Dual threat: Sirk ready to showcase entire playbook for Blue Devils

<p>Redshirt junior Thomas Sirk will look to follow in the footsteps of other former short-yardage quarterbacks who transitioned well to the full-time job.</p>

Redshirt junior Thomas Sirk will look to follow in the footsteps of other former short-yardage quarterbacks who transitioned well to the full-time job.

Last season, Duke fans expected to see Thomas Sirk in the game on a third-and-short.

This season, they will see him on third-and-long as well.

The redshirt junior has been thrust into the spotlight during the last six months after head coach David Cutcliffe named him as the Blue Devils' starting quarterback heading into spring practice in February. Although there was an adjustment earlier in the period, Sirk is easing into his role as the team’s starting quarterback and leader of the offense thanks to his experience in crucial short-yardage and goal-to-go situations last season.

Whether it was tossing the game-winning jump pass to tight end David Reeves in the Oct. 18 win against Virginia or bulldozing his way into the end zone to score the go-ahead touchdown in the thrilling 51-48 double-overtime win at Pittsburgh, Sirk proved that he was one of the Blue Devils' most valuable offensive players in 2014.

“Last year when I came out and had those meaningful snaps, I didn’t have any pressure,” Sirk said. “Just come in, get in the zone, block out the noise and the crowd and everything that’s going on around you. Focusing on what you need to accomplish and focusing on executing the offense at a high level.”

Fortunately for Sirk, he has recent college football history on his side, affirming the notion that experience as a short-yardage quarterback can groom a player for the full-time job.

Former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow spent his first season in Gainesville as a goal-line and short-yardage quarterback behind Chris Leak on the Gators' 2006 national title-winning team before becoming one of the SEC’s top quarterbacks and a Heisman winner in 2007.

Preseason All-America and First Team All-SEC quarterback Dak Prescott also began his career in a similar way at Mississippi State, rushing for 110 yards and accounting for eight total touchdowns during his redshirt freshman season as a red zone specialist before emerging as one of the top dual-threat signal-callers in the nation.

Even former Blue Devil quarterback Brandon Connette, who Sirk replaced as the short-yardage quarterback in Durham last season, was able to put up big numbers when starting quarterback Anthony Boone went down with a broken collarbone early in the 2013 season. When Boone returned, the duo split time in the backfield and powered Duke to an appearance in the ACC Championship.

When Connette stepped into the starting role with Boone sidelined, he showed that he had been practicing far more than short-yardage and goal-line plays—he was prepared to play at any moment, in any situation.

Unlike his predecessor, Sirk never got his chance to see extended action last season, but that doesn’t mean that he is not equally ready to become the starter.

“The role that I was in last year, people didn’t get the chance to see me throw the ball a lot,” Sirk said. “Whether that they think I can throw it or not, that’s what I do every day in practice. Last year I was practicing the same passing plays as Boone, I was just put into those short yardage and goal line packages [during games].”

All three of Sirk's predecessors under center—Thaddeus Lewis, Sean Renfree and Anthony Boone—went on to play in either the NFL or Canadian Football League. But Sirk's experience as a wildcat quarterback has coaches and Blue Devil fans sleeping a little better at night as the season opener nears.

In fact, as the offseason has gone on, a cloud of uncertainly has transformed into a flurry of excitement around Sirk and his playmaking abilities. He is building strong relationships with his wide receivers and Cutcliffe said he might be the fastest quarterback he has ever coached, which is opening up the playbook for offensive coordinator Scottie Montgomery.

Sirk also has the ability to scramble outside the pocket, escape pressure and throw on the run, extending plays that might have otherwise led to a throwaway or tackle for loss if the average quarterback was under center. His receivers put it simply: he can make plays out of nothing.

"In the summer you see a lot of plays where the quarterback makes a play out of nothing. He has his ability to extend the play," redshirt freshman Chris Taylor said. "That’s a really important thing for a quarterback to have. If no one is open, he’s just going to tuck it and run and see if he can make a play."

Sirk will have plenty of weapons. A stable of running backs, though currently dealing with injuries, should take some pressure off the new signal-caller's arm in the rushing game and provide some relief with check-downs in the passing game. Out wide, Max McCaffrey and Johnell Barnes will be looked to as veteran receivers, with promising youngsters in Taylor and freshman T.J. Rahming infusing some speed into the passing game.

“Our offense is very diverse this year,” Sirk said. ”You are going to see us open it up and do a lot of things with a lot of guys. With me having the ability to run the ball, I feel like we have the ability to be much more effective on offense.”

Despite adding new dimensions to the playbook and garnering rave reviews in the locker room, Sirk still has to prove his accuracy and ability to throw the deep ball in game action—for his career, the Glen St. Mary, Fla., native is 10-of-14 for 67 yards and three touchdown tosses.

Not one to peruse media coverage of the Blue Devils, Sirk shuts out distractions. During the offseason, his play has been fueled not only by his own confidence, but also the confidence his teammates and coaches have instilled in him since the day he was named the starter.

When the Sept. 3 season opener rolls around in New Orleans, he will take the field for the first time as the starter against Tulane and look to place all of the offseason questions in his rearview mirror—focusing on executing, scoring and winning football games.

“It’s important for [my teammates] to have confidence in me to go out and execute in the field,” Sirk said. “Ultimately we’re trying to execute on every single play, every possession we’re looking to score. All the guys have the same mentality. We are trying to get the ball in the end zone."

Jake Herb contributed reporting.

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