Third and goal: Duke football must focus on shutting down Zay Flowers against Boston College

After a demanding win against Miami in Week 8, Duke football returns from its bye week with a matchup against Boston College. Ahead of the Friday night date with the Eagles, the Blue Zone has three keys to a victory:

Rush the passer

Coming off a season-high six sacks in its dominant win against Miami, Duke will once again be looking to live in the backfield Friday night against Boston College. The Eagles rank in the bottom ten in the nation for sacks allowed thanks to a struggling offensive line. Throughout the season, head coach Jeff Hafley has been tasked with managing a rotating cast of blockers up front. As a result, Boston College has been unable to keep its quarterback clean, giving up 29 sacks through eight games. With the status of starting quarterback Phil Jurkovec up in the air for Friday’s contest due to a lower-body injury suffered in the Eagles’ loss to Connecticut last week, creating defensive pressure—and doing so using as few rushers as possible—will be especially critical. Whether it is a hobbled Jurkovec or a less experienced backup in Emmett Morehead under center, the Blue Devils' defensive front will need to generate chaos and prohibit the Eagles’ signal caller from getting comfortable.

Shut down Zay Flowers

Although Boston College has struggled mightily on the offensive side of the ball—the Eagles average just a little more than 17 points per game—senior wide receiver Zay Flowers has been consistently outstanding. The 5-foot-10 speedster is electric, and he has the numbers to back it up—Flowers has amassed 726 receiving yards and six touchdowns in eight games. Perhaps his most extraordinary attribute is his explosiveness. Flowers has had a catch of at least 25 yards in every matchup this season but one, so it will be key for Duke to attach to Flowers at the hip and bring additional secondary help when needed. Some Blue Devil faithful may begrudgingly recognize the name, as Flowers went off in Boston College’s 26-6 victory against Duke in 2020. The star wideout caught five passes for 162 yards and a score at Wallace Wade Stadium to open a season in which he would go on to achieve All-ACC First Team honors. The Blue Devils will certainly focus on containing Flowers to prevent this from happening again and to limit the Eagles’ only significant offensive source.

Maintain offensive consistency

Friday night will mark Duke’s first opportunity of the season to grab the always-elusive sixth win for the first time since the Daniel Jones-led 2018 Blue Devils. Head coach Mike Elko and his team will travel to Chestnut Hill, Mass., as favorites, so Duke will be looking to control the game from kickoff to final whistle. The Blue Devils cannot let Boston College get ahead early, and this starts with having a consistent offense. Coming off the bye week, Duke must avoid a slow start and get back into an offensive rhythm quickly. The Eagles are averaging nearly 29 points against per game, so Riley Leonard and the Blue Devil offense should be able to move the ball with relative ease. Sustaining long drives and capping them off with trips to the endzone will be critical for Duke to control the contest and return to Durham with the win and a ticket to go bowling.