ACC Football Preview 2016

the chronicle

september 1, 2016

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MATTHEW CONLEY AND IAN JAFFE | THE CHRONICLE

2 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 | 3

‘YEAR OF THE BEAST’ Blue Devils go beyond the weight room to come back more explosive in 2016 Amrith Ramkumar The Chronicle One of the first things Duke head coach David Cutcliffe did when he took over a program that had won 10 games from 2000 to 2007 was ask his team to lose 1,000 pounds combined and get in better shape.

After winning 48 games in his first eight seasons—including 27 the past three years—Cutcliffe made a new request to his players this year. Following the team’s first bowl win since 1961, the 2013 National Coach of the Year asked them to get stronger across the board before navigating one of the Blue Devils’ toughest schedules in his tenure.

“I declared it, and I told them way back in February that this was the year of the beast,” Cutcliffe said. “We need to be aggressive. We are a very fit team, you still have to be able to move. But I wanted to see some progress in our numbers, I wanted to see visual numbers, what it would look like, body up to body. So we have intensified and increased the amount of work we are asking [our players] to do.”

Cutcliffe wasn’t the only one who wanted to see a stronger Duke team in 2016.

After the Blue Devils allowed 30 or more points in six of their final seven games last season—including 66 to rival North Carolina—veterans on Duke’s

Photo Courtesy of Duke Photography and Chronicle File Photos Some of Duke’s most critical 2016 pieces like Jela Duncan and Ben Humphreys come back stronger thanks to their work with strength and conditioning coach Noel Durfey and their off-the-field habits.

defense wanted the team to come back with more physicality.

“We can’t keep being pushed around,” senior cornerback Breon Borders said. “We were fast but we simply couldn’t keep up with the strength of other ACC teams.”

The man tasked with improving the team’s fitness? Head strength and conditioning coach Noel Durfey, who has worked with Cutcliffe since the late 1990s when Durfey was a graduate

assistant and Cutcliffe was the offensive coordinator at Tennessee.

But Durfey said the real difference this offseason has been more than just in the weight room.

“The biggest change has just been the players themselves buying in,” he said.

“They’ve always worked hard, but it’s the other 22 hours of the day that they’ve bought more into—the sleeping, the eating, they hydrating.”

‘It was pitiful’ One of the reasons the Blue Devils are taking better care of themselves is simple— the food they’re being served is better.

In fall 2015, Duke switched caterers, tasking Core Catering—which operates the Duke Divinity School Cafe—with preparing the team’s training table meals. It may not seem like much, but Franca Alphin, the director of See BEAST on Page 10

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The ‘Future’ is now with Daniel Jones under center Sam Turken The Chronicle A year ago, the Blue Devils were turning to a new starting quarterback in Thomas Sirk—a player who had been in the Duke program for three years, appeared in 12 games in 2014 and was expected to start after two-year starter Anthony Boone graduated.

The Blue Devils’ new signal caller has not been in Durham nearly as long as Sirk, and has had even less time to prepare for his first start. And although redshirt freshman Daniel Jones’ teammates and coaches talk like the 6-foot-5 Charlotte native has been with the team for multiple years, he will still have to prove himself after edging out veteran Parker Boehme for the starting job in fall camp.

Sirk had been recovering nicely from a torn Achilles’ tendon but suffered a partial tear of the same Achilles last week, meaning that Jones will be thrust into the spotlight Saturday against N.C. Central and possibly beyond.

“Daniel has a great opportunity in front of him. I hope and think he will take advantage of that,” Duke head coach David Cutcliffe said. “There reaches a time in just productivity, which goes into everything you’re doing. Accuracy, game management, all of the different abilities a quarterback has to take into a game to be successful, Daniel continued to inch ahead.”

Photo Courtesy of Duke Photography Daniel Jones threw two touchdowns in Duke’s open scrimmage, impressing the Blue Devil coaches with his poise in the pocket.

