By BRYAN STRICKLAND

bstrickland@heraldsun.com; 419-6671

DURHAM -- It's easy to play the blame game when things go awry, but Duke quarterback Thad Lewis has no intention of doing any such thing when it comes to those charged with protecting him.

"I'll be the first one to congratulate them when they do something good, and I'll be the first one to pat them on the back if something goes wrong because you're not going to win every battle out there," Lewis said of Duke's offensive line, a much maligned group following the Blue Devils' 24-16 loss to Richmond to open the season.

"I just need to let them know, 'Don't worry about the coaches fussing at you; I'm not going to fuss at you. I'm good with you. I understand. I'm out here to fight with you.'

"I have that relationship with the guys, and it makes it a lot easier to go out there and play. If you're fussing, guys get frustrated, and they've got a lot going through their mind. You want to keep them comfortable."

Richmond took Duke's inexperienced offensive linemen -- and Lewis -- out of their comfort zone Saturday. Lewis managed to throw for 350 yards and officially was sacked just once, but he often had to get rid of the ball earlier than he would have liked in an ideal world.

But Lewis, with three years as a starter under his belt, knows that things aren't always going to be ideal.

"You would love not to get hit, but it's a part of the game," he said. "I'm not in the trenches. I'm not down there blocking, so who am I so say I don't want to get touched every game?

"With me being a senior, I know I've got to play faster to help those guys out. Guys don't become All-Americans because they can hold a block for six seconds; they become All-Americans because the quarterback gets the ball out of his hands and makes them look good."

Given Lewis' outlook, it's no wonder that his line wants to do everything in its power to protect him.

"I wouldn't want another quarterback to play with," center Bryan Morgan said. "He's a great guy who works hard. He has confidence in us.

"He's very encouraging. He's always positive."