowns while Powell had three catches for 65 yards for a team-leading 21.7 yards per reception average. In 22 career games, Brzezinski has 25 catches for 310 yards and three touchdowns.
The centerpiece of the Duke attack is All-ACC candidate tailback Chris Douglas (5-11 190 Jr.). The Blue Devils return 94.4 percent of their rushing attack from the 2001 season. A year ago, Duke rushed for 1,243 yards, up 337 yards from the 2000 campaign, including 841 yards by the talented Douglas. Chris will enter 2002 as Duke's top returnee in five statistical categories - rushing, receiving, scoring, all-purpose yards and kickoff returns and earned Honorable Mention All-ACC honors in 2001after leading the Blue Devils in rushing (841 yards) and scoring (48 points). In 2001, Chris established a new school single season record with 1,849 all-purpose yards, and his per game average of 168.1 led the ACC and placed seventh nationally. Halfway through his career, Douglas is on pace to establish a new ACC career record in the all purpose category set by Carolina's Leon Johnson back in 1996. Douglas had a 101 yard day on 24 carries at Virginia last season. Tailback Alex Wade (6-0 250 Jr.) rushed for 249 yards and four touchdowns on 64 carries in 2001 and will spell Douglas as well as see time at fullback.
Defense
The College Football news noted the "defense has to improve in all areas after giving up 61 touchdowns and 485 points (44.1 per game) last year. The linebackers should be the strength while the line has to get much nastier against the run and the extremely young corners need to mature in a hurry." Last year Duke returned seven starters on defense. Normally that would be a good thing but not necessarily when you consider the Blue Devils were ranked 114th in Division 1-A in total defense back in 2000. The Devils did improve and went from 114th in 2001 to 84th in total defense in the NCAA (16 places better than the Hoos). Again this season Duke returns 7 defensive starters and this group should continue to improve in 2002.
Additional help is on the way in the form of new Defensive Coordinator and former Duke assistant Ted Roof (1990-1993). Roof worked wonders with a Georgia Tech defense that from 1997 - 1999 gave up an average of 26.6 points and 410 yards per game. In his second season as defensive coordinator, Roof presided over the remarkable improvement of the Rambling Wreck defense in 2000. Despite starting six freshmen and sophomores, the Tech defense ranked 12th in the nation in rushing defense and 20th in scoring defense that year, allowing just 19.8 points per game. Again in 2001, the Tech defense, while not as impressive as the 2000 edition, was solid finishing 2nd in the league in rushing and passing defense, 3rd in total defense (333.3 ypg) and 4th in scoring defense (22.2). The biggest difference from 2000 to 2001, the Cavs scored 39 points against the Jackets in 2001 after being shutout in Atlanta the previous year. Take away those 39 points and the Jacket opponents averaged; you guessed it, 19 points a game. Roof is a good coordinator but he will not have near the same level of talent at Duke as he did at Tech.
Even though the Duke defensive front is inexperienced, after allowing an abysmal 5.5 yards per carry rushing last season, this group has no where to go but up. Matt Zielinski (6-2 290 Jr.) underwent a major position change last season, making the switch from outside linebacker to nose guard where he started 9 games in 2001. As a redshirt freshman in 2000, Matt played in six games before suffering a season-ending knee injury at Florida State. One of Duke's strongest players, Zielinski, who was credited for 19 tackles in 2000, missed all of spring practice while rehabilitating his leg. He finished the 2001 campaign with 46 total tackles including five tackles for loss and two quarterback sacks. Zielinski will man one of the interior line positions. The other tackle spot belongs to Orrin Thompson (6-7 270 So.). Thompson saw action in all 11 games last season for the Dookies adding 19 tackles and 2 of Duke's league worst 15 sacks. With 11 starts to his credit, look for Micah Harris (6-4 235 So.) to roam one of the defensive end positions in Roof's new 4-3 defense. Harris' lone start in 2001 was at outside linebacker but he did see action in all 11 games last year where he delivered 31 tackles and an interception. Shawn Johnson (6-5 265 Jr.) is the Duke defensive lineman with the most career starts (11). For his career Johnson has 54 tackles, 7 tackles for loss and 2 sacks in 22 game appearances. Like the rest of the Duke team, this group is young and will be tested this season.