Inching ahead might be the best way to describe a complicated quarterback situation that has been unfolding since February, when Sirk tore his left Achilles during conditioning drills.

The injury gave Jones, Boehme and redshirt freshman Quentin Harris more opportunities during spring and fall practices to work with Duke’s first-team wide receivers, and it was perhaps the least likely candidate who eventually separated himself as Sirk recovered.

Last year, when Sirk missed significant

time against Pittsburgh and Virginia, it was Boehme who filled in, accounting for 328 total yards against the Panthers as the starter and coming off the bench to score a pair of touchdowns against the Cavaliers. In spring practices, the redshirt junior took the majority of first-team snaps leading up to the Blue Devils’ April spring game.

And of the two redshirt freshmen, Harris was more heralded coming out of high school than Jones—who at one point committed to Princeton. Unlike

Jones, Harris was on the recruiting map as a top-25 dual-threat quarterback before eventually settling on the Blue Devils.

It was not until late in the recruiting process that Cutcliffe realized Jones— who passed for almost 3,000 yards as a high school senior—had potential that could translate to the ACC. “I was recruited by much smaller schools,” Jones said. “And then Duke and a couple other bigger schools came later and obviously I was very interested in Duke. Duke was kind of my goal to begin with.”

So far, Jones has made the most of his opportunity.

In Duke’s scrimmage Aug. 19, he took most of the first-team snaps, finishing 6-of-10 for 55 yards and two touchdowns.

The Charlotte native delivered the ball to receivers quickly and read the Blue Devil defense nicely.

“He had two or three checks that were outstanding that he didn’t make earlier,” Cutcliffe said after the scrimmage. “I saw a comfort in him just seeing the field. I know he’s extremely talented. It doesn’t take a sharp eye to see that, but he played with poise.”

Jones also impressed Duke’s wide receivers and defensive backs, who have been calling him the “Future” since his days as the Blue Devils’ scoutteam quarterback. At 6-foot-5, he has a strong arm and can use his size to see over offensive lineman as well as See JONES on Page 11

Position coach Ben Albert energizes Duke’s D-line Sam Turken The Chronicle Head coach David Cutcliffe and his staff brought in a program-record seven four-star recruits in the Class of 2016.

But their best offseason addition might not even be part of that group or suiting up at all.

Former Boston College defensive line coach Ben Albert—who helped develop an Eagle unit that led the country in total defense last year—arrived in Durham this year to take the same post for Duke.

As is the case with many recruits, family played a role in the former Massachusetts defensive lineman’s decision.

“Shoot, it was the easiest decision I’ve ever had to make in terms of moving my family,” said Albert, who has ties to Greensboro, N.C. “We make a pilgrimage every year during the holiday season. Up until this year, my children have only been able to see my mom once or twice a year.

So to be closer to her, it doesn’t get any better than that.”

Albert is satisfied with his decision but now faces the tall order of improving a defensive line that was one of the worst in the country and lost three starters.

Duke ranked 114th out of 128 FBS teams in sacks last year, often giving opposing quarterbacks time to scan the field and hit open receivers who found room against a banged up secondary.

To address the weakness for a team hoping to run its bowl streak to five,

Albert has coached with the same passion he wants his linemen to play with.

“He is relentless,” Cutcliffe said. “He can be hard on them, but I don’t know of anybody I’ve been around who loves them more than he does. He’s high energy.”

Success has followed Albert wherever he has worked the last four years.

In 2011, he coached linebackers at Temple, helping the Owls rank third nationally in scoring defense and win their first bowl game in more than three decades.

During his three years at Boston College, the Paterson, N.J., native helped the Eagles develop into one of the nation’s top defenses by training his players to attack the line of scrimmage rather than simply engaging offensive linemen. Last season, Boston College finished with twice as many sacks as the Blue Devils with 34.

Albert has already implemented a similar approach at Duke, with the Blue Devil defensive line wreaking havoc in the team’s first practice in full pads Aug. 13.

“They have a sole focus of getting to the quarterback,” defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said.

