NEW YORK—Injuries were unkind to the Blue Devils throughout their 2015 campaign.
Well before the season opener against Tulane Sept. 3, Duke was faced with the loss of All-ACC linebacker Kelby Brown to a career-ending knee injury and junior cornerback Bryon Fields to an ACL tear. The running back unit was decimated as well, with Jela Duncan, Shaun Wilson and Joseph Ajeigbe suffering preseason injuries that forced third-string quarterback Nicodem Pierre to shift to the backfield to begin the season.
Blue Devil lineman Cody Robinson suffered a career-ending injury, freshman wide receiver T.J. Rahming lost playing time due to nagging injuries and defensive end Kyler Brown—the younger brother of Kelby Brown—sat for several weeks following a midseason knee injury.
Throw in a recent wrist surgery for ACC Defensive Player of the Year Jeremy Cash, and the outlook for the New Era Pinstripe Bowl seemed bleak for Duke.
Four quarters and one overtime later, the Blue Devils survived their myriad of injuries and defeated Indiana 44-41 at Yankee Stadium for their first bowl win in 54 years.
“There’s so many positives about our players,” Duke head coach David Cutcliffe said. “There’s so many things happening in Duke football right now that that’s kind of how we approach it, [as a milestone]…. There’s so many positives about our players. They’ve done this. Don’t mistake any part of it.”
After battling an upper-body injury in the closing weeks of the season, quarterback Thomas Sirk returned at Wake Forest for the regular season finale and led Duke on a key fourth-quarter drive against the Hoosiers. The Glen St. Mary, Fla., native punched in a five-yard touchdown run that sent the game into overtime, and was set to lead his team into extras for a chance at victory.
Unfortunately for the game’s co-Most Valuable Player—Wilson also received the honor after contributing two long touchdowns—Sirk was forced to leave the game after an apparent left knee injury on a five-yard run two plays into overtime.
“It was tough [to come out of the game],” Sirk said. “I was upset, but then again, I knew I had to keep cheering my teammates on to win. And we put ourselves in the situation to win and I’m just glad that we finished strong.”
Two plays later—after backup quarterback Parker Boehme entered and threw an incomplete pass on third down—Blue Devil kicker Ross Martin converted a field goal that gave his team a three-point advantage, but Indiana still had a shot to win the game on its overtime possession.The Hoosiers had a 38-yard field goal attempt to send the game into double overtime, but the ball sailed just inches right to end the game.
Had the kick been good, it was questionable whether Sirk could have continued for Duke.
“I think he was done at that point,” Cutcliffe said. “You’re asking Thomas, ‘Do you feel okay?’ He’s had a lot of injuries, a lot of things he’s had to go through…. But [I am] very proud of Thomas continuing to focus and continuing to compete at a high level. Was it perfect? No. He knows that. But, you know, when you do it when you have to do it, that’s pretty impressive.”
With an entire offseason ahead of him, Sirk will have plenty of time to be evaluated and prepare for his redshirt senior season as a Blue Devil, but for Cash—who did not travel to the game due to his surgical rehab—his first bowl victory had to be savored from afar. The consensus All-American safety was missed not only as a defensive force on the field, but as a vocal leader and captain.
“I’m going to tell [Cash] he missed a hell of a game—a hell of a celebration,” running back Shaquille Powell said. “He helped us get here. Without him, we wouldn’t have been here. I’m going to congratulate him on the win [when I talk to him]. He’s a part of this just like the rest of us are. He put in a lot of work. He put in great leadership. He’s a part of this too.”
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