Warm weather, pre-game festivities and the excitement of a new beginning for Duke Football brought over 3,200 fans to watch the Blue Devils play at Wallace Wade Stadium Saturday in their first Spring Game under new head coach David Cutcliffe.
For Cutcliffe, generating enthusiasm for the scrimmage was a top priority, and he felt he succeeded.
"The atmosphere was an A, just a game-type atmosphere," he said. "It was a great job by the Duke faithful and our fans. I'm really appreciative of that. A lot of people, I think, are just interested to see these guys compete and play."
With Thaddeus Lewis under center and surprise playmaker Tony Jackson in the backfield, the White team came out on top 14-3 over the Blue squad in a four-quarter, 40-minute contest officiated by a crew of referees.
The highlight of the game came early when, late in the first, Jackson burst through a crease on the left side of the line and bolted 75 yards for the White team's first score of the game. The long dash would also prove to be the only offensive touchdown of the contest.
Considering that Jackson switched from cornerback to running back last week, his performance-85 yards on five carries- is all the more impressive.
"Monday morning at the team meeting, Coach called me over.... He just said that I was doing good on defense, but he wanted to see me on offense," said Jackson, who played on special teams last season. "In high school, I was the primary running back so when I made the switch I was really comfortable. It's a natural position for me."
Besides Jackson, the game featured limited offensive bright spots, as neither team managed a sustained scoring drive. The Blue team's starting quarterback Zack Asack connected on 14 of 17 passing attempts, with six going to standout receiver Eron Riley, who amassed 49 yards on the day.
Cutcliffe said his teams' "vanilla" offensive showings were likely due to stiff winds and a restricted offensive playbook going into the scrimmage. He also gave a lot of credit to his defense.
"When you divide up your receiving core, your running backs and even your lineman, probably your offensive execution suffers," he said. "[But] you hope your defense is ahead... and I still do believe that you win championships with defense."
Cutcliffe's focus on defense is not what you would expect from a coach hired for his reputation on the other end of the field, but his defense-first philosophy showed Saturday.
The White team's defensive unit, in particular, played with a tenacity and discipline that looked far better than that of last year's squad, which allowed 180 rushing yards per contest. White gave up just 39 yards on 24 carries for the game and recorded seven tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
On top of that, White team defensive end Wesley Oglesby punched in the final score of the scrimmage after he recovered a botched exchange in Blue's backfield and returned the fumble 10 yards for the touchdown, sealing the 14-3 victory.
Taking care of the football was an issue encountered by both sides throughout the scrimmage. There was a fumbled snap by Lewis, and Blue team's back-up quarterback Mike Capetto tossed an interception to Chris Rwabukamba late in the fourth quarter, halting any chance of a comeback.
In the series prior to Jackson's touchdown sprint, the Blue team capitalized on a fumble recovery by senior linebacker Michael Tauiliili. Jabari Marshall, who struggled at times last season to keep possession on returns, coughed up the ball on a punt that went deep into his own territory.
Although Blue started at the 11-yard line, the team was unable to put the ball in the end zone and settled for a 24-yard field goal from sophomore Nick Maggio to put the first points of the game on the board.
In an effort to show excitement for the upcoming season, the scoreboard showed 'JMU' on the visitor's side after the scrimmage ended. Duke's first game of the 2008 season is at home against James Madison Aug. 30.
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