Riding a three-game losing streak, Duke loses a starting lineman
Duke will be without a starting offensive lineman as it seeks to end a three-game losing streak.
Blue Devils coach David Cutcliffe said redshirt junior center Jack Wohlabaugh had ankle surgery on Tuesday morning that will sideline him indefinitely.
Wohlabaugh started all nine games for Duke (4-5, 2-3 ACC) this season after starting nine times and playing in all 13 games, when the Blue Devils went 8-5 last season.
He’s played hurt over the last month but took a hit on the ankle during Saturday’s 38-7 loss to Notre Dame that caused Duke’s team doctors to decide it was time to surgically repair it and sideline him.
“The young man has been a warrior and he has fought to stay in,” Cutcliffe said. “We have a number of people playing hurt. But it was time and it was the right thing to do.”
The 6-4, 305-pound Wohlabaugh came to Duke last year after beginning his career at Ohio State. He never saw action in two seasons with the Buckeyes before transferring to Duke. The NCAA granted him immediate eligibility and he’s played in every Duke game since joining the team.
“I spoke to him (Monday) night,” Cutcliffe said. “What an incredible young man. I told him `I am thankful every day that you became a part of this program.’ And told me he felt the same way.”
Wohlabaugh’s first missed game will be Saturday against Syracuse, which coincidentally is the school where his father, Dave, lettered as an offensive lineman from 1992-94 before embarking on a nine-year NFL career with New England, Cleveland and the St. Louis Rams.
Cutcliffe said Duke is preparing redshirt sophomore Will Taylor to start at center against Syracuse. The 6-3, 285-pound Taylor has played in three games this season, after playing in three last season, with no career starts. Taylor has played in 58 career snaps, as opposed to Wohlabaugh’s 1,477.
Duke’s other option is to move starting left guard Zach Baker, a 6-4, 315-pound senior, to center and use either Maurice McIntyre or Julian Santos at left guard. But since Taylor has been the backup center throughout spring practice and the regular season, Cutcliffe said the better choice is for him to replace Wohlabaugh.
“Will will start,” Cutcliffe said. “Zach is getting work but Will is more far down the road than Zach because of the amount of spring reps. Zach was a starting guard for the most part of this. Zach has been out and hasn’t practiced a good bit.”
Baker missed Duke’s 20-17 loss at North Carolina on Oct. 26 but returned to the starting lineup at left guard against Notre Dame.
The Blue Devils have allowed only 13 sacks this season, third-lowest in the ACC and 26th-lowest nationally.
This story was originally published November 12, 2019 at 1:50 PM with the headline "Riding a three-game losing streak, Duke loses a starting lineman."