Duke Blue Devils: Big Win Should Motivate Against Virginia
The Duke Blue Devils need to replicate their effort against Notre Dame for the rest of the season.
The Duke Blue Devils spent many games over the past few years in the feet of Ross Martin. Against Notre Dame, Duke could not rely on the graduated all-time scoring champion to come and save them. Instead they had to turn it over to AJ Reed, the new guy. He came through as well.
Duke now gets to take a new mindset into the conference schedule. The Blue Devils ate losses to Wake Forest and Northwestern, but they are only a game down in the Coastal Division race. They will be facing Virginia this weekend and they will need the formula that brought them victory in South Bend.
Daniel Jones, the freshman quarterback, came through with another impressive performance. He had almost three hundred yards passing to provide some stability behind center. He found Anthony Nash for two scores and more than a hundred yards of work for Nash.
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Unlike some games, he got help. Shaun Wilson demonstrated that speed and elusiveness that we saw two years ago when he returned a kickoff back for a touchdown. That prevented Notre Dame from running away with the game early.
Fellow running back Jela Duncan provided more power running in scoring an eighteen yard run through the middle of the Fighting Irish defense. Duncan pounded the ball for 121 yards in a good Duke rushing attack. Duke will need the power and speed options of Duncan and Wilson this week against Virginia.
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This is even more true since Virginia is trying to institute a more high powered throwing attack. Any running that Duke can do will allow them to keep the Virginia offense off the field and rest their defense. Defense got Duke three turnovers against Notre Dame.
Also important for Duke is the demonstration of heart that the team showed as it was down early 14-0. Then Duke tied the score and showed even more determination to beat off every Notre Dame comeback. That culminated in the winning kick by Reed, but Duke still had to stave off the final Irish effort. If they replicate these things, they can beat Virginia.
A lot of credit to Coach David Cutcliffe for the biggest Duke win in recent memory.