There are 112 Division I college football teams in the country, and out of all 112, the Duke Blue Devils return the most starters from their 1996 roster. Of course, out of those 112 teams, Duke fielded the lone squad not to win a game last year.
Normally experience translates into wins on the college gridiron, but when that experience consists entirely of losing football games, does it perhaps lose something in the translation?
That is the question that the Blue Devils will summarily answer this season as they take to the field with primarily the same players that have dropped 13-straight gamesDa span that stretches 678 days back to a 42-26 home win over Wake Forest, Oct. 28, 1995.
Coach Fred Goldsmith has maintained his upbeat attitude throughout the streak, and heading into Saturday evening1s opener, he is as positive ever.
3Our football team has never been asked to do so much, but I think they1re ready,2 Goldsmith said. 3They have worked hard all summer and this fall and they are by far the best conditioned Duke team I1ve had. They1re bigger, they1re stronger and they1re faster.2
While football is said to be a sport that is 90 percent mental, it often seemed in 1996 that the Blue Devils1 greatest disadvantage came in the trenches, where they were simply outsized and outmuscled. Duke1s chances for success in 1997 could very well be beefed up, literally, by this year1s more intimidating offensive line.
Returning for a fifth year, after being forced to take a medical redshirt last season, is left tackle Patrick Mannelly. The cornerstone of any solid offense is a rock at the blind side tackle position (see the Jacksonville Jaguars Toni Boselli) and the 6-foot-6, 285-lb Mannelly should provide that stability for Duke this year.
The rest of the Blue Devils1 offensive line is similarly experienced as it features two more seniors, a junior and a redshirt sophomore. Senior Jeff Hodrick returns at tight end and gives the offense another capable blocker as well as a gifted receiver (34 receptions for 350 yards in 1996).
The primary task of the offensive line will be to provide the Blue Devil running backs with holes to run through. Goldsmith has actually hinted that Duke may in fact run some wishbone-type sets this year to best utilize their depth at running back.
3We will be using more than one back,2 Goldsmith said. 3We need to be a two/three back football team and we are into that kind of thing now and that1s going to make a difference.2
Sophomore Letavious Wilks is Duke1s primary threat, having amassed 554 yards on the ground last year. He is joined at halfback by true freshman Duane Epperson, who has performed superbly in fall practice.
3We1ve seen Wilks do it on Saturdays in the [Atlantic Coast Conference], now we1ll see if Epperson can do it come game time,2 Goldsmith said. 3He1s certainly done it all in practice.2
Senior Lay Marshall has bulked up and moved to fullback, as has junior Dawud Rasheed, giving the Blue Devils a pair of capable ballcarriers to share the load with Wilks and Epperson.
Receiver was perhaps Duke1s deepest position at the start of preseason before a season-ending sternum injury to senior Joe Opalenick and a ankle injury to sophomore Richmond Flowers, which will sideline him until midseason.
Still, the Blue Devils feature a trio of talented veterans, headlined by senior split end Corey Thomas. Thomas enters the season eighth on Duke1s all-time receptions list and sixth in receiving yardage. Junior Reco Owens gets the nod at flanker after catching 23 passes in 196, including two touchdowns. Sophomore Scottie Montgomery, who demonstrated tremendous speed as a freshman, will be the No. 3 wideout.
On defense, the Blue Devils1 leading tackler has changed positions, as senior Tawambi Settles (106 tackles) has moved from free safety to cornerback.
3Tawambi is a great athlete and he could probably play any skill position we have right now,2 said sophomore Eric Jones who replaces Settles at free safety. 3He switched to corner to bolster our strengths over there and I just stepped in. He1s taught me a lot though over the past two yearsDhe1s kind of like a big brother out there.2
Jones will patrol the secondary alongside fellow sophomore Darius Clark who had a standout freshman campaign, tallying 73 tackles. The other corner position will be filled by sophomore Lamar Grant.
The defensive line will likely be one of Duke1s strengths despite losing junior defensive end Chris Ruzic for the first half of the season to a back injury. Sophomore Chris Combs was dominant at the defensive tackle position last year, racking up eight sacks. He will be joined up front by junior nose tackle Eric Scanlan who started all 11 games last year.
At linebacker, senior Chike Ebuniwe came up with 103 tackles last year and should be the units leader this year. Sophomore Kevin Lewis joins Ebuniwe as a returning starter. Junior Brian McCormick had a big year for Duke last year at linebacker but will sit out this year after being declared academically ineligible.
On special teams, All-ACC punter John Krueger has graduated, but he is replaced by 6-foot-6 freshman Brian Morton, who has been nicknamed OBoomer1 by his coaches and teammates. Sophomore Sims Lenhardt returns at kicker and Mannelly resumes his role as the team1s deep snapper.
With so many faces returning, there is always reason to hope for improvement. But whether Duke1s experiences last year were a blessing in disguise or not still remains to be seen. They do say whatever doesn1t kill you only makes you stronger.
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