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Duke Football Notebook: Tobacco Road Showdown
10/24/2019 12:23:00 PM | Football
DURHAM, N.C. – Duke football makes the eight-mile trek down Tobacco Road and into enemy territory Saturday for an ACC Coastal Division meeting with North Carolina at 4 p.m. at Kenan Memorial Stadium.
The Blue Devils are coming off a 48-14 loss at Virginia in which the offense struggled to find its footing in the first half of the contest. Duke would score twice in the second half, but the deficit proved to be too much.
Saturday's game against the Tar Heels will be broadcast on RSN with Tom Werme, James Bates and Kelsey Wingert on the call. The game can also be heard on the Blue Devils IMG Sports Network through the TuneIn app or goduke.com.
TOBACCO ROAD RIVALRY
Duke strolls into Chapel Hill holding the victory bell for the fifth time in the last seven seasons. In the most recent edition of the rivalry, the Blue Devils topped the Tar Heels, 42-35, behind Daniel Jones' three touchdowns through the air and one on the ground.
"There have been some close games," redshirt senior quarterback Quentin Harris said. "We've had a good stretch and are looking forward to hopefully keeping it going. We know they're going to be a really talented group. They're going to make us work for every yard that we have to gain."
With a new North Carolina staff this season, Duke is expecting a different look compared to years past. Even then though, the Blue Devils know the task at hand.
"There's a lot of enthusiasm around the program," Duke head coach David Cutcliffe said. "It's just a matter of a rejuvenated, enthused football program."
"They've got a dynamic receiving corps," junior safety Michael Carter II said of North Carolina's offense. "We're preparing for the ball to be in the air a lot. We are just practicing how we normally practice. But yeah, we expect of the ball to come our way a lot."
Saturday's contest will be the 106th meeting between the Blue Devils and the Tar Heels. North Carolina holds the series edge 60-41-4, but Duke has rattled off three straight.
BIG IMPLICATIONS
With three Coastal Division teams sitting at 2-2 in the ACC, Saturday's game could have implications on what team is playing at Bank of America Stadium in December for the ACC Championship.
"I think that we are taking it seriously," redshirt freshman offensive tackle Casey Holman said. "They are a big rival, but it is just another game. We're going to take all the ACC opponents seriously no matter who it is."
Both Duke and North Carolina come into the game level in the ACC at 2-2. The Blue Devils hold the edge in the overall standings with a mark of 4-3, while North Carolina sits at 3-4. Even with the extra buzz around the Coastal Division race, Duke is staying focused on the game in front of them against a strong North Carolina opponent.
"I think that it is important to everybody in that locker room to keep that bell," Carter II said of retaining the coveted Victory Bell. "But it also is important because it is another Coastal game. Coach always talks about the most important game is the next one, and this is the next game. We're not worried about next week. What we're really focused on is just UNC and keeping that bell."
When asked about which one comes to mind first between wanting to keep the victory bell and wanting to stay in the race for the Coastal Division, Cutcliffe couldn't just pick one.
"They're tied so closely together," Cutcliffe said. "You know that if you're going to keep the bell you have to win. And, you have to win to stay in the race. I don't think if they were forced to pick one that it would be a very easy decision because both result in the same thing. Winning keeps both of them. And that's ultimately what their focus would be."
O-LINE LOVE
Duke's offensive line has been stellar this year, allowing just seven sacks. That mark ranks third in the ACC and 10th nationally.
"Overall, I think that we've done a solid job on the offensive line as a whole," Holman said. "They make me a better player."
The offensive line was named to the 2019 midseason honor roll for the Joe Moore Award for the Most Outstanding Offensive Line Unit in College Football. The Blue Devils have blocked for an offense that has racked up 2,370 yards (1,122 rushing and 1,248 passing).
Two Blue Devil linemen have accrued individual midseason honors. Freshman Jacob Monk and Holman have been a big help this year and for that effort they were named with All-America honors. Monk was selected to The Athletic's Midseason Freshman All-America team last week before Holman earned a spot on the Football Writers Association of America All-American Team earlier this week.
"I've done some good things and some bad things," Holman said of his performance thus far. "There are some things that need to get better. But overall, I'm just trying to help the team. I don't think I've made too many mistakes, but then I will go back, look at film and fix them."
BACK LIKE HE NEVER LEFT
On Monday, Duke announced the addition of Jim Collins to the Blue Devils' staff as a football analyst.
"When the other league ended, Jim and I had talked about a part-time opportunity that could work out for him," Cutcliffe said. "He's not through. He's a football coach. It's in his blood."
Collins previously served as an assistant coach at Duke under head coaches Steve Sloan (1983; 1985-86), Steve Spurrier (1987-89) and Cutcliffe (2008-115). Most recently for the Blue Devils, Collins served three seasons as Duke's Director of Football Relations and Special Assistant to the Head Coach from 2016-18.
"This is an opportunity for me to have somebody that I can bounce things off of," Cutcliffe continued. "Another person that has a lot of experience. It worked out perfectly. I told him 'you look like you need to do a little work.' So it was great to get him back."
Collins has had an abundance of success, being involved in 19 bowl games throughout his football tenure. His most notable coaching job was a 12-year stint at Florida which featured 122 victories, six SEC Championships, 11 bowl games and the 1996 national title.
ONE TIME FOR THE DEFENSE
Senior linebacker Koby Quansah and redshirt junior linebacker Brandon Hill have paced the Duke defense in tackles this season. Both Hill and Quansah have emerged as leaders on the Blue Devils' team and have posted double-digit tackles in three of the last four games.
"The best teams seem to have those people appear and we've got a lot of good football players," Cutcliffe said. "But, there's no question there's opportunities right now for people at the biggest of times to step up. That's the role that whether it's in basketball, the guy wants to take the game winner and you don't always hit them. You have to stick your neck out to make those plays and you always look for people like that."
Junior defensive end Victor Dimukeje also has strung together an impressive three-game stretch, averaging 2.17 sacks per game. He recorded two sacks for 22 yards against Pittsburgh before following that performance with a three-sack game against Georgia Tech. His three sacks in a single game tied six other Blue Devil players for second most in Duke history.
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