With the 2015 season right around the corner, The Chronicle's football beat writers break down each of the 10 major position groups: running backs,quarterbacks, offensive line, receivers/tight ends, defensive ends, defensive tackles, linebackers, defensive backs, kicker/punter and punt/kickoff returners to prepare you for the regular season.
The five-headed monster that turns the wheels of Jim Knowles' 4-2-5 defense is in the secondary, where all five starters from last year's squad return this season with at least two years of extended playing time under their belts. Many in the college football world have tabbed the Blue Devils' secondary as one of the best in the ACC, if not the nation. After giving up only 206.8 passing yards per game a year ago—good for 33rd in the FBS—Duke will look to its back line to support an inexperienced defense.
Key Players Lost: None
Cutcliffe on the Defensive Backs:
"I think we’re better athletically and the productivity is just pretty special. You start talking about plays Cash has made, certainly a big part of it is his athleticism and his ability, but also he’s put in a position to do that. And then you flip on the other side of the safety and there’s DeVon Edwards—how many plays has he made? Back-to-back interceptions for touchdowns, which only two players in the history of the game have done. Deondre Singleton who started as a true freshman, he’s had two really good years. I watched video early this morning and he explodes and shows up and makes plays."
"I think sometimes we don’t really appreciate what [Bryon Fields and Breon Borders] do outside of the flash of those safeties. Breon’s had some of the best interceptions I’ve ever seen. Bryon’s a pick-six kind of guy, so they allow Jim Knowles to do more with our defense."
"I think we’ve got really good competition right now in the secondary behind them. We’ve got some young players there with some power and I’m anxious to see them so to speak do an apprenticeship or beat those guys out. It’s a good opportunity for them to learn."
Projected Starters:
Cornerback: It should be no surprise that junior cornerbacks Byron Fields and Breon Borders will start again this year at the position, as both players are coming off of stellar seasons in 2014. Borders has the potential to become an elite corner in the ACC and teams will likely try to throw away from him this season, as he leads all defensive backs with seven career interceptions. We should expect to see Borders matched up with opposing teams' top receivers this season and it is likely that coaches will put him in one-on-one coverage with his solid coverage skills.
Fields has not had quite as much success as his teammate, but he has improved vastly since his freshman season. The Charlotte, N.C., native did a decent job covering All-American wide receiver Jaelen Strong in the Sun Bowl loss to Arizona State. With 27 games of experience under his belt, Fields should continue to show improvement this season and remains one of the team's best coverage corners.
Safety: After bypassing the NFL, redshirt senior Jeremy Cash is poised for another All-American season in Durham. The Miami native has been named to a flurry of award watch lists, All-America preseason teams and every single ACC preseason team. Last season, he was the only defensive back in the country to record more than 100 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and five sacks. Cash notched a pair of interceptions and four forced fumbles as the leader of the defense a year ago and could be a potential first round pick when the NFL draft rolls around next April.
Although Cash is the face of the safety group, one of the most underrated defensive backs in the nation is DeVon Edwards. The Covington, Ga., native is known for his abilities as a kick returner, but the rover safety also had an impressive redshirt sophomore season last year that earned him All-ACC preseason recognition. Edwards can play all over the field and coaches will use him near the line of scrimmage to stop the run and wreak havoc in the backfield on blitz packages, as illustrated by his 7.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks last season. If he keeps playing at a high level, look for Edwards to go from underrated to a potential NFL talent during the course of the season.
Rounding out the group at the bandit safety is junior Deondre Singleton who is also entering his third year under Jim Knowles' tutelage. The Dacula, Ga., native has started nearly every game since he arrived in Durham two years ago. Singleton is similar to Edwards in that he is a do-it-all player and will be used to help a young front seven stop the run. Evrett Edwards will also see playing time behind Singleton at the bandit position and Knowles will look to use the redshirt sophomore as an extra cover guy when teams spread out the field with four or five wide receivers. Look for Edwards to make in impact in games against spread offenses like Pittsburgh, Virginia and North Carolina.
Dark Horse:
Cornerback: Look for sophomore Alonzo Saxton II to see the field a lot this season as a second string cornerback after a strong freshman season ended with a shoulder injury against Pittsburgh. Saxton II did not have eye-popping numbers during his first season in Durham, but did enough to be in the mix for playing time throughout the 2014 season. As Co-Most Improved Defensive Player last season, look for the Columbus, Ohio, native to spell Fields and Borders on the outside and maybe play some nickel packages as a safety this season. Saxton II will get some looks with the first team early in camp with Fields out nursing a leg injury.
Safety: Redshirt junior Corbin McCarthy has been a backup in Jim Knowles' system for a long time and can come in and give Cash a breather from time to time at the strike safety position. Look for McCarthy to play a similar role to that Dwayne Norman played last season in blitz packages and especially on third-and-long scenarios. Depending on how the next year goes for the Norco, Calif., native, he could become the starting strike safety for the 2016 season.
Be sure to stay with the Blue Zone for our continuing 2015 position preview series. Check in tomorrow to read how Duke’s linebackers will overcome the loss of Kelby Brown and David Helton.
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