"You go from being pretty deep at a position to being pretty thin at a position in a hurry," offensive coordinator Kurt Roper said. "That's the running back position."
Powell was banged up in the Blue Devils' conference title game loss to the Seminoles, but head coach David Cutcliffe said the sophomore bruiser is getting healthier and should be ready to go.
Although Duke lost its leading rusher, gaining back the program's all-time leader in rushing touchdowns is a welcome sign as the Blue Devils finish their final days of bowl preparation.
"Shaquille looks much better, practiced [Thursday], and then Juwan Thompson and Josh Snead are both full speed," Cutcliffe said. "The return of Brandon Connette gives us more depth at the running back position, so right now our plans are to play those three."
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