Although Albert has demanded that his players rush with reckless abandon, he still wants them to be responsible and work together.

One of his main priorities has been to teach Duke’s linemen to play as a unit and be aware of how their teammates plan to move up the field. For example, when one lineman rushes high, Albert wants someone else to rush low.

Chronicle File Photo Defensive tackle A.J. Wolf is the Blue Devils’ only returning starter on the defensive line and hopes to end his career on a high note.

“He’s saying, ‘Guys we’ve got to rush together. If one guy misses, you have to be there to cover up,’” said redshirt senior defensive tackle A.J. Wolf, the team’s only returning starter up front. “If we all work together, we’re going to have more production than if we’re all doing are own thing.”

Wolf and redshirt junior defensive tackle Mike Ramsay will be integral pieces inside for a defense trying to improve on its total of 17 sacks from last season. Of those 17, only 6.5 came from defensive linemen.

With a linebacker turned defensive end in Kyler Brown and several undersized players rotating in, Duke was frequently gashed, allowing 300 or more yards through the air in four of its last five games.

“We were just kind of piecing it together up front,” Knowles said. “Over the course of the season, what it pretty much comes down to is you got to be able to beat somebody. And if you can’t, you’re going to struggle.”

See ALBERT on Page 11

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‘We’re a breed of horses’ With quarterback Thomas Sirk out for the season, Duke’s running backs are set to carry the load in 2016 Sameer Pandhare The Chronicle Fans entering the renovated Wallace Wade Stadium might know to look out for “The Cheetahs” that have been roaming around the Blue Devil secondary since 2014.

But now they have another position group with a similar animal moniker to keep an eye on.

“We got a whole stable of running backs,” Duke running back Jela Duncan said. “It’s more than just me and [Shaun Wilson]. We’re a breed of horses, thoroughbreds. I guess you could call us thoroughbreds.”

With much of the attention this offseason focused on who will line up under center for the Blue Devils, there has been less discussion about how Duke will replace its offensive coordinator, top running back and leading wide receiver from 2015. Offensive coordinator Scottie Montgomery became the head coach at East Carolina and steady playmakers Shaquille Powell and Max McCaffrey graduated, meaning Montgomery’s replacement Zac Roper is addressing several areas of concern as he works with redshirt freshman quarterback Daniel Jones.

But the former special teams coordinator has an idea of who he plans to lean on when the Blue Devils open the season Saturday against N.C. Central.

“We feel like [running back] is a position of quality depth,” Roper said. “[Running backs coach Re’quan] Boyette likes to call it the stable and in his mind he’s got a room full of horses and we’re going to put those guys out to run on the field.”

After finishing third in the ACC in total offense a year ago, Duke’s ability to put up points this season will likely depend even more on its running backs. The Blue Devils relied on their running game heavily in 2015—averaging 192.9 yards per game, good for fifth in the conference—but are without their two leading rushers from last season. In addition to losing Powell, Duke will be without quarterback Thomas Sirk—who paced the team last season with 803 yards on the ground—this year after the redshirt senior recently suffered a partial tear to the left Achilles’ tendon that ruptured in February.

Luckily, the Blue Devils could still have enough weapons in “The Stable” to replace the production that was lost and make the game easier for Jones.

Duncan opens the season as the team’s starter after capping his junior season with a 111-yard performance on 13 carries in Duke’s bowl win against Indiana.

The redshirt senior’s ability to run between the tackles should be a nice complement to junior Shaun Wilson’s game-breaking speed and force defenses to

stay on their toes. Duncan has averaged at least 5.0 yards per carry in each of his three seasons on the field, including 6.9 last year.

Wilson has been much less consistent when he gets touches, though he has exploded for eye-popping numbers in games against Kansas in 2014 and the Pinstripe Bowl win against the Hoosiers. If both players can stay on the field this fall, the Blue Devils could have one of the top running back duos in the ACC. “They’re two of the best running backs in the country,” Sirk said. “They’re both explosive backs… so much talent, so much talent in the backfield. If we can have backs rotating in like that and keep our legs fresh, we can do big things in the backfield this year.”

