Blue Devils hampered by defensive shortcomings
Duke’s offense rediscovered its gear, but the defense might have lost its way.
Getting that back in order is a priority for the game at Miami as the Blue Devils try to snap a two-game losing skid.
Duke is coming off a 54-45 loss to Pittsburgh, where tackling problems from the previous week became more profound.
“We did not play well,” Duke linebacker Joe Giles-Harris said. “What can we do to improve our tackling. … It did not get fixed this last week.”
Considering the damage done by the Pittsburgh offense, it could be more startling for the Blue Devils when trying to contain the Miami speedsters.
Coach David Cutcliffe said when the team returned to practice this week that he felt he had no choice but to make tackling in some live scrimmage-like situations an emphasis.
“We did some live work, best against best,” he said of the practice setup. “We felt like we didn’t have a choice.”
The linebacking unit is now counting on redshirt sophomores Brandon Hill and Xander Gagnon. Giles-Harris said they’ve done their part and he said he knows he has to do more to aid them.
“They’re going to have to keep stepping up,” Giles-Harris said.
Becoming versatile in Duke’s two-linebacker set-up is one of the necessities, particularly if senior Ben Humphreys continues to miss time.
“We try to focus on learning every position as much as possible,” Giles-Harris said.
Gagnon drew his first career start, but Hill started to distinguish himself with five tackles.
The previous three weeks, Duke’s offense had been somewhat stagnant. Even in the victory at Georgia Tech, the Blue Devils benefitted from three turnovers that helped set up convenient touchdown drives.
So the offense, even while clicking again, felt a need to do more.
“Our defense is really banged up and we realize that,” center Zach Harmon said.
The way the Blue Devils lost to Pittsburgh was excruciating. They never trailed for more than 52-plus minutes until the Panthers broke a tie with five seconds to play.
So recovering mentally also has been part of the process before heading to Miami.
“Can’t have a hangover,” Cutcliffe said.
Duke has had trouble with Miami, losing the last four matchups. Since the controversial ending with Miami’s lateral-filled kickoff return to end the 2015 game, the Blue Devils have lost by 19- and 25-point margins.