Ask almost any football coach in America what the most important element of an offense is, and you'll probably get the same answer-balance.
Duke is no different. The Blue Devil offense has run 558 total plays this season, with rushing plays accounting for 49-percent and passing plays the other 51-percent. But with a matchup against Georgia Tech (5-4, 2-4 in the ACC) set for 1:30 p.m. Saturday in Wallace Wade Stadium, something needs to give because the production between these two components of Duke's offense has not been balanced at all.
"Our running game has definitely struggled this year," wideout Jomar Wright said. "I'm sure [head] coach [Ted] Roof wants us to be balanced and have the threat of run or pass. But at the same time, you have to go with what's worked this year. Our passing game has been one of the strengths of our offense, so I definitely feel like we should throw more."
After the Blue Devils' loss to Florida State Oct. 27, Roof said his team had developed a big-play personality and it would not win ball games in a grind-it-out fashion. Nevertheless, one week later, Duke (1-8, 0-6) did not seem to change much against then-No. 25 Clemson.
Even after scoring on the offense's second drive of the game-a 63-yard series with 53 coming through the air-the Blue Devils stubbornly stuck with the run. Over the course of the game, Duke's running backs carried the ball 23 times for a measly 2.3-yard average.
After rushing for 95 yards or less in every game this year, though, the Blue Devils may finally abandon their balanced approach and devote themselves to the more successful passing attack.
"When you don't have success at [running], you want to keep working at it. But the other part of it is... when we're moving the football, it seems we're throwing it a little bit more often [and] the idea is to stay on the field and score points," offensive coordinator Peter Vaas said. "We'd kind of be batting our heads against the wall if we didn't emphasize the pass a little bit more."
Facing an aggressive, blitz-happy Yellow Jackets squad, Duke will be forced to make the right decisions quickly. It has been a relatively down year for Roof's alma mater, but if the Blue Devils cannot improve their execution, then Georgia Tech should escape from Durham unscathed. So often this season, players and coaches alike have pointed to mental lapses or missed assignments on one play here or there as the difference in many of their close losses.
Although Duke might be as physically talented as many of its opponents, Wright said there is a different kind of athletic trait that has separated the Blue Devils from the wins they feel they deserve.
"We're just not reacting fast enough to what's happening in front of us," the senior said. "We see something and it takes a split second more to register with us what's going on, instead of seeing something and just reacting automatically."
As for the remainder of the season, Duke must find the motivation to compete. For standout wide receiver Eron Riley, there is no greater motivator than respect and pride.
"You're only as good as your last showing," the former ACC Player of the Week said. "I've always believed in that. I want our last games to show how this team really is, so I want to go out there Saturday and put on a better showing so this year's team can be remembered a different way going into the offseason."
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