Duke’s options don’t end stop there.

The Blue Devils also sport depth with redshirt junior Joseph Ajeigbe and freshman Brittain Brown waiting in the wings to take some pressure off the starters.

As one of the team’s best performers in the weight room, Ajeigbe epitomizes Duke’s emphasis on making 2016 the “year of the beast.” Despite coming into the season with only 45 career rushes, the Riverside, Calif., native could play a larger role in the Blue Devil offense this season as a change-of-pace back and bruiser in short yardage situations.

Brown begins his Duke career as one of the more highly-touted prospects in program history after turning down the likes of Clemson, Mississippi and Stanford to sign with the Blue Devils. The freshman’s ability to get carries may come down to how well he can hold onto the football.

The Canton, Ga., native was immediately introduced to the change in physicality from high school to college football after he fumbled during Duke’s first practice of fall camp in full pads. Even with the miscue, head coach David Cutcliffe said afterward that Brittain caught his eye.

Perhaps one of the best qualities of the Blue Devil “thoroughbreds” is their ability to also make plays in the passing game—more than 20 percent of Duke’s receptions last year came from the running backs.

And with the team facing serious question marks at wide receiver and tight end, that percentage could increase this season, as Duncan, Wilson and Ajeigbe have been in the Blue Devils’ system for nine years combined.

That trio will need to generate enough horsepower to fuel the Duke offense for Cutcliffe’s team to avoid taking a step back.

“You’ve got guys that know every aspect of our offense,” Cutcliffe said of his running backs.

Now the Blue Devil thoroughbreds will have to show it on Saturdays.

Amrith Ramkumar and Hank Tucker contributed reporting.

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Healthy Fields returns to give Duke a rejuvenated secondary Ben Feder The Chronicle Before the Blue Devils started practicing in full pads Aug. 13, they planned to move rover safety DeVon Edwards to cornerback, where he was forced to play during the latter part of the 2015 season due to injuries.

But on that day, head coach David Cutcliffe reversed course, saying that Edwards would stay at his more natural playmaking safety position and use his vision and quickness to wreak havoc.

The reason Cutcliffe and his staff made the decision?

Duke finally has its full complement of cornerbacks healthy and ready for 2016.

After suffering a torn ACL in spring 2015, starter Bryon Fields missed all of last season, forcing inexperienced cornerbacks Alonzo Saxton II and Jeremy McDuffie into action. The two had their share of growing pains opposite Breon Borders, with the Blue Devils finishing 12th in the ACC in pass defense and giving up more than 300 yards through the air in each of their last three games.

Now Duke has Fields back at full speed, and the redshirt junior has an even greater appreciation for the opportunity in front of him.

“It was my first year missing a season—injury or whatever—since I was maybe five years old,” Fields said.

“You take it for granted. I had been here two years, played a lot, and I feel like I was taking it for granted.”

With the Charlotte native and Borders manning the cornerback positions in defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ 4-2-5 scheme this year, the Blue Devils should have the speed and depth to avoid giving up a high volume of explosive plays over the top. Part of that is contingent on a more effective pass rush— Duke tied for 114th in the nation out of 127 teams in sacks last year—but the Blue Devils should also be able to create more game-changing plays on the back end of its defense with McDuffie back as a sophomore and veteran safeties in Edwards and Deondre Singleton.

The only new starter in the Duke secondary is strike safety Corbin McCarthy, a redshirt senior tasked with filling the shoes of ACC Defensive Player of the Year Jeremy Cash. McCarthy’s teammates know the Norco, Calif., native isn’t Cash, but they also know he is going to have plenty of opportunities to make plays attacking the line of scrimmage if they do their jobs.

“We feel like Corbin even makes the defense better, a little bit faster than it was last year. He’s a guy who’s been here,” Fields said. “We’ve seen him working in practices and even when he’s gotten in the game, special teams, he’s done a great job. We have no doubt he’s going to step in there and be very productive.”

