Duke Spring Football Notebook No. 3

3/28/2016 11:20:00 AM | Football

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By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. - With eight workouts in the books, the Blue Devils have crossed the midway point of the spring practice period. Duke has five sessions remaining with the spring showcase set for Saturday, April 9.

BOEHME ON THE TIGHT ENDS
Despite losing Braxton Deaver and David Reeves – a duo that combined for 122 receptions for 1,257 yards and 13 TDs – Duke's tight end unit appears in good shape entering the 2016 campaign.

Dan Beilinson and Erich Schneider, a pair of fifth-year seniors, are joined by redshirt sophomores Daniel Helm and Davis Koppenhaver. After transferring from Tennessee last January, Helm becomes eligible after sitting out the 2015 campaign due to NCAA regulations while Koppenhaver, who played in three games and caught one pass as a true freshman in 2014, redshirted last fall.

“Dan and Erich are a little more vocal because they're older,” said quarterback Parker Boehme. “The younger guys are coming along just as well. We're trying to not necessarily have a specific senior leadership group. We want it to be the whole program and everybody having a voice.

“All of them are athletic; Daniel especially,” Boehme continued. “They can all run really well and catch the ball. They're all about the same size and can come downhill and block when we ask them to. They can release if we want to throw them the ball, get up field and have a fourth vertical threat without having to put another wide receiver in the game. They're all looking really great. It's going to be very competitive with the four of them out there.”

Boehme also noted how Koppenhaver's off-the-field work will pay dividends.

“I think Davis has done a great job getting in the weight room and putting on a lot of mass. He is much stronger and it's helping him out in the run game. We know he's athletic and can catch the ball. The work in the weight room will help him out on the field.”

PIERRE PROGRESSING
As injuries depleted a once-deep running back unit last August, the Duke coaching staff called on Nicodem Pierre to help bolster the group with a position switch from quarterback. Selflessly, the Miami, Fla., native accepted the transition and has continued to make strides with his performance this spring.

Recently, Duke has utilized a collection of running backs to power a rushing attack that has ranked among the ACC's top five in each of the past two seasons. In both years, the Blue Devils featured three running backs with 65-plus rushing attempts.

“Nico has continued to work hard and improve and certainly has an opportunity to work his way into the rotation,” Duke running backs coach Re'quan Boyette said.

Last season, Pierre rushed 15 times for 76 yards.

Duke returns two of its top three backs from a season ago in redshirt senior Jela Duncan and junior Shaun Wilson. In 2015, Duncan rushed 67 times for 460 yards and four touchdowns while Wilson added 84 carries for 424 yards and three scores.

BOWL SUCCESS & MARCH MADNESS
Two schools that reached the Sweet 16 in this year's NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament also won bowl games to close out their respective 2015 gridiron campaigns: Duke and Wisconsin.

SEARCHING FOR LEADERS
Each spring, college football programs endure the task of finding leaders for the upcoming season. Duke graduated both of its captains – Jeremy Cash and Matt Skura – from last year's squad that went 8-5 and defeated Indiana, 44-41 in overtime, in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl for the program's first bowl victory since January 1, 1961.

“First of all, I would say that Thomas Sirk, even in the absence of snaps, has done everything you would want and expect a leader to do,” Duke head coach David Cutcliffe said. “I certainly have always felt like Gabe Brandner has some ability in that regard. One of our specialists, Thomas Hennessy, who is a veteran football player, is a good leader for us.

“On the other side of the ball, to me it starts with DeVon Edwards, who is certainly the most accomplished player who we have returning to the program, so young men are going to listen to him,” Cutcliffe continued. “A.J. Wolf has done a great job at this point. Deondre Singleton is in the middle of that defense. I want him to grow in that regard. We have a youngster in Ben Humphreys who is doing things. It doesn't matter what the age is, but he's doing things leaders do. I have my eye on leadership. It's going to be important to this team.”

CUTCLIFFE PLEASED WITH HARRIS & JONES
One element entering Spring Practice head coach David Cutcliffe was eager to see was the development of Duke's pair of rising redshirt freshman quarterbacks, Quentin Harris and Daniel Jones.

“I certainly am excited about what some of our redshirts are displaying and that includes both quarterbacks – without a doubt,” Cutcliffe commented. “Both are playing at a high level.”

