Duke Gridiron Monday: Nov. 6, 2017

Duke Gridiron Monday starts your work week with a beyond-the-numbers look at Blue Devil football with photos, social media, recaps, #DukeInTheNFL updates and more.

SATURDAY REWIND: Open Date
After playing nine consecutive weeks to begin the season, Duke enjoyed its open date this past weekend. The Blue Devils practiced on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings, took Friday and Saturday off and returned to the practice field on Sunday evening.

“Three good days on the practice field; hopefully we’re better in all three phases,” Duke head coach David Cutcliffe said. “The statistic that is so important is points per game. How can we increase our point production? That’s been our focus, but we certainly haven’t gotten away from our fundamentals.

“Defensively, it always is about tackling,” Cutcliffe continued. “For this particular open date it becomes increasingly important because we’re playing option teams these next two weeks.”

The Blue Devils have had recent success under Cutcliffe in games following a traditional open date, winning five of their last six such contests. Also this weekend, Duke will put its excellent run of fortune against non-conference opponents on the line – the Blue Devils are 21-6 (.778) in their last 27 games versus non-ACC foes.

THURSDAY GUEST
Prior to last Thursday morning’s practice session, the team welcomed a special guest into the meeting room as Mike Singletary, a member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame, shared a message of inspiration with the squad. Singletary, who played collegiately at Baylor, was a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and 10-time Pro Bowl selection while with the Chicago Bears.

PREPARING FOR THE GROUND ATTACK
Over the next two weeks, Duke will face two of the top three rushing offense in the nation as Army West Point (1st; 365.4 yards per game) and Georgia Tech (3rd; 331.9) both average over 330 ground yards per game. Duke currently ranks 40th nationally in rushing defense by allowing an average of 142.1 yards per week.

RECORD BOOK WATCH
With 14.0 tackles for loss through nine games this season, LB Joe Giles-Harris is two stops behind the line of scrimmage away from cracking the school’s top 10 list for TFLs in a single campaign. Reggie Andrews holds the Duke single-season standard with 21.5 TFL in 1985.

AWARD LIST REWIND
Three Blue Devils were recently named semifinalists for prestigious post-season awards:

LB Joe Giles-Harris – Bednarik Award (nation’s top defensive player)
S Jeremy McDuffie –Thorpe Award (nation’s top defensive back)
OT Gabe Brandner – Wuerffel Trophy (exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement)

ACC STATISTICAL NOTES

Duke is the only team to rank among the ACC’s top three in both kickoff returns (2nd) and kickoff coverage (3rd)
Wide receiver T.J. Rahming is eighth in the league in both pass receptions per game (5.2) and receiving yards per contest (64.3)
Joe Giles-Harris leads all ACC linebackers in tackles for loss (14.0)

THIS WEEK IN DUKE FOOTBALL HISTORY: November 5-11
November 8, 1941 – Duke 56 Davidson 0
No. 4 Duke rolled to a school single-game record 728 yards of total offense and a program-record 614 rushing yards in the win over the Wildcats. Halfback Robert Rute carried 12 times for 98 yards and a touchdown while teammate Steve Lach gained 61 ground yards and two touchdowns on five carries. Davidson was limited to three first downs in the contest.

DUKE FOOTBALL TRIVIA
Which two Heisman Trophy recipients from Army has Duke played against?

TWEET OF THE WEEK

Thanks @DukeFOOTBALL! I'm proud to be a part of #DukeGang https://t.co/2I7iivZpwZ
— Akil E. Ross, Sr. (@DrRossChapinHS) November 3, 2017

BLUE DEVIL FAVORITES: Non-Football Athlete
Javon Jackson: LeBron James
Aaron Young: Kobe Bryant
Daniel Jones: Steph Curry
Quentin Harris: LeBron James
Michael Carter II: Giancarlo Stanton
Damani Neal: John Wall
Noah Gray: Chris Sale
Jake Marwede: Jake Arrieta
Twazanga Mugala: Maurice Green
Wes Pickell: Larry Bird
Tommy Phillips: Ryne Sandberg
Chris Woolsey: Hank Aaron
Kevin Lehman: Ken Griffey Jr.

EYE ON THE OPPONENT
Following a 21-0 win over Air Force this past Saturday, Army West Point stands at 7-2 on the year. The Black Knights have already accepted a bid to the Armed Forces Bowl scheduled for December 23 in Fort Worth, Texas.

Army West Point enters the week having won five straight games and is guided on offense by quarterback Ahmad Bradshaw, who has rushed for 1,132 yards and eight touchdowns on the season. The Black Knights, who have completed just 16 total passes this season, rank first nationally in rushing offense by averaging 365.4 ground yards per contest.

Defensively, Army West Point is led by linebacker James Nachtigal with 73 tackles while fellow linebacker Alex Aukerman has posted a team-best 12.5 tackles for loss.

DUKE IN THE NFL
Highlights from this weekend’s action around the National Football League:

Jamison Crowder did not play in the Redskins’ 17-14 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday while nursing a hamstring injury
Thomas Hennessy snapped on four PATs and two field goals as the New York Jets defeated the Buffalo Bills, 34-21, last Thursday night
Matt Skura got the start at right guard as the Baltimore Ravens threw for 277 yards and two touchdowns in a 23-20 loss to the Tennessee Titans.
Lucas Patrick and the Green Bay Packers will be on Monday Night Football with an 8:30 p.m. kickoff on ESPN agianst the Detroit Lions.

CONTINENTAL TIRE DRVIE AROUND THE ACC
Last week’s results:
(3) Notre Dame 48, Wake Forest 37
(4) Clemson 38, (20) N.C. State 31
(10) Miami 28, (13) Virginia Tech 10
Florida State 27, Syracuse 24
Virginia 40, Georgia Tech 36

Upcoming schedule:
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9
North Carolina at Pittsburgh

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11
Duke at Army West Point
N.C. State at Boston College
Florida State at Clemson
Virginia at Louisville
Wake Forest at Syracuse
Virginia Teach at Georgia Tech
Notre Dame at Miami

THIS WEEK’S GAME: November 11
Duke (4-5) at Army West Point (7-2)
Kickoff: 12 noon
TV: CBS Sports Network

TRIVIA QUESTION ANSWER
Doc Blanchard (Heisman Trophy winner in 1945) – 1944, 1945 & 1946
Glenn Davis (Heisman Trophy winner in 1946) – 1944, 1945 & 1946

#GoDuke

Duke Gridiron Monday: Nov. 6, 2017

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