Clemson (6-4, 4-3) and Duke (3-7, 1-5) both entered the 2003 season with high aspirations. But, by mid-season both school's head coaches' jobs were on the line.
Carl Franks was dismissed, and the Blue Devils began to play with increased emotion. Some of the promise that the Duke team had at the beginning of the season is starting to rise to the surface, albeit too late.
For the Tigers, despite holding a 5-4 record entering last Saturday night's contest against Florida State, coach Tommy Bowden's job was rumored to rest on his ability to defeat his legendary father's Seminoles. The Tigers delivered for the younger Bowden, becoming bowl eligible in the process, and putting themselves in position to earn a fifth-consecutive postseason birth.
When the Blue Devils and Tigers hit the field tomorrow at 1:00 p.m., the players for both teams will be riding emotional highs. For a senior-laden Blue Devil squad, the Duke players know their time is running out. For the home team, senior day and bowl hopes should be plenty to have the Tigers bouncing at game time. How each team channels its emotion and energy into on the field productivity will likely decide the outcome of this late-season ACC contest.
On offense, the Blue Devils will continue to exploit their strength on the ground. Clemson ranks a mediocre 49th nationally in rushing defense, but held the powerful Florida State ground attack to 11 yards. If the defensive front can repeat last week's performance, it could be a long day for the Blue Devil attack.
Coming off a 218-yard rushing performance against Georgia Tech, Chris Douglas will be gunning for records. The senior needs just 11 yards against the Tigers to become the Blue Devils' all-time rushing leader. If he can garner 285 all-purpose yards in the team's final two games, he will move into the top spot on the ACC all-purpose yardage list.
At the quarterback spot, Duke Interim head coach Ted Roof will continue to rotate his quarterbacks on a situation-by-situation basis, a setup that has proven relatively successful in his brief tenure at the helm.
"I am definitely comfortable with the situation," junior quarterback Chris Dapolito said. "I am just happy to get the opportunity to play again. If it is the rotation, that is how it has to be and I am okay with that."
On defense, the Blue Devils will have to pressure Clemson quarterback Charlie Whitehurst and try to slow down his quick wide receivers. He threw for a school-record 420 yards last season in Durham, but the Blue Devils were able to hang in the game. Clemson knocked a fieldgoal through the uprights with eight seconds remaining to break a tie and come away with a 34-31 victory.
Whitehurst has already thrown for a single-season school record 2682 yards this season.
"They have big play people at the receivers and the quarterback is such a good player," Roof said. "He makes good decisions, is a gritty competitor, and is a good leader."
Derrick Hamilton highlights the Tigers' wide receiving core. The junior has already had three 100-plus yard receiving games and has grabbed seven touchdowns during the 2003 season. Kevin Youngblood, more of a possession receiver, is leading the team with 58 catches and will present another challenge for the Blue Devils secondary.
Further, Clemson's overall team speed on offense will be a primary concern for the Duke defensive unit.
"They are a team with a lot of speed and we have to respect their speed and they have momentum going into the game," junior linebacker Giuseppe Aguanno said.
Roof and his players feel the Georgia Tech win will be a positive for the Blue Devils, not a distraction, as they try to derail Clemson. Roof commented that the team has had more energy on the practice field, led by the seniors.
"I think we have all been focused for the last couple weeks," Dapolito said. "We are certainty happy with the win, but we want to put it past us now, and we want to focus clearly on Clemson."
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