No one who plays in the secondary has been as productive as Borders, who has led the Blue Devils in interceptions in each of his first three seasons. If Fields can hold his own, Duke could have one of the most underrated cornerback duos in the country given their experience. A native of Statesville, N.C., Borders has focused on coming back even stronger in 2016.

His coaches have taken notice of the 6-foot, 180-pound ball hawk’s improvement, so much so that they have a pretty simple test for determining which wide receivers should start.

“We are going against a pretty formidable secondary. If they can beat Breon [Borders] one-onone, then they got a chance to play,” Cutcliffe said at the start of fall camp. “In the spring, I don’t know if I saw anyone do that.”

And even if the starters are sidelined for any reason, the Blue Devil defensive backs are in much better position to handle adversity this year than they were a year ago.

Knowles said he expects McDuffie to stand out this year after adjusting to the college game a year ago, and freshman Mark Gilbert has also impressed since arriving in Durham. Gilbert has looked so strong that Cutcliffe said he expects the Fayetteville, N.C., native to see time Saturday against N.C. Central after turning down offers from schools like Michigan, Louisville and North Carolina.

At safety, Duke has a bevy of options behind its starters, with redshirt freshmen Jordan Hayes and Brandon Feamster potentially up for playing time this year and Saxton moving to rover safety to back up Edwards. The Blue Devils should also get Philip Carter back after he serves his three-game suspension, and brought in four-star freshman Dylan Singleton— Deondre’s younger brother—who turned down offers from Ohio State, Oklahoma and Georgia to join his brother at Duke.

Despite their struggles last year, position coach Derek Jones’ defensive backs should more resemble the group that earned the nickname “Cheetahs” in 2014.

“We want to come into this year with attitude.

And with that comes confidence,” Borders said.

“Defensively, me personally and a few of my teammates, we’re going to try to bring a little bit of style, a little bit of swag and a lot of attitude back to the team, to the defense, to the program.”

With Fields back, the Blue Devils will get to see how far that confidence can take them against some of the most prolific offenses in the nation in Notre Dame, Louisville and North Carolina.

“The sky is the limit for us,” Fields said. “Physically, we all have the tools to get it done.”

Amrith Ramkumar and Hank Tucker contributed reporting.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 | 7

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OPINION: DUELING COLUMNISTS

Can the Blue Devils make a fifth straight bowl?

Too many veterans to miss the postseason There are several reasons fans should be hesitant about Duke’s 2016 season.

The Blue Devils are relatively young up front on both sides of the ball, have a new quarterback and face a more difficult schedule than they have in recent years.

But none of those question marks matter because Duke is too talented and too well-coached to win fewer than six games in 2016 and miss a bowl for the first time in five years.

Much has been made about the Blue Devils’ daunting schedule, with Duke facing preseason top25 opponents in Notre Dame, Louisville and North Carolina this season.

Have we forgotten about the other nine games?

The Blue Devils have three games this year that they should win if they execute— their season opener against N.C. Central, Week 2 at home against Wake Forest and Oct. 8 at home against Army. Duke outscored the Eagles and Black Knights by a combined score of 99-3 last season, and although the Demon Deacons have played the Blue Devils tough in recent years, a healthy Duke defense should make life tough on an offense that averaged 17.4 points per game last year—the second-worst mark in the ACC. The remaining six contests are against teams that at this point appear neither markedly better nor worse than the Blue Devils. Picking Duke to win three of those six is completely reasonable.

Although the Blue Devils play four of the six on the road—at Northwestern, Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh and Miami— Duke has demonstrated its ability to score

Ben Feder

key road wins in the David Cutcliffe era.

Cutcliffe’s squad came away with a huge four-overtime win against the Hokies in Blacksburg last year, and picked up road victories against the Panthers and the Yellow Jackets in 2014.

