Coach David Cutcliffe has put a little "Airball" back into Duke's offense.
The way Duke's second-year coach has quarterback Thad Lewis throwing the ball recalls Steve Spurrier's Duke offenses of the late 1980s. And it reinforces Spurrier's notions that the way to win at a school with tough academic standards is to do what the students do -- pass.
Cutcliffe has taken it back to the air, after Duke spent four years under Ted Roof and his more conventional run-oriented approach. Cutcliffe won as many games last season (4-8) as Roof won in four years at Duke (4-42).
The Blue Devils are 5-4 this season, and 3-2 in the ACC heading into Saturday's game against Georgia Tech (9-1, 6-1). They had a chance to muddle matters in the Coastal Division but then lost to North Carolina 19-6 on Saturday. So now, if Tech beats Duke, the Yellow Jackets are going to the ACC championship game.
Prior to their loss to the Tar Heels, the Blue Devils had won three consecutive ACC games for the first time since 1994, beating N.C. State, Maryland and Virginia.
"[Carolina] rushed the passer better than anybody else, and our inability to run it caught up to us a little bit," Cutcliffe said. "I think they hit [Lewis] 20-plus times in the game, and we just hadn't had that happen to us yet."
Duke started off slowly this season, losing to Division 1-AA Richmond 24-16 in the season-opener and two weeks later were thumped by Kansas 44-16. Part of the problem, Cutcliffe said, was a swine flu outbreak during the preseason that affected 34 players. Then Lewis battled an ankle injury early.
But by Oct. 3, when Duke scored 26 points in a loss to Virginia Tech and Lewis passed for 359 yards, things were starting to turn.
"It just took a while to find a rhythm," Cutcliffe said. "And we've got a long way to go. At times, we can be a good football team. We've got a lot of holes we have to cover up, and that's just part of where we are right now. But I'm real proud of these kids. What they did do -- and it hadn't happened here in a long time -- is overcome a lot of adversity to reach the point they've reached."
Cutcliffe would like to field a more balanced offense, but Duke is averaging only 68.2 yards rushing per game, last in the ACC. So the Blue Devils are going with what they know can work, and that's the arm of Lewis, who is second in the ACC with 2,428 yards passing this season.
He has three receivers with 40 or more catches, led by former South Cobb standout Austin Kelly, who has caught 45 passes for 478 yards.
Lewis and Duke's offense should come in hungry, after being held without a touchdown and to a season-low 125 yards of offense against North Carolina.
"If we let this, this will help us grow," Cutcliffe said. "You can't be anymore challenged than what we are right now offensively."
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
