Blue Devils plan to utilize hard-won experience, depth

With Saturday's season opener against Richmond quickly approaching, Duke head coach David Cutcliffe opened his press conference Tuesday reflecting on the team's summer camp. Starting quarterback Sean Renfree described the team's theme as "Go to work" and Cutcliffe agreed that the team worked very hard day in and day out this summer.

Unfortunately, the physical nature of summer camp cost the Blue Devils a few players who were expected to contribute this season for Saturday's opener, notably halfback Josh Snead, who averaged 4.9 yards per carry last season. Highly-touted back Desmond Scott and sophomore Juwan Thompson will share the bulk of the responsibility in the backfield against the Spiders.

Despite having as many as 12 scholarship players held out of practice at some points during camp, Cutcliffe mentioned that the team did not allow the injuries to affect their morale. They showed up willing and ready to work everyday due in large part to the senior leadership of the team.

The head coach rewarded the leaders this week by selecting two offensive captains and two defensive captains for the upcoming season. He chose redshirt senior offensive lineman Kyle Hill and nose tackle Charlie Hatcher, along with senior safety Matt Daniels and Renfree. Cutcliffe praised these four individuals saying that they exemplify the values of the football team he has built. Cutcliffe, who has a special bond with the group that entered Duke with him in 2008, acknowledged that it has been an emotional process watching the seniors grow as football players and as people.

Aside from the senior class, he mentioned two other sources of excitement for this season. First, the team has several returning experienced players on both sides of the ball who have performed at a high level in game situations. Ten of the projected starters on the offensive side of the ball started multiple contests for Duke last year. The defensive side boasts eight returning starters as well. The Blue Devils do not lack depth, though, for the first time in Cutcliffe's tenure. The team expects about a dozen freshmen and redshirt freshmen to contribute this year.

Cutcliffe also expressed excitement and concerns about the youth on this team. True freshman Jamison Crowder is expected to return kicks for the Blue Devils after turning heads with a 68-yard punt return in the intrasquad scrimmage last week. Fellow freshman wideout Blair Holliday is also expected to play this week.

After Duke fell to Richmond in 2009, they certainly are not writing off the Spiders as a Division I-AA team. Coach Cutcliffe and Renfree both repeatedly stated that this Richmond team is as talented as most of Duke’s opponents this year.

“I don’t see them as a I-AA school,” Renfree said. “They have good talent and experienced players. They’re going to come in here and try to beat us up. They’ll try to prove to people that they can play at a Division I level. If you expect to beat a team like Richmond, you better have everything together, play well and execute.”