Fans entering the renovated Wallace Wade Stadium might know to look out for “The Cheetahs” that have been roaming around the Blue Devil secondary since 2014.
But now they have another position group with a similar animal moniker to keep an eye on.
“We got a whole stable of running backs,” Duke running back Jela Duncan said. “It’s more than just me and [Shaun Wilson]. We’re a breed of horses, thoroughbreds. I guess you could call us thoroughbreds.”
With much of the attention this offseason focused on who will line up under center for the Blue Devils, there has been less discussion about how Duke will replace its offensive coordinator, top running back and leading wide receiver from 2015. Offensive coordinator Scottie Montgomery became the head coach at East Carolina and steady playmakers Shaquille Powell and Max McCaffrey graduated, meaning Montgomery’s replacement Zac Roper is addressing several areas of concern as he works with redshirt freshman quarterback Daniel Jones.
But the former special teams coordinator has an idea of who he plans to lean on when the Blue Devils open the season Saturday against N.C. Central.
“We feel like [running back] is a position of quality depth,” Roper said. “[Running backs coach Re’quan] Boyette likes to call it the stable and in his mind he’s got a room full of horses and we’re going to put those guys out to run on the field.”
After finishing third in the ACC in total offense a year ago, Duke’s ability to put up points this season will likely depend even more on its running backs. The Blue Devils relied on their running game heavily in 2015—averaging 192.9 yards per game, good for fifth in the conference—but are without their two leading rushers from last season. In addition to losing Powell, Duke will be without quarterback Thomas Sirk—who paced the team last season with 803 yards on the ground—this year after the redshirt senior recently suffered a partial tear to the left Achilles’ tendon that ruptured in February.
Luckily, the Blue Devils could still have enough weapons in the "Stable” to replace the production that was lost and make the game easier for Jones.
Duncan opens the season as the team’s starter after capping his junior season with a 111-yard performance on 13 carries in Duke’s bowl win against Indiana.
The redshirt senior’s ability to run between the tackles should be a nice complement to junior Shaun Wilson’s game-breaking speed and force defenses to stay on their toes. Duncan has averaged at least 5.0 yards per carry in each of his three seasons on the field, including 6.9 last year.
Wilson has been much less consistent when he gets touches, though he has exploded for eye-popping numbers in games against Kansas in 2014 and the Pinstripe Bowl win against the Hoosiers. If both players can stay on the field this fall, the Blue Devils could have one of the top running back duos in the ACC.
“They’re two of the best running backs in the country,” Sirk said. “They’re both explosive backs… so much talent, so much talent in the backfield. If we can have backs rotating in like that and keep our legs fresh, we can do big things in the backfield this year.”
Duke’s options don’t end stop there.
The Blue Devils also sport depth with redshirt junior Joseph Ajeigbe and freshman Brittain Brown waiting in the wings to take some pressure off the starters.
As one of the team’s best performers in the weight room, Ajeigbe epitomizes Duke’s emphasis on making 2016 the “year of the beast.” Despite coming into the season with only 45 career rushes, the Riverside, Calif., native could play a larger role in the Blue Devil offense this season as a change-of-pace back and bruiser in short yardage situations.
Brown begins his Duke career as one of the more highly-touted prospects in program history after turning down the likes of Clemson, Mississippi and Stanford to sign with the Blue Devils. The freshman’s ability to get carries may come down to how well he can hold onto the football.
The Canton, Ga., native was immediately introduced to the change in physicality from high school to college football after he fumbled during Duke’s first practice of fall camp in full pads. Even with the miscue, head coach David Cutcliffe said afterward that Brittain caught his eye.
Perhaps one of the best qualities of the Blue Devil “thoroughbreds” is their ability to also make plays in the passing game—more than 20 percent of Duke’s receptions last year came from the running backs.
And with the team facing serious question marks at wide receiver and tight end, that percentage could increase this season, as Duncan, Wilson and Ajeigbe have been in the Blue Devils’ system for nine years combined.
That trio will need to generate enough horsepower to fuel the Duke offense for Cutcliffe’s team to avoid taking a step back.
“You’ve got guys that know every aspect of our offense,” Cutcliffe said of his running backs.
Now the Blue Devil thoroughbreds will have to show it on Saturdays.
Amrith Ramkumar and Hank Tucker contributed reporting.
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