Speed kills.
Wide receiver Jamison Crowder and return man DeVon Edwards spent the last few seasons proving the old adage true for the Blue Devils, turning the tides of games with explosive plays. Heading into camp this year, Duke is looking for a similar infusion of speed and game-changing ability on the defensive side of the ball.
With the graduation of linebacker David Helton and defensive ends Jordan DeWalt-Ondijo and Dezmond Johnson as well as the loss of linebacker Kelby Brown to a career-ending ACL tear—his second knee injury in as many years—the Blue Devils will have plenty of new faces around the line of scrimmage.
Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles will now look to senior Dwayne Norman—who played safety during his first three years in Durham—and sophomore Zavier Carmichael to fill the linebacker slots previously occupied by Helton and Brown. Redshirt sophomore Chris Holmes, another former safety, will also be an important part of Duke's linebacking corps.
Carmichael saw more playing time than expected as a freshman—playing in all 13 games and recording 20 tackles—after Brown went down in a scrimmage before the season opener. The Eight Mile, Ala., native will have even bigger responsibilities as a sophomore.
“This year is still a lot to grapple with,” Carmichael said last week. “This year is [our] first year starting as linebackers. And defense is built around the linebackers. Us being so [new] at this position, we hear, ‘Oh, that defense isn’t quite what it used to be. It’s falling apart.’ So it’s up to Dwayne and I to control the defense and keep everyone’s heart in the game.”
Duke's defense allowed 21.8 points per game last year—tied for the 24th-best mark in the nation—but often struggled to stop the run. Opponents gashed the Blue Devils for close to 200 yards per game on the ground and 4.4 yards per carry, but the fleet-footed trio of Carmichael, Norman and Holmes could help the defense improve in that department in 2015.
Knowles’ use of a 4-2-5 formation utilizes an extra defensive back instead of a third linebacker. The system lends itself well a faster defense—so much so that Duke's defensive backs have adopted the nickname "The Cheetahs". Senior strike safety Jeremy Cash usually lines up in the box and plays as what other teams consider a second outside linebacker. The Blue Devils' other two starting safeties—junior Deondre Singleton and the redshirt junior Edwards—also routinely move closer to the line of scrimmage to disrupt short plays.
Norman, Carmichael and Holmes will bring more speed to the linebacker position, which should make the unit more versatile and provide an advantage when they penetrate the line of scrimmage and pursue the football in the backfield. Carmichael said he has already seen the benefits of that speed in pass coverage with wide receivers during practice.
“We’re not as big as David Helton and Kelby Brown, but we’re transitioning toward more of a quicker, agile linebacker, [which] is definitely helping us out,” Carmichael said. "Chris has all the athletic ability in the world. This spring, when we were matched up linebacker and slot receivers, we handled it better than those before us. Dwayne Norman, Chris Holmes and I bring something new to the field by being safety hybrid linebackers.”
Despite their smaller stature, the three linebackers are still capable of securing tackles and delivering heavy hits. Norman has tallied 126 tackles for his career and drew an ejection for a punishing blow in the 2013 ACC Championship game against Florida State. Carmichael and Holmes were responsible for a combined 50 tackles in their first season on the field last year.
"We still put up the same powerful impact,” Carmichael said. “I’m confident that we will be able to fill the job this year.”
With all five of the Cheetahs returning behind them, a swifter corps of Duke linebackers could put another layer of pressure on opposing offenses.
Jake Herb contributed reporting.
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