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Extra Points: August 18
8/18/2010 7:26:00 PM | Football
- The Blue Devils practiced twice on Wednesday with a session in the morning in full pads and then one in the early evening in shoulder pads at the Brooks Practice Facility ... it was the second two-a-day for Duke who has now conducted 12 practices in the preseason.
- The morning practice ended on a high note as head coach David Cutcliffe put the offense vs. the defense for one set of goal line drills ... the defense made three stops to force a fourth down but on the final play junior wide receiver Donovan Varner reached out for a tough catch while being hit in the back for a touchdown on a throw by redshirt sophomore quarterback Sean Renfree.
- The catch by Varner was the catch of the day due to the situation but close behind was a one handed grab in the corner of the end zone by redshirt senior tight end Brett Huffman during 1-on-1 drills.
- Sophomore wide receiver Conner Vernon was outstanding while celebrating his 20th birthday on Wednesday ... he recorded catches on all three of his opportunities during 1-on-1 drills and also made plays during 7-on-7 competition.
- Redshirt sophomore defensive end Kenny Anunike showed explosiveness during the morning session ... Anunike is one of the strongest members of the defensive line, posting a bench press of 420 this summer ... he made three tackles for loss during the team run period and also competed well in 1-on-1 line drills and individual drills throughout practice.
- While Duke's defensive front has suffered various bumps and bruises thus far in the preseason, defensive coordinator Marion Hobby has been pleased with the progress of converted tight end Kenny Anunike, saying "He's added a lot to the pass rush. He's a high-strung, hyper-active guy that I like to see play because he brings quite a bit of flair to a defense. He's a little wild but that's what good pass rushers are."
- When asked about the style of defense the 2010 Duke squad will have, Hobby responded with "We're going to be aggressive," Hobby said. "When you are aggressive, it's feast or famine sometimes. But we are going to err on the side of aggression."
- The night practice was led off with the kickoff return unit gaining some work ... while the return unit did some good things it was redshirt junior kicker Will Snyderwine that impressed, booting a kickoff off the front of the Brooks Football Building which stands about 10 yards past the back of the endzone.
- The quarterbacks and wide receivers showed they are starting to get their timing down as they controlled the 1-on-1 portion of practice ... the offense had completions on about 75-percent of its plays ... one bright spot for the defense was redshirt freshman cornerback Garrett Patterson who had an interception during the period on a deep pass.
- The Blue Devils finished for the day just in time as rain started to pour down on the guys as they walked from the Brooks Practice Facility to the locker room in the Yoh Center.
- The annual Duke Football Fan Day has been scheduled for Saturday, August 21 at Wallace Wade Stadium ... the event, which is free of charge and open to the public, features an open practice from 4-6 p.m., followed by an autograph and photo session with coaches and players from 6-7 p.m. ... complimentary posters and schedule cards will be available while concession stands will be open ... in addition, the popular Coca-Cola Kids' Zone featuring inflatable games will be set up on the stadium concourse ... radio stations WBBB 96 Rock and WDNC 620 The Buzz both will be on location at the event.
- Fans can now purchase ISP stadium seats for all home games by visiting www.dukeseats.com or by calling 1-800-510-5614 ... the seat features a steel frame, is made of water-resistant vinyl with padding on the back and bottom and can be reserved for the one-time cost of $43.10 (sales tax included) for the entire 2010 season. ... single game day rentals are also available for $5.00 per event.
Conner Vernon Post Practice Interview
Players Mentioned
DE
/ Football
TE
/ Football
QB
/ Football
K
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
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