Heading into its regular season finale, Duke will look to snap a four-game losing streak Saturday when they face in-state rival Wake Forest at 12:30 p.m. The Blue Devils have already earned bowl eligibility, but will look to use the win to bolster their standing in the ACC Coastal division. Here are three keys to Duke's final game of the regular season:
Manage Boehme and Sirk
Duke head coach David Cutcliffe announced earlier this week that he plans to utilize both of his quarterbacks—Thomas Sirk and Parker Boehme—Saturday against the Demon Deacons. Sirk enters the contest nursing an upper body injury that he suffered Nov. 7 against North Carolina, while Boehme has played well whenever he has seen the field. Whether or not the Blue Devils win their season finale could rest on Cutcliffe’s rotation between the true starter and the “hot hand.”
Although the Demon Deacons show nothing special on the stat sheet, including in the win/loss column, poor quarterback play can doom any team. Cutcliffe will need to make sure he plays the best quarterback given each situation in this weekend's game. If the Blue Devils experience poor play from the game’s most important position, it is not unimaginable to think they could fall to their in-state foe and end the season 6-6.
Do not take Wake Forest lightly
After Duke lost to a three-win team last week in Virginia, what’s to say that they can’t lose to a three-win team again? Although the Demon Deacons have been considered one of the doormats of the ACC in recent years, the Blue Devils and Wake Forest have had similar finishes against common opponents. Both teams beat Army, narrowly beat Boston College, and got trounced by North Carolina. In fact, the two teams’ margin of victory against Boston College and margin of defeat against North Carolina differed only by one point.
Wake Forest should not be underestimated. The Demon Deacons came within one score of upending No. 11 Florida State—the defending conference champion. Wake Forest has suffered two other one-possession losses contributing to their 3-8 record, as well. Duke must look past the records and treat the Demon Deacons as any other opponent Saturday.
No slow starts
After all that has happened to the Blue Devils this year, the team cannot afford to fall behind early in its contest with Wake Forest. Duke needs to keep its morale high following four straight losses to conference opponents so that it may salvage what little is left of the season and make the best bowl game possible.
When the Blue Devils take the field against Wake Forest, they should recognize that the first few plays have the potential to determine their mentality for the entire game. A slow start could evolve into a large deficit similar to what the team faced a week ago in Charlottesville and may be too much for Duke to overcome.
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Jacob Weiss is a Trinity senior. His column, "not jumping to any conclusions," runs on alternate Fridays.