Backs against the wall: Duke football travels to Notre Dame as 20-point underdogs

<p>The Blue Devils are projected to win three games this season and will look for a spark Saturday at Notre Dame before taking on Virginia.</p>

The Blue Devils are projected to win three games this season and will look for a spark Saturday at Notre Dame before taking on Virginia.

Just three games into the 2016 season, Duke is watching its season slip away. 

But a win against one of the nation’s most storied programs Saturday could help the Blue Devils bounce back from their worst start in six years and salvage the first third of their season.

Duke will look to end a two-game losing streak and return to .500 against Notre Dame Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind. During double-digit losses to Wake Forest and Northwestern, the Blue Devils have struggled to address weaknesses on offense and special teams.

As a result, head coach David Cutcliffe’s squad is facing its most uncertainty in years. Duke is a 20-point underdog this weekend, and ESPN’s Football Power Index has the Blue Devils winning just two more games this season. One of those projected victories is against Army, which FPI gives a 48 percent chance of knocking off Duke. 

“Adversity is not something that young people handle very well,” Cutcliffe said. “I know we can do that. I know this staff can do that. I’ve been in these circumstances too many times…. I’ve told our team that the treasure is when you stumble.”

Against Northwestern, seven of the Blue Devils’ final nine drives ended with a punt or turnover on downs. And during a stretch in the third quarter, redshirt freshman quarterback Daniel Jones and company failed to convert a first down on four straight series.

Although Jones finished with 279 yards passing against the Wildcats, the Charlotte native looked uncomfortable in the pocket for the second consecutive game, completing just two passes of at least 15 yards in the second half.

When the Blue Devils (1-2) have been able to cross midfield, turnovers and missed field goals have prevented them from scoring. In just three games, the Blue Devils have 10 turnovers, and freshman kicker A.J. Reed—who Cutcliffe said will remain Duke’s starter—has missed three field goals inside 40 yards and one extra point.

“There’s two things we’re hunting—consistency and taking better care of the ball,” Cutcliffe said on the ACC’s weekly teleconference Wednesday. “If we can accomplish those two things, we have a chance of having a really good offensive football team.”

Duke’s offense may have opportunities to find a rhythm against a Notre Dame defense that has been exposed this year. The Fighting Irish (1-2), who surrendered more than 500 yards in each of their losses, have been unable to overcome the departure of their three top tacklers from 2015.

But if Jones and the Blue Devil offense cannot keep drives alive, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ unit could be in for another long day.

In each of Duke’s losses, Blue Devil defenders have fatigued in the second half. After holding Northwestern and Wake Forest to just seven points in the first half, Duke surrendered 17 second-half points to both squads.

As was the case last year, the Blue Devil defense has been plagued by explosive plays, giving up 16.0 yards per catch. The Wildcats gashed Duke on nine plays of at least 15 yards and picked apart the Blue Devil secondary for more than 300 passing yards.

“We play good up until a certain point and we give up something—something simple, something that’s an easy fix,” redshirt senior safety DeVon Edwards said. “Some of the [explosive plays] are just mental errors.... It’s really just being where you’re supposed to be.”

On Saturday, the defense’s task will be no easier against one of the most dynamic offenses in the country.

Led by dual-threat quarterback DeShone Kizer, Notre Dame averages 38.0 points and 429.7 yards per game. Kizer has kept opposing defenses guessing with nine passing and four rushing touchdowns, and benefits from three explosive receivers who are averaging at least 50 receiving yards per game.

Duke will also be short-handed against the Fighting Irish, with redshirt junior defensive end Dominic McDonald out with an upper-body injury. Bandit safety Deondre Singleton will also miss the first half after he was ejected for targeting in the second half against Northwestern, meaning redshirt freshman Jordan Hayes—who has six tackles this year—will start.

Sophomore defensive tackle Brandon Boyce and redshirt junior safety Phillip Carter, who were suspended for Duke’s first three games, could also give the Blue Devil defense a boost.

Duke’s meeting with Notre Dame may have personal significance for Cutcliffe. The trip to South Bend marks his first return to Notre Dame Stadium as a coach since he became the Fighting Irish offensive coordinator in 2005. The former National Coach of the Year resigned before he could call a play after suffering a heart attack.

“I have great respect for the institution,” Cutcliffe said. “The tradition of Notre Dame football is as rich as anybody’s, as we all know.”

Discussion

Share and discuss “Backs against the wall: Duke football travels to Notre Dame as 20-point underdogs” on social media.