Kenan Holley said that he always knew this chance would come. For a fifth-year senior who has spent the past few years backing up Eric Jones at free safety, that opportunity didn't seem too likely a few weeks ago.
With a little over a month left in the season, it looked like Holley's career would quietly come to an end. But Holley never held a defeatist attitude, and when Jones went down against N.C. State, the fifth-year senior finally got his chance.
"I knew it would come," Holley said at yesterday's press conference. "The whole time leading up to this, I've kept up a great faith in God. I kept faith that I was going to have an opportunity. I wasn't coming back to make a small contribution; I knew it would take more than that from me for us to win.
"It's something I've been waiting for a long time."
Saturday, Holley made it worth the wait, performing like anything but a backup in Duke's 28-23 win over Clemson. He recorded 12 tackles, and more importantly, made two key interceptions.
The first one he returned 40 yards to set up the Blue Devils' third touchdown, and then with just 42 seconds left in the game, Holley thwarted the Tigers' last-ditch effort for a comeback with a pick at midfield.
"He played a fantastic game, tackling, in addition to the things that were obvious," coach Fred Goldsmith said. "He's played well his last two ballgames. Kenan's been in a tough position his last two years. But he's done everything for the team."
The first thing Holley did for the team was just decide to come back. He finished his undergraduate work in the spring and had the opportunity to work for NFL Films this year.
Instead, Holley opted to return and earn a teaching certificate, which will allow him the opportunity to teach in either North Carolina or his native Texas. In addition, Holley is focused on filmmaking now and is currently working on a film that will begin shooting in January and hit college campuses across the country in March.
"After I graduated, people were talking about 'You don't have to come back now, you know,'" Holley said. "We're not in a huge football program. It's not like everyone's thinking about going to the pros.
"I could've gone on and started a career, but after spending 11 years of my life playing football, this is a career. If you play college football, after you stop playing, you're retiring. I always knew I was coming back."
Fortunately for Duke, Holley did come back to help save a win this past Saturday. Whether or not Holley gets the chance to start again will depend on Jones' ability to recover from a sprained MCL.
For Holley, though, the chance to show his ability finally came and made all of the work pay off.
"The one game is part of the total experience," Holley said. "Without the four years that led up to this game, this game would have never been a possibility. It's an extension of what our team is going through as far as facing hardships and going on to play the game."
And now, Holley and his teammates have faced the hardships and lifted the program back up toward respectability. Against Clemson, Duke defeated an opponent it had lost to 15 of its last 17 attempts.
Now at Vanderbilt this weekend, the Blue Devils will have the chance to equal their win total for the previous three years combined, all in a span of just nine games.
"You hear the term 'team victory' all the time, but it was so gratifying the way it happened," Goldsmith said. "A lot of people had to step up. Some guys just rallied and made plays.
"We have something to play for. That's something every team wants-to have the late games be meaningful. This is the first time since '94 we've had something to play for down the stretch. You know what, it's darn exciting-to be able to compete."
Notes:
- On the injury front, the three players who missed all or most of Saturday's game are slowly healing. Goldsmith said that defensive lineman Chris Combs is hoping to practice Wednesday, and if he's back then he should be at full strength against Vanderbilt. Combs missed part of the Clemson game with a sprained knee.
Free safety Eric Jones, out with a sprained MCL in his left knee, ran Friday and Saturday and is listed as day-to-day, though Goldsmith said that he "had a hunch" Jones will be able to play against Vanderbilt.
Wide receiver Richmond Flowers, recovering from an appendectomy, was supposed to meet with doctors yesterday and Goldsmith said that no decision on Flowers' status will be made until later in the week.
Sims Lenhardt did not attempt a field goal this past weekend and still needs one more to set the all-time Duke record for career field goals made. He is currently tied with Doug Peterson at 37.
Combs is just a half tackle shy of setting Duke's career record of tackles for losses. Just a junior, Combs has 40.5 and trails only James Kirkland, a '95 graduate who finished with 41.
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