After a heartbreaking loss to rival North Carolina last Saturday, the Blue Devils will travel to South Florida to take on Miami. This will be a pivotal matchup for two middle-of-the-pack ACC Coastal Division teams looking to advance in the standings. Here are five things to know as Duke faces the Hurricanes.
Another first year coaching battle
This game will feature two first-year head coaches, but each has led their team on a different trajectory since the start of the season. Miami’s Mario Cristobal returned to his alma mater, signing a whopping 10-year, $80-million contract, and plenty of hype for the program followed. The Hurricanes were picked in the ACC’s preseason media poll to win the Coastal, and began the season as the No. 16 team in the nation. However, they have been up-and-down since, currently sitting at 3-3 (1-1 in the ACC).
On the flip side, Mike Elko and Duke have exceeded preseason expectations in his first year at the helm. Nevertheless, the team is looking to right the ship coming off back-to-back conference losses. Notably, the Blue Devils have already faced two first-year coaches in Virginia’s Tony Elliot and Georgia Tech’s interim head coach Brent Key.
The quarterback quandary
Duke has faced prolific quarterback play, and Tyler Van Dyke presents more of the same. Within the ACC, Miami is second to North Carolina in total offense. The majority of this production comes through the air, and Van Dyke is hitting his stride in the heart of conference play. Over the past two games, Van Dyke has thrown for 496 and 351 yards, respectively. The Blue Devils are towards the bottom of the ACC in pass defense, and will need to limit Miami’s potent offensive attack if it hopes to win Saturday.
“The pass defense is probably the biggest difference philosophically over what has been done in the past, so we are just trying to continue to improve it,” said Elko in a media availability Monday. “I think we're getting better each week in executing the pass defense the way we want it. It's just not quite there yet.”
Van Dyke has not proven that he can run the ball effectively, but offensive coordinator Josh Gattis might have found a solution. Miami has recently been using backup quarterback Jacurri Brown on third-and-short situations. This will be something to keep an eye out for against the Blue Devils, who gave up 70 rushing yards to North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye.
Unstoppable force meets immovable object
Duke continues to prove its depth at the running back position with a balanced rushing attack that has dominated opposing defenses. The backfield tandem of redshirt juniors Jaylen Coleman and Jordan Waters has quickly upgraded to a trio with the emergence of sophomore Jaquez Moore, and freshman Terry Moore has even seen increased usage. Coleman, who missed two-straight games, is currently day-to-day, according to Elko, so this depth will be crucial against Miami. Still, the Hurricanes’ defense will present a special challenge to this group.
“Defensively, this is by far the most talented team we have seen all year,” Elko said. “They are doing a great job of stopping the run and they are going to be a handful for us.”
Miami’s front seven is elite, and the Hurricanes are one of only three ACC teams to allow less than 100 rushing yards per game, along with Clemson and Syracuse. Meanwhile, at linebacker, Corey Flagg Jr. is a name to watch as the team leader in tackles, and pass protection will be essential in facing sophomore defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor, who leads the league in sacks with five.
Rate of return
Something to look out for in this matchup will be special teams, specifically the return game. Miami leads the ACC in average kickoff return yardage, with one returned for a touchdown against Middle Tennessee. Sophomore speedster Key’Shawn Smith has broken out many times throughout the season, including three returns of over 70 yards. Duke should avoid kicking the ball in Smith’s direction at all costs.
Redshirt freshman wideout Sahmir Hagans’ punt return for a touchdown against Georgia Tech propelled Duke to the top of the ACC in that category. The Blue Devil faithful will remember how pivotal the return was for momentum in that game, and a big special teams play could make a similar difference in this contest.
Finishing
After Saturday’s loss, it will be interesting to see how this Blue Devil team responds. It is common for teams to have an emotional letdown, especially after a close rivalry contest. Nevertheless, Elko’s bunch has demonstrated resilience throughout the season.
However, Duke has been a part of three one-possession losses, and with the upcoming ACC slate, the games will continue to be down to the wire.
The Blue Devils are currently 8.5-point underdogs, but they have been right there with every opponent they have faced thus far. The question this weekend will be whether Duke can finish and get the job done to win its second ACC game of the season, which would be a first since 2019.
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Ranjan Jindal is a Trinity sophomore and sports editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.