Duke is looking to kick off conference play on a high note as it faces Wake Forest at Wallace Wade Stadium Saturday at 3:30 p.m. The Blue Devils are hoping to improve to 2-0, and 1-0 in ACC play, with one of their most difficult schedules in recent years looming. Facing schools like Notre Dame and Northwestern on the road to finish September, Duke cannot afford a loss to the Demon Deacons if it hopes to put together six wins and return to a fifth straight bowl game. Every week throughout the football season, we’ll break down a player on each team who could be the difference-maker in the upcoming contest.
Duke: linebacker Joe Giles-Harris
After losing veteran linebacker Dwayne Norman and strike safety Jeremy Cash, the Blue Devils look to two inexperienced talents to fill the void—sophomore Ben Humphreys and redshirt freshman Joe Giles-Harris. The public address announcer became very familiar with these two names in last week's season opener against N.C. Central, as the duo combined for nine tackles. Most expected Humphreys to have a breakout season and be one of the defense's leading performers, but Giles-Harris outshined his counterpart at linebacker to lead the team with six tackles in his first college game.
Giles-Harris' ability to pass rush and put pressure on the quarterback will be critical in what will likely be a defensive battle Saturday. Although neither of Wake Forest’s quarterbacks stood out in its 7-3 season-opening win against Tulane—helping the team produce only 175 yards of offense—the Demon Deacons torched Duke last season with 450 yards of offensive production. If Giles-Harris can continue to be the playmaker that he was last week and put pressure on an already vulnerable offensive line and quarterback, Duke can shut Wake Forest down defensively. Giles-Harris may also have an important role in helping contain Demon Deacon tight end Cam Serigne in the passing game.
Wake Forest: tight end Cam Serigne
In the opening weekend of this season, Wake Forest's offense did not have any standout performers, squeaking past Tulane with a stagnant performance. The Demon Deacons averaged just 2.3 yards per carry and 7.0 yards per completion, including just three throws that went for at least 10 yards. But Wake Forest's offense showed it can be dangerous with three touchdowns in a 27-21 loss to Duke in last year's season finale. Part of this potential efficiency comes from their tight end Serigne, who torched the Blue Devils for 135 yards and one touchdown in 2015.
In order for Wake Forest to put points on the board and win, they will have to be able to exploit mismatches in the secondary. If the Demon Deacons can contain Duke’s defensive line and give John Wolford or Kendall Hinton more time in the pocket, they may be able to find Serigne in seams down the field and make some explosive plays. Like the Blue Devils, Wake Forest has a young offense, with a true freshman starting at running back, but Serigne may provide the experience the Demon Deacons need to pull off an early-season upset.
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