Head coach David Cutcliffe announced last week that redshirt freshman Nicodem Pierre would shift from quarterback to running back after three of Duke's four scholarship running backs went down with injuries early in fall camp. With the season opener a little more than two weeks away, The Chronicle's beat writers take a look at how the injuries could impact Cutcliffe's offense.
With Jela Duncan out indefinitely and Shaun Wilson and Joseph Ajeigbe nursing injuries, is there cause for concern in the Blue Devil backfield?
Nick Martin: No. If you’ve been around football teams long enough, you know that aside from January, the best time for a team to deal with a football injury is in training camp. It allows the team to address the situation and shuffle players around without worrying about all the added stress of an impending game. Although Duncan’s injury could keep him out of the regular season and possibly bowl season too—pectoral tears take months to fully recover—Wilson and Ajeigbe’s issues seem to be less serious, so I expect them to be ready by opening day, and ACC play at the latest. But top back Shaquille Powell is healthy and ready to go, and I think the Blue Devils can live with a healthy Powell and recovering Wilson throughout a favorable nonconference schedule.
Seth Johnson: Although the absence of three running backs in fall camp is never a positive sign, I hesitate to jump to serious conclusions about the backfield until the season opener. The continued reps for Powell as well as the addition of Nicodem Pierre to the backfield has allowed both the offensive and defensive units to continue without missing a beat. I think the biggest concern is the possibility of missing Duncan for the whole season. Duke expected to have the Charlotte, N.C., native's 210-pound frame bursting through defenses and catching passes out of the backfield like he did during the Blue Devils’ 2013 run to the ACC championship game. Similar to the loss of Kelby Brown at linebacker, not having Duncan for two consecutive seasons is a major blow to the team, but not sufficient enough to write off the Duke backfield from day one.
Sam Turken: Duncan's partially torn pectoral muscle is an especially big loss for the squad and hurts from a depth standpoint. After sitting out 2014 due to suspension, Duncan’s return this season was going to significantly strengthen Duke’s ground attack. But, I agree with Seth that it is too early to be concerned. Wilson and Ajeigbe are nursing minor lower-body injuries and are expected to return soon. Powell has also remained healthy and Pierre's transition to running back could also add depth to the position in the interm.
Brian Mazur: I wouldn’t say there is a huge cause for concern at this point because the injuries to Wilson and Ajeigbe should allow them to return and get ready for the Sept. 3 opener. Without Duncan, the running back rotation looks a lot like it did last year, minus Josh Snead, who did not see many carries in the last month of the 2014 season. Obviously, the team was looking forward to welcoming back Duncan, who was the bruiser of the group. But because there is so much depth at the position, as long as Wilson and Ajeigbe get healthy within the next few weeks, there will still be plenty of talent in the backfield this fall.
Redshirt freshman Nicodem Pierre has shifted into the backfield alongside Shaquille Powell. How do you see the former third-string quarterback filling in, if he's called into game action due to the rest of the backs injuries?
NM: Pierre came to Durham as the 14th-ranked dual threat quarterback in his class, so running is definitely in his wheelhouse. Now, whether he can sustain the kind of hits a running back takes on the field is yet to be seen. But Pierre is a big guy—standing 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds—and I think he’s going to be fine. At the same time, I wouldn’t expect to see him called into any serious game play early this season. He’s playing a new position and despite what talk comes out of camp, everyone needs more than a few weeks to get used to playing at a new spot.
SJ: According to players at camp, Pierre is filling in nicely at his new position. Senior defensive end Deion Williams called the fit “natural” and sophomore cornerback Alonzo Saxton II felt that the offensive unit was “executing as well as they did before [the injuries].” With such praise from the defensive side of the ball, the former third-string quarterback seems to be taking his new role in stride. This is not extremely surprising considering the success Pierre had using his feet in high school. The Miami native's ability to use his feet and his physique will make him hard to bring down for opposing defenses. But picking up blitzers and blocking for quarterback Thomas Sirk will require an adjustment and could force Cutcliffe to limit Pierre's role to power runs and quick passes.
ST: Pierre is too athletic to only be a third-string quarterback. The redshirt freshman has the ideal body for a running back and the main question is whether he is explosive and fast enough to be an effective runner. Although he succeeded as a dual-threat quarterback in high school, Pierre ran a 4.82 40-yard-dash, which is slower than the average college running back. As a result, he will likely be more of a physical running back and thrive on breaking tackles and running through defenders. Blocking is also a concern for Pierre, but unlike Seth, I think the former quarterback's large frame and quick feet should give him an advantage when picking up blitzes.
BM: If Ajeigbe and Wilson cannot return in time for the Sept. 3 contest against Tulane, Pierre is going to have to be prepared to play meaningful snaps early and often to spell starting running back Shaquille Powell. If he does get snaps at running back, I think Pierre will surprise us with some big plays, but the jury is still out on how well he can block. Although Cutcliffe and players have raved about Pierre’s athleticism and physicality, a major concern is how well Pierre can block, especially when he has to pick up blitzes on passing plays. Even if Wilson and Ajeigbe return, Pierre could still see some playing time, as coaches might choose to utilize his services when he would otherwise be on the sidelines. He could even be used in trick plays since he has potential throwing the ball and a grasp of the offensive system.
With questions in the backfield, how much additional pressure is on new starting quarterback Thomas Sirk, if any?
NM: Theoretically, the injuries should relieve pressure from Sirk. I don’t think anyone expected him to come in and be Deshaun Watson or J.T. Barrett right off the bat, so with the injuries to the backfield, the pressure and the expectations are naturally lower. A quarterback who hasn’t attempted 20 passes, inherits a weak receiving corps and injuries to three of his running backs is not exactly expected to come in and win 10 games. Now, in some cases, it would put a huge amount of pressure on the new signal-caller to step in, try to prove everyone wrong about his arm and put the team on his back. But I don’t think Sirk will cave to acknowledging or accepting that pressure. He’ll play his game, and Duke will be fine.
SJ: Even if Sirk does not feel any additional pressure in camp, he will be under the microscope once the season gets under way. The Glen St. Mary, Fla., native has registered only 14 career passes, leading to a lot of discussions about his ability to replace Anthony Boone as the new main man in Durham. For now, Sirk can only rely on Powell and Pierre in the backfield to take snaps when things get shaky and Pierre's inexperience as a pass blocker could force the quarterback to scramble more than he had planned. Forcing the first-year starter to get rid of the ball quicker could potentially force him into the mistakes that Cutcliffe has talked about avoiding this season. The good news for Duke is that an experienced core of receivers—including scrimmage standout Johnell Barnes— and some continuity on the offensive line will alleviate some of the growing pains.
ST: It all depends on the status of the Blue Devils' running backs. If Wilson and Ajeigbe can avoid serious injuries, Sirk shouldn't feel any additional pressure. But in their absence, the passing attack may have to pick up the slack. Look for Sirk to tuck the ball and run more often to keep defenses off balance and make up for a limited ground game in the opening weeks of the season.
BM: Sirk probably does feel additional pressure, as everyone was expecting a rush-heavy offense in 2015 anchored by a talented group of running backs that could be shuffled in and out of the game to stay fresh. But I think it all depends whether Ajeigbe and Wilson are healthy for the season opener. If the Blue Devils only have two running backs in addition to Pierre to start the season, we’ll probably see more of an emphasis on the passing game and even more designed runs out of the backfield for Sirk. In the end, fewer healthy running backs means that the coaching staff cannot spread out the carries like they have the past two years, which will reduce their availability, meaning that Sirk could have to make even more plays through the air and on the ground to make up for the lost production this season.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.