Duke football looks to extend road streak against Troy

It has been a while since Duke has lost a true road game.

On November 17, 2012, when the Blue Devils lost 42-24 to Georgia Tech in Atlanta, running back Shaun Wilson was a junior in high school, Anthony Boone was the back-up quarterback and redshirt senior wide receiver Issac Blakeney was competing in his first season as a Blue Devil at tight end.

After going 5-0 against road opponents last season, Duke will look to jump out to a a 2-0 overall record for just the second time since 1998 with a win against Troy 7 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Stadium this Saturday. For the Blue Devils, though a road game may be a change from the ordinary, the focus is still just as intense as it would be for any home game.

"Taking away the distractions," Boone said. "Having to board a plane, being in a different city—that can often distract teams. But just staying focused, we do a good job within our meetings, honing in the focus and attention of that this is a road trip, kind of a vacation, but more of a business trip. Whether you are at home or away, whether you are in front of a big crowd or a small crowd, you have to prepare to win every game."

Although the game will be a home game for head coach David Cutcliffe, marking the first time he has taken the Blue Devils to his home state, and tight end David Reeves—who both hail from the Yellowhammer State—it is the weather that may provide an unfriendly, but warm, welcome to the team.

With temperatures expected to be in the 90s along with scattered thunderstorms forecasted around the 7 p.m kickoff time, the conditions will be working against Duke, who has been practicing in slightly milder weather this fall.

To combat the heat, Cutcliffe said all players underwent a hydration seminar from the team's medical staff at the beginning of fall camp. But some warm weather throughout the Piedmont this week has also helped the Blue Devils prepare for the scorching heat.

"It may have appropriately been our hottest day of practice," Cutcliffe said. "When you are going to play in Troy, Alabama, you are going to a different climate than what we have in North Carolina. So that was good for our squad. We tried to push through it."

"We can’t say just because UAB handled them easily, that we are going to do the same thing," Boone said. "It is their first home game, so it is going to be a different mentality. They are probably a little salty about last year’s game too."

As he missed last year's 38-31 win after breaking his collarbone in week two against Memphis, Boone is looking for his first career win against Troy this weekend. The Trojans trailed through most of the game until knotting the score at 28 in the third quarter. But the Blue Devils responded with a four-yard touchdown run from Brandon Connette that allowed Duke to pull away and squeak out a victory.

But a much improved Blue Devil defense is looking for revenge after Troy put on an offensive clinic at Wallace Wade Stadium last year and racked up 514 yards on the day. Running backs Brandon Burks and Jordan Chunn, who accounted for the bulk of the rushing yards, return to lead a potent Trojan rushing attack that could open the field for redshirt freshman quarterback Brandon Silvers.

The concern for Duke is the mid-section of the defense, which has been softened by the injury to Kelby Brown. Although David Helton is acclimating to the mike linebacker position, Cutcliffe and his staff are still searching for another linebacker to step up and start aside Helton. But both redshirt junior C.J. France and redshirt freshman Chris Holmes missed practice time this offseason due to injuries, which has had an impact on their play.

"We have had so much missed practice time. That is a position that is going to have to grow and expand as we go through," Cutcliffe said. "Zavier Carmichael did some nice things and there may be others that have to show up there."