The strength of the Duke defense is with the trio of linebackers who return in 2002. Duke returns all three starting linebackers - Ryan Fowler (6-4 235 Jr.), Jim Scharrer (6-4 240 So.) and Jamyon Small (6-1 225 Sr.), collectively the top returning threesome in the ACC in terms of total combined tackles. As individuals, Fowler (127 tackles), Small (83) and Scharrer (69) finished first, second and third on the team in total tackles and combined for 279 stops. Fowler picked up three quarterback sacks in 2001 to push his career total to 10. He has led the Blue Devils in tackling in each of his first two seasons. Scharrer, who spent time with Atlanta and Anaheim as a major league baseball prospect started 9 games as a true freshman last season and has shown great promise. Small was the Blue Devils' 5th leading tackler in 2000 and has accumulated 138 tackles and 8 tackles for loss over his 33 game career, which includes 20 starts. This is the by far the most experienced unit on the Duke roster.
The same cannot be said for the Duke secondary. The four projected starters share a grand total of 17 starts between them and 11 of those starts belong to strong safety Terrell Smith (5-11 175, Jr.). Smith is Duke's 4th leading returning tackler (5th overall last season with 53 stops) and has seen action in 16 games over his career. He accounted for 22 tackles as a true freshman back in 2000. The other member of the Duke secondary with any significant playing time is cornerback Kenneth Stanford (5-9 180 So.). During his redshirt freshman season a year ago, the 4.4 speedster appeared in all 11 games, starting five, producing 48 tackles including 5 tackles for loss. The other cornerback position will likely be held by redshirt freshmen John-Paul Kimbrough (5-11 195). At free safety, Alex green (6-2 195 So.) played in all 11 games for Duke, one of eight true freshmen to earn a varsity letter. Green finished the year with 36 total tackles (12th most on the team) and was tied for third on the team with three pass breakups. Dukes 260.5 yards per game allowed passing was 7th in the conference last year and with the inexperience in the secondary and poor pass rushing will likely fall as the season progresses.
Special Teams
Brent Garber (6-1 196 Jr.) was 7-for-8 on field goals inside 50 yards as a freshman. The problem is getting Garber in position to score. Last fall Garber only attempted 9 kicks. He did finish second on the team in scoring with 36 points. Punter Trey McDonald (6-2 220 So.) had big shoes to fill last fall, as he had to replace All-American Brian Morton who averaged 45.2 ypp and a 39.6 net and finished 2nd in the NCAA last season. McDonald punted 60 times for a 38.4 yards per kick average with 10 punts downed inside the opponents' 20 yard line against just two touchbacks. All world running back Chris Douglas averaged 21.9 yards per kickoff return back in 2000 and was solid last fall with a 20.9 average. The Devils do lose one of the nations best punt return specialist in cornerback Ronnie Hamilton, who made a name for himself on special teams in the punt return department. The Duke senior earned Honorable Mention All-ACC honors as a return specialist after leading the conference and ranking fourth nationally with his 15.6 yards per return average. Taking Hamilton's place in the punt return department will likely be wideout Khary Sharpe.
Final Thoughts
Duke will continue to struggle this season but they have a lot of young potential and Blue Devil fans should see incremental improvement throughout the season. I especially like the move to bring Roof to Durham and believe he will have an immediate impact on the Duke defense. Dapolito has the potential to be an outstanding quarterback over time but will struggle this season. Duke will end their winless streak this season and if they can pull of a mild upset at Northwestern, could win 2 games. They are the youngest team in the ACC compounded by possessing the least talent and will find the road rough in the league again this fall.
UVA - 27 Duke - 9
Prediction: 0 - 8 ACC, 2 - 10 Overall
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