With a steady running game headlined by veterans Jela Duncan and Shaun Wilson, the Blue Devils will be able to take pressure off redshirt freshman signal caller Daniel Jones. And now that cornerback Bryon Fields has recovered from a torn ACL, Duke’s secondary should be able to limit the explosive plays that plagued the defense late in the 2015 season.

It’s true that the Blue Devils are inexperienced on the defensive line, but they also have more raw talent and depth at the position than they have in recent years, with several talented recruits itching to make their mark and harass opposing quarterbacks.

Duke’s least experienced position group also has a new position coach in Ben Albert, who led a Boston College defensive line that was among the nastiest units in the ACC, keeping the Eagles in games despite an anemic offense.

These three factors give the Blue Devils a good chance against teams that struggle to throw the football, and there are at least three—if not more—such teams on the list in question.

Northwestern ranked 119th out of 127 FBS teams in passing offense last season with 138.5 yards per game through the air. With its triple-option attack—one that Duke has defended successfully the last two times it has played the Yellow Jackets— Georgia Tech ranked 123rd with 121.8.

And even with All-ACC wide receiver Tyler See FEDER on Page 12

Chronicle File Photo Bryon Fields is back for a Duke defense that should have more depth than it did last season, when it allowed more than 300 yards passing in its last three games.

Daunting schedule will doom Duke Whenever the football schedule has been released for most of head coach David Cutcliffe’s tenure at Duke, I have tried to find the six wins the Blue Devils need for bowl eligibility.

That is an impossible task this year.

Duke has its hardest schedule in years and lost its best playmakers on offense, defense and special teams—both factors that do not bode well for a fifth straight bowl appearance. There are young pieces in place for future success in 2017 and 2018, but this season has the looks of a rebuilding year.

The Blue Devils play 10 teams this year that they also played in 2015, when they went 5-5 against those opponents. The only difference in the schedule is that this year, Duke plays Louisville and Notre Dame—two preseason top20 teams—instead of Boston College and Tulane, who combined to go 6-18 last season.

It is reasonable to assume that if last season’s Duke team played this season’s schedule, those two wins would have turned into losses and the Blue Devils would have finished 5-7. And I think Duke was better last year than it will be this year.

The Blue Devils had six All-ACC selections in 2015—center Matt Skura, specialist DeVon Edwards, strike safety Jeremy Cash, linebacker Dwayne Norman, kicker Ross Martin and punter Will Monday. All but Edwards graduated, leaving Duke searching for replacements at some of the most important positions

Hank Tucker

on the field.

Redshirt junior Austin Davis will be thrust into the starting center role with just 13 games and 127 career snaps under his belt. He will be called on to lead an offensive line that is also replacing honorable mention All-ACC performer Lucas Patrick with redshirt freshman Zach Baker at left guard. Head coach David Cutcliffe has noted in the preseason that having young linemen on both sides of the line of scrimmage—the defensive line only returns one starter— represents one of his biggest concerns heading into the season.

Special teams is another major question mark entering the 2016 campaign.

Martin influenced multiple games with his right foot during his career as the best kicker in program history, scoring all nine points with three field goals in last year’s 9-7 win against Boston College. It is hard to count on freshman newcomer A.J. Reed swinging a game like that right away. The same can be said for redshirt freshman punter Austin Parker in Monday’s role.

Cash’s talent as a former ACC Defensive Player of the Year is irreplaceable and helped shut down opposing rushing attacks along with Norman.

Projected starting linebackers Ben Humphreys and Joe Giles-Harris and strike safety Corbin McCarthy are not as experienced and probably will not be as effective near the line of the scrimmage as that duo.

Although Duke’s secondary will still be one of its most experienced and talented units led by Edwards and veterans Bryon Fields, Breon Borders and Deondre Singleton, it will be hard to keep teams out of the end zone if the Blue Devils cannot stop the run and pressure opposing quarterbacks consistently.

