Next up for the 'Hoos is Duke, which has fallen on hard times recently. Coach David Cutcliffe did an admirable job building the program up after it had become a doormat for much of the 1990s and early 2000s. It even won 10 games in 2013, something UVa has only done once, in 1989. The Blue Devils also won nine games and eight games, respectively, in 2014 and 2015. But now, Duke has experienced three losing seasons in the past five years. Can Cutcliffe, who will be 67 in less than a month, preside over another comeback for Duke?
When: Oct. 16, Time TBA Where: Charlottesville
Series record: UVa leads, 39-33
Last meeting: Sept. 26, 2020; UVa won, 38-20 Streak: Six wins for UVa
Last year's record: 2-9, 1-9 ACC
Best win: at Syracuse, 38-24
Worst loss: vs. Florida State, 56-35
Coach: David Cutcliffe (14th year, 74-88, 118-117 career)
Starters returning: 12 (5 offense, 5 defense, 2 specialists)
Offensive player to watch: RB Mataeo Durant. As a junior, Durant carried the ball 120 times for 817 yards (6.8 ypc) and eight touchdowns. He also caught 12 passes for 107 yards and a score.
Defensive player to watch: LB Shaka Heyward. A redshirt junior, Heyward collected 80 tackles, 8.5 for losses, three sacks, four QB hurries, and a safety in 2020.
Special teams player to watch: K Charlie Ham. Ham, a redshirt sophomore, is on the Lou Groza Award watchlist. In 2020, he made 13 of his 15 field goal attempts.
Fun fact: Well, this is not a fun fact for the Blue Devils, but it is for their opponents. If you want to know what’s wrong with the Blue Devils the past two seasons, look no further than turnovers. Last year, they turned it over an incredible 39 times, which led the NCAA in the worst way and was in another stratosphere. Georgia Tech and Mississippi State were second in giveaways with 25 each. Duke’s turnover margin was -19; Louisville, the team I just previewed, was second worst at -12. Duke turned it over at least three times in seven games. Also, it has at least two turnovers in 20 of its past 25 games. Get that straightened out, and it would go a long way toward earning another bowl trip, something that hasn’t happened since 2018.
Season prediction: Prognosticators have pegged Duke the worst team in the Coastal Division, a fact that Duke shows but definitely hides in this article, which notes that Durant is on the all-ACC preseason team.
Early game thoughts: After losing six of seven in the series, Virginia has now won six straight by an average of 15.8 points. This is back to being a game the Cavaliers expect to win. Returning to Scott Stadium after two tough road games in a row at Miami and Louisville, this could be a get-well spot for the ‘Hoos, especially if they trip up more than expected in the opening six games. Virginia has just not been a good matchup for Duke in the Bronco Mendenhall era. UVa’s defense has thrived on turnovers, and the Blue Devils have been more than willing to oblige. Duke will be breaking in a new QB this season, Gunnar Holmberg, who threw two INTs and no TDs on 25 attempts last season as Chase Brice’s backup (Brice transferred to Appalachian State). Does this mean more of the same for Duke, or will Holmberg turn into a solid signal-caller? I feel good about Virginia’s chances of winning. The only thing that gives me pause is Cutcliffe is a good offensive mind, and UVa’s passing defense was bad last season. If Duke actually takes care of the ball, will it be a competitive contest?
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