This is the first in a two-part series examining the state of the football program as it winds down spring practice.
The tone of Carl Franks' second spring as a head coach might have been best exemplified in the waning moments of Tuesday's practice. With a handful of projected starters watching from the sidelines, a ragtag version of the Duke offense struggled to score in a goal-line simulation.
As the sun began to fade behind the bleachers at Wallace Wade Stadium, Franks did what he and his assistants have done all spring: make the best of a less-than-ideal situation.
Using 6-foot-3, 240-pound tight end Ben Watson as an oversized fullback and converted fullback Alex Wade (6-0, 240) as a tailback, Franks' offensive unit punched the ball into the endzone, battering-ram style.
Somewhere, the ubiquitous Airborne logo, used to promote an offense that lived and died with the pass in 1999, was being stripped of its wings and fitted for a pair of snow tires.
"Tight end is probably one of our deepest positions right now," Franks said, referring mainly to the talented trio of Watson, Mike Hart and Nick Brzezinski. "That's why we are experimenting with using those guys in different positions, moving them around, putting them in the backfield.
"That gives us the ability to put three pretty good athletes on the field, depending on how we use them."
Of course, depth at tight end is only part of the reason the pass-happy Blue Devils are toying with more smashmouth formations. Injuries elsewhere are the biggest factors.
Starting quarterback Spencer Romine, recovering from shoulder surgery, has missed all but a few drills this spring. Wide receiver Ben Erdeljac and running back B.J. Hill, both starters in 1999, are still rehabilitating massive knee injuries that cut short their sophomore seasons.
The Blue Devils lost wide receivers Scottie Montgomery (graduation), Richmond Flowers and Kyle Shanahan (both transfers). Add an ankle injury to Devon Pearce, the only fullback on the roster, and offensive experimentation is more a necessity than a whim.
"You get more work, and you get better because there are less substitutions," Watson said, echoing Franks' optimistic approach. "As a group, [the tight ends] have gotten a lot stronger and a lot quicker."
Aside from the lingering injuries suffered last fall, the past two weeks have actually been pretty smooth for Franks, who is trying to focus on fundamentals with his young squad. Watson's improvement has been a pleasant surprise, as has Wade's.
And while Duke experiments with a small number of new wrinkles to the offensive scheme, the Blue Devils are clearly going back to basics on the other side of the ball.
The Blue Devils lose eight defensive starters to graduation, although wholesale turnover of a unit that ranked dead last in the ACC in total defense isn't necessarily a bad thing.
"That's one of the main things the spring is for," Franks said. "It's for the young guys to get a chance to come out and compete. They didn't get a chance to play last year, so now it's time for them to learn."
Certainly, Duke will miss the talents of All-ACC tackle Chris Combs and inside linebacker Ryan Stallmeyer. Replacing their experience and leadership may be even more difficult.
"Number one, we want to make sure [the young players] know what to do; if they know what to do, it gives us a chance," Franks said. "Then we want to see guys who get excited, fly around to the football and show some leadership over there."
But the most intriguing player of the spring is not a defensive prospect getting his first look. It's a quarterback getting a second chance.
D. Bryant, a prized high school recruit from Michigan two years ago, is back after serving a season-long academic suspension. The redshirt freshman spent his time away from Duke working on an assembly line and gaining a newfound appreciation for college life.
With Bryant trying to learn the offense for a second time, Romine's injury may be a minor blessing, because it means more repetitions and more one-on-one attention from quarterbacks coach Ben Bennett.
Still, Franks hopes to have Romine, Hill and Erdeljac back for the season opener, though it is too early to make a prediction on any of the three. The second-year coach also hinted that when Hill does return, it might not be at tailback but at strong safety, the position for which Hill was originally recruited.
"We'll be a little flexible," Franks said. "He can certainly help us at running back and he can help us in the secondary. He's the kind of guy you dream about having as a coach."
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