Going into the fourth quarter of last Saturday's loss to Georgia Tech, senior David Green was a forgotten man, beset by injuries while talk about Duke's revolving quarterback door focused on redshirt freshmen Bobby Campbell and Spencer Romine.
But 256 yards and three touchdowns later, Green will be starting the final game of his college career. He will lead the Blue Devils (2-8, 0-7 in the Atlantic Coast Conference) against No. 8 North Carolina (9-1, 6-1) in Kenan Stadium at noon on Saturday, as they try to end their conference losing streak at 17-one shy of Virginia's 36-year-old record-and spoil the Tar Heels' Bowl Alliance hopes.
"[Green's] coming off that great game last week and he's a senior," Duke coach Fred Goldsmith said during Wednesday's ACC teleconference. "This game means a great lot to him, not that it doesn't mean a lot to our other kids This is his last shot at them. He did a pretty decent job against [UNC] last year in this game."
Green completed 18 of 33 passes for 233 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions in the Blue Devils' 27-10 defeat in 1996. That game featured a strong performance by a Tar Heel backup quarterback. After starter Chris Keldorf suffered a fracture dislocation of his left ankle in the first quarter, Oscar Davenport took over and went on to complete 10 of 13 passes for 162 yards.
This year, Davenport had been starting for UNC before breaking his right ankle against Florida State two weeks ago. Although Keldorf has not been overwhelming in his five starts, with the Tar Heels' play on the other side of the ball, he hasn't needed to be.
"This is a real test for our offense against a Carolina defense which has been right up there near the top of the nation the past two years," Goldsmith said. "They really have a great scheme with some great players."
For the second straight season, UNC, which is coming off a 20-17 win over Clemson, is ranked second in the country in total offense allowed. Its star-studded defense gives up only 211.4 yards per game, and its opponents have scored just 11 offensive touchdowns in 10 games.
Seniors Brian Simmons, an outside linebacker, and defensive end Greg Ellis are both semifinalists for the Football News' National Defensive Player of the Year. Simmons has 57 unassisted tackles and had caused five fumbles this season. Ellis, with his eight sacks, is a finalist for the Lombardi Award given to the top down lineman.
Senior inside linebacker Kivuusama Mays, who has 65 unassisted tackles, is a finalist for the Butkus Award, while cornerback Dre Bly, who has three interceptions, is a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award for the second straight year.
With the Tar Heels allowing 2.3 yards per carry in 1997, the pressure will be on Green and his arm to carry Duke. His favorite target is senior Corey Thomas, who had been quiet this season before collecting a school-record 16 receptions last Saturday, including nine for 209 yards from Green in the fourth quarter.
"Offensively they have a good plan," said UNC coach Mack Brown. "They're able to run the option, the trap play and throw and any time you can run the option and have the ability to drop back and throw the ball, it gives you a chance to move the football."
The Tar Heels' offense centers around junior receivers Na Brown and L.C. Stevens. Deep threat Stevens is already fifth all-time at UNC in receiving yardage, averaging 16.5 per reception this year. The steady Brown averages nearly five catches per game, and is on pace to become the Tar Heels' all-time receptions leader.
Sophomore defensive tackle Chris Combs, who leads Duke with five sacks and 23 quarterback pressures, and the rest of the Blue Devil defense will need to pressure the immobile Keldorf to stall UNC's potent aerial attack and increase the chances of a Duke upset victory in one of college sport's biggest rivalries.
"A win over Carolina for this football team would probably be a cure-all for all the close losses," Goldsmith said. "I think we would go on and say we had a tough year but this one made up for it. That's what it would mean for this team; what it would mean for the program is that a bunch of recruits would jump into the boat right away. We have a lot of kids out there looking at can they win again? I know we are going to, but that would mean more than 1000 of my words."
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.