With the 2016 season right around the corner, The Chronicle's football beat writers break down each of the nine major position groups: quarterbacks, running backs, receivers, offensive line, defensive line, linebackers, defensive backs, kicker/punter and punt/kickoff returners to prepare you for the regular season.
For the first time in four years, the Blue Devils face major questions at both the kicker and punter positions. Ross Martin and Will Monday were both All-ACC specialists who consistently made big plays on special teams during their careers. Despite the duo's departure, head coach David Cutcliffe has said that he will demand the same type of focus and consistency from his specialists in 2016. Cutcliffe has always emphasized sound special teams play, but it remains to be seen whether his young specialists will deliver in pressure-packed moments during the upcoming season.
Key Players Lost: K Ross Martin, P Will Monday
Neither Martin nor Monday will take the field for the Blue Devils this season. Just let that sink in. It is very easy to make the argument that they were the most successful kicker-punter duo in program history. Martin was a four-time All-ACC selection who holds the program record and is third in ACC history with 78 field goals made, with a single-season school-record 26 of those coming during the 2015 season. He made 86.7 percent of his field goals as a senior and split the uprights on a critical overtime kick to lift the Blue Devils past Indiana in last season's Pinstripe Bowl win. Replacing Martin's reliability and consistency will be tough moving forward, but with true freshman A.J. Reed entering the program, Cutcliffe will potentially have another four-year starter with the chance to build his own legacy.
At punter, Monday was every bit as good as Martin. Like his teammate, he was a four-time ACC selection. He ranks seventh in punting yardage in conference history and finished his career averaging 46.46 yards per punt. Monday also holds the record for the longest punt in Blue Devil history, when he booted a 79-yard punt during his freshman season in the 2012 Belk Bowl. Another area where Monday made a noticeable difference was on the field goal unit, serving as the holder for all four years of his career. Monday, Martin and long snapper Thomas Hennessey had undeniable chemistry when it came to field goals, and though Hennessey does return, this is another area where Monday's presence will be sorely missed.
Cutcliffe on the specialists
Everyone has to understand how they work in our process. We have a real strict process that Austin [Parker] has been through for a year through practice work, and he understands what the expectations are.
We’re not finished [at kicker]. It’s really more of a sign that Danny Stirt has done a great job. He’s been around here, very familiar with what we are doing, They both had great days today. I just want to see the consistency that we expect here.
Projected Starters
Although senior Danny Stirt is reportedly pushing Reed for the starting job at kicker, the true freshman is still the leading candidate to attempt most of Duke's field goals this season. Reed was consistently ranked amongst the top kickers in the nation coming out of high school, ranked 11th in his recruiting class by 247Sports. In his senior year at Prattville High School in Alabama, he knocked in all but one of his PAT attempts and made 7-of-12 field goals with a long of 48 yards. Reed has not had much time to acclimate to kicking at the FBS level, but the talent is definitely there, and he should be more comfortable kicking for the Blue Devils as the season goes on.
At punter, it is clear that Austin Parker, who redshirted last season, is ready to take the reins right away. According to Cutcliffe, Parker performed very well throughout his redshirt season and benefitted from understudying Monday in 2015. Parker was ranked as the ninth-best punting prospect in the nation by 247Sports in the class of 2015, and chances are he will continue to improve during his redshirt freshman season.
Dark Horse: Danny Stirt
Reed is expected to start at kicker, but if he struggles, look for Stirt to get a chance to attempt field goals this season. Prior to Reed's arrival this summer, Stirt won the starting kicker job during spring practice and is making a case to start against N.C. Central on Sept. 3. This will definitely be a battle to watch throughout the season.
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