Cutcliffe added praise for several other individuals who have seen little or zero game action thus far in their respective careers.

“Our receivers who we haven't seen a lot of with Keyston Fuller and Johnathan Lloyd, who I still consider young because of the position change, are doing some good things,” Cutcliffe noted. “It's good to see Zach Morris and Trevon McSwain be physical. I like their physicality. Zach Baker is another redshirt offensive lineman who has had an extremely good start to his spring practice. We're going to need those guys to play well.”

QUOTING CUTCLIFFE
“You're only going to be a good football team in this league if you can matchup up front. You don't have to be the very best in the league, but we have to matchup with everybody.”

PRO DAY TIDBITS
** Twenty-nine of the 32 NFL organizations were represented last Wednesday as Duke held its annual Pro Day event

** WR Max McCaffrey, who enjoyed an impressive workout highlighted by his 4.40 time in the 40-yard dash, had a family reunion of sorts as parents – Ed and Lisa – were on hand to take in the festivities as were his three younger brothers – Christian, Dylan and Luke … “It was really cool — I know it's hard for them to make it out at one time; they're all really busy. It means a lot to me that they could come out and support me,” Max said following the workout

WR Max McCaffrey - son of Ed, brother of Christian - ran 40 at Duke Pro Day in 4.36. 36-inch VJ, 10'2 broad. Another McCaffrey NFL bound.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 23, 2016

** C Matt Skura produced 30 repetitions on the 225-pound bench press – three more than his total of 27 logged at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis last month

When the 1st number of your bench press set starts with a 3 - you've done work @Matt_Skura62. #DukeInTheNFL pic.twitter.com/0VTnj4yHuF
— Duke Football (@Duke_FB) March 23, 2016

** LB Dwayne Norman, who spent his first three years at Duke in the defensive backfield before transitioning to linebacker last spring, weighed in at 230 pounds, posted consecutive 40-yard dash times of 4.57 and 4.55 and added a 34.5 inch vertical leap

** RB Shaquille Powell, one of 19 players in school history with 1,500-plus rushing yards in a career, put his versatility on display during the on-field drill portion of the afternoon and was especially adept at catching the football out of the backfield … Powell, who amassed 2,188 all-purpose yards in his 52-game career with the Blue Devils, posted 40-yard dash times of 4.57 and 4.54 and added 23 repetitions on the 225-pound bench press … Powell closed his Duke career with 62 pass receptions.

** TE Braxton Deaver posted a 40-yard dash time of 4.76 – much to his liking … “People wanted to see me run fast,” Deaver said. “I hit it at the right time. I was primed and ready to go. I was glad to show that I could run well but I am glad it is over. I am happy with my results. Overall, I couldn't have asked for a better day.”

** While nursing an injury, S Jeremy Cash did not participate in the on-field drills but is expected to hold an individual workout session for the scouts next month

** Plenty of former Duke lettermen returned to support this year's group including five players currently holding spots on NFL rosters: Ross Cockrell (Steelers), Takoby Cofield (Redskins), Jamison Crowder (Redskins), Jordan DeWalt-Ondijo (Texans) and Juwan Thompson (Broncos)

Lots of #DukeInTheNFL back on campus today. So proud of this group and all they've accomplished. #OurProgram pic.twitter.com/n3LIshtiNp
— Duke Football (@Duke_FB) March 23, 2016

** Durham native and former Georgia Tech and James Madison QB Vad Lee also participated and was appreciative of the opportunity … “I was able to bond with these guys during the last two and a half weeks at Duke and it was a blessing that Coach Cutcliffe allowed me to come and throw,” Lee said.

** Former All-ACC lineman Dave Harding, now a member of the Blue Devil Network staff, took a page out of NFL Network broadcaster Rich Eisen's book and closed out the ESPN3 program by running the 40-yard dash … Harding clocked an unofficial time of 5.47 seconds

To cap off @nfl Pro Day, #DukeGang alum & @BlueDevil_NTWRK staffer @DaveHardingjr ran 40 yds quickly -- sort of: pic.twitter.com/VeuyZGofql
— Duke Football (@Duke_FB) March 24, 2016

#GoDuke