Duke rolls to win over NC A&T to stay unbeaten. What we’ve learned about Blue Devils
After spending the final two months of last season seemingly behind by three touchdowns as soon as the game started, Duke reversed that against the soft part of its schedule this season.
The Blue Devils (3-0) have yet to trail through 12 quarters of football in 2022.
For a team that went 3-9 overall a year ago and lost all eight of its ACC games, most by lopsided scores, the turnaround that accompanied the coaching change from David Cutcliffe to Mike Elko is as refreshing as a cold drink on a hot day.
Elko wants his players to enjoy the success to this point.
“It’s a fun ride,” Elko said. “We just want to continue to do it and continue to have success. We know how much work is going to go into that.”
Duke was the superior team lastSaturday in terms of talent and depth, of course, against winless N.C. A&T.
Even keeping in mind the caveat that wins over FCS teams only show so much, battering the Aggies 49-20 at Wallace Wade Stadium revealed a few more things about how Elko has revamped the Duke program.
Here are three:
Duke is well-prepared
The way the Blue Devils have jumped to big leads while beating Temple 30-0, Northwestern 31-23 and then N.C. A&T shows the team has a good grasp on its game plan. That led to excellent execution, particularly early in games, that has allowed Duke to be the aggressor.
“It’s our preparation and our coaching staff coming in every week,” Duke quarterback Riley Leonard said. “We know exactly what the defense is gonna give us.”
Duke led Temple 24-0 at halftime. It took a 21-0 lead on Northwestern in the second quarter. Against N.C. A&T, Duke ripped off three unanswered touchdowns in the game’s first 10 minutes.
“I thought we came out and we handled this the right way,” Elko said. “We talked to them all week about playing to our standard and our level. And that’s how we wanted to start. And that’s how we wanted to play the game.”
The opposite happened last year, resulting in such demoralizing losses as 48-0 at Virginia, 45-7 at Wake Forest and 62-22 to Louisville, to name just three.
Without yet facing an ACC team, this year’s Blue Devils have consistently taken the fight to the other team from the start, and it’s led to three impressive wins.
Leonard’s rapid progress
Leonard — the fifth starting quarterback for Duke in the last five seasons — entered his sophomore year with very little playing experience.
All he’s done is complete 72.7% of his passes with five touchdown throws and two interceptions. He’s averaged 241 yards passing per game.
That’s not all-ACC stuff or anything, but he’s proven a capable game manager who can pull off the deep throws that change games quickly.
He fired a 38-yard touchdown pass to tight end Nicky Dalmolin on Duke’s first play from scrimmage Saturday night. He later completed a 41-yard pass to Sahmir Hagans.
“I think he managed it well,” Elko said. “He made some throws early. We knew we were gonna have to make some throws to loosen the box. And so him being 10 of 11 at halftime was good.”
Heck, Leonard even broke free for his own 56-yard touchdown run.
“I keep telling you guys he can make plays with his feet,” Elko said.
Leonard credited his offensive line, which has done a great job protecting him. Duke has allowed two sacks in three games.
“Those guys are incredible,” Leonard said. “When I drop back and I can go through four reads in my progression, it makes all the difference.”
Defense still has question marks
Duke is a long way from the team that allowed 39.8 points and 517 yards per game last season. But the Blue Devils also aren’t a team that will be pitching shutouts on the regular.
The tackling, though much improved, still could get better. The defense victimized itself with third-down penalties (pass interference, roughing the passer) at Northwestern. Grad transfer Natrone Young picked up another pass interference during the N.C. A&T game.
The Blue Devils have been stout against the run overall, allowing 3.4 yards per carry over the first three games. That number was inflated when N.C. A&T gained garbage-time yards after Duke led 42-6 through three quarters.
Linebacker Dorian Mausi didn’t play against N.C. A&T after starting Duke’s first two games. A lower body injury was the culprit.
Kansas — Duke’s next opponent — is averaging 53 points per game after winning 48-30 at Houston last Saturday. The Blue Devils’ defense will face its biggest test this season.
This story was originally published September 18, 2022 at 7:08 AM with the headline "Duke rolls to win over NC A&T to stay unbeaten. What we’ve learned about Blue Devils."