Those five losses would provide See TUCKER on Page 12

Sanjeev Dasgupta | Chronicle File Photo The Blue Devils’ schedule provides an obstacle the team has not faced in recent years, and Duke is also counting on a redshirt freshman quarterback after Thomas Sirk’s latest injury.

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 | 9

New kicking game specialists have big shoes to fill Brian Mazur The Chronicle In 2016, the Blue Devils have to replace key players like Shaquille Powell and Jeremy Cash who led Duke’s program for multiple years.

But few Blue Devils have impacted head coach David Cutcliffe’s program for four years as much as two other graduates—four-time All-ACC specialists Ross Martin and Will Monday.

Martin turned Duke’s kicking game into a strength after it was a weakness before the Solon, Ohio, native arrived

in Durham in 2012. During his fouryear career, he converted on 89 percent of his 93 field goal attempts, shattering a handful of program records in the process. Although Monday wasn’t directly responsible for putting points on the board, he helped the Blue Devils win the field position battle, ending his career with the highest punting average ever for a Duke punter and one of the top five in the ACC for each of the past four years.

Due to the duo’s consistency, the Blue Devils have gotten used to counting on their kicking game, but now Cutcliffe and company are

Han Kang | The Chronicle True freshman A.J. Reed is in a position battle with veteran Danny Stirt to replace four-time All-ACC kicker Ross Martin.

starting from scratch with redshirt freshman punter Austin Parker and true freshman kicker A.J. Reed.

“You start with talent,” Cutcliffe said.

“You can’t just make it happen without talent. Our team tends to have fouryear starters. Right or wrong we’ve been able to try and do it this way and it’s generally worked.”

Although the strategy paid off for Cutcliffe with Martin and Monday, he has yet to name a starting kicker just days before Duke’s season opener against N.C. Central. On Tuesday, he said there is an ongoing battle between Reed and senior walk-on Danny Stirt.

Stirt has never attempted a kick at the collegiate level, but has three years of practice experience under his belt and finished spring practice as the starting kicker prior to Reed’s arrival.

“We’re not finished there,” Cutcliffe said. “It’s really more of a sign that Danny Stirt has done a great job. He’s been around here, very familiar with what we are doing. They both had great days today. I just want to see the consistency that we expect here.”

For Cutcliffe and his staff, ensuring that there is talent at the kicker and See SPECIAL TEAMS on Page 10

Ian Jaffe | Chronicle File Photo Ross Martin made 89 percent of his field goals during his time in Durham, giving Duke a weapon it lacked before he arrived in 2011.

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Chronicle File Photo Starting linebacker Ben Humphreys put on 15 to 20 pounds this offseason, one in which Duke pledged to come back stronger.

BEAST from page 3 nutrition services for student health who also oversees athletes’ nutrition, said she has already noticed that players are not dropping as much weight as they might have in years past.

“I could be there to give them guidance on what they might choose to eat, but let me tell you, that training table sometimes did not look pretty.... It was pitiful—the quality of the food, the way it was prepared, it wasn’t appealing,” Alphin said. “It tasted okay, but it really wasn’t great.”

The changes for Duke football are part of the trend of schools paying more attention to athletes’ nutrition. In spring 2014, the NCAA began allowing teams to provide as much food as they want to their athletes.

For the Blue Devils, paying closer attention to food was another mandate that came from their head coach, who Alphin said has been practicing what he preaches himself.

“It has to start from the top,” she said.

“If it’s not a priority for the coach, then it’s really hard for me to walk into a team and say, ‘Hi, this is really important.’ They’re like, ‘Yeah, really lady?’”

‘We have to take a pee test’ Under the watchful eyes of Durfey and Cutcliffe, the Blue Devils have also prioritized sleeping and hydrating given the brutal practice conditions for fall camp.

They have a pretty simple way of determining who’s ready to practice and who isn’t in the hot

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and humid Durham summer.

“We have to take a pee test before every practice to see who’s hydrated and who’s dehydrated,” senior Deondre Singleton said. “It’s just made a really big difference for me and for everyone else. I have a lot more energy now that I know I’m hydrated before practice and throughout every point of the day.”

Duke also has its own “sleep doc”— Cornell professor James Maas—who Cutcliffe has brought in for years in the offseason to address the team. Maas, who coined the term “power nap”, has a connection with the Blue Devils because defensive coordinator Jim Knowles took his class in the 1980s. After reading two of Maas’ books. Cutcliffe said he fell in love with the sleep consultant’s research.

“It opens our players’ eyes,” Cutcliffe said. “We all know that health is associated with diet, exercise and sleep. And probably from a pure health standpoint, sleep may be the most important when it comes to obesity or otherwise.”

Looking for the payoff The Blue Devils want to see the results of their off the field efforts this season, and some of their key players have already made major progress this offseason.

Perhaps none have made a bigger jump than sophomore Ben Humphreys, who looks poised to be Duke’s next star linebacker and follow in the footsteps of Kelby Brown, David Helton and Dwayne Norman. After starting two games a season ago and standing out in the Blue Devils’ bowl win against Indiana, the Newport Beach, Calif., native worked hard to seal the starting job at mike linebacker this year.

“Playing linebacker at the size I played last year was probably a little unsafe at this level, but I put on a little weight and I can kind of call myself a true college linebacker now at 225, 230, which is tremendous from what I was last year at maybe 210,” Humphreys said.

Durfey and his staff prioritize mobility and range of motion rather than raw numbers in the weight room, which is why they’ve had to keep a watchful eye on a group of players that Durfey said “would probably lift weights until their arms and legs fell off.” Two new Blue Devil starters— strike safety Corbin McCarthy and running back Jela Duncan—are in that group, along with long snapper Thomas Hennessy.

“I basically live in the weight room and they got to tell me to stop lifting too much because there’s a point in time where you can get too strong and stiff,” Duncan said. “I’ve just been

working more on my flexibility.”

Duncan and Duke’s running backs are some of the most explosive players on the team, but the Blue Devils’ strongest player pound for pound is rover safety and kickoff returner DeVon Edwards, who at 181 pounds squats 455, cleans 324 and benches between 330 and 340, Durfey said.

Durfey and his staff have introduced Catapult Sports GPS technology to measure player movements when the team runs, providing them with a way to see how their work behind closed doors has translated to explosiveness on the field. The team has also prioritized injury prevention, which Duke is all too familiar with after losing quarterback Thomas Sirk for the 2016 season because of his third major Achilles injury.

As much as the Blue Devils would love the impact to be immediate and to translate to a better record on the field, Durfey knows that the “year of the beast” is just one part of a longer process to continue building a Duke program that has made major strides in recruiting and facilities during Cutcliffe’s tenure.

“How could you not buy in to Coach Cutcliffe?” Durfey said. “They’ve always been bought in, it’s finally seeing them get rewarded, seeing them carry themselves with more pride in the program.”

Hank Tucker, Brian Mazur and Brian Pollack contributed reporting.

SPECIAL TEAMS from page 9 punter positions is the product of diligent work in the recruiting process.

The program scoured the country looking for the best specialists, likely not only basing their top targets on raw talent, but also on who would be ready to come in and make an immediate impact for the program.

Parker and Reed are the prized results of that process, and though the talent is present, they face the daunting task of replacing one of the best kicker-punter duos in ACC history.

Parker entered the program last season and had the opportunity to redshirt while working with Monday last season. The Mount Pleasant, N.C., native was ranked as the ninth-best punting prospect in the nation by 247Sports and has earned praise from Cutcliffe as he prepares to enter his first year as the starter.

“Everyone has to understand how they work in our process. We have a

The Chronicle real strict process that Austin [Parker] has been through for a year,” Cutcliffe said. “If a player, a specialist, prepares using every [resource] we have, then I’m going to be okay with the results.”

At kicker, the situation is a little more complicated. Unlike Parker, Reed arrived on campus just this past summer and is still getting acclimated to kicking at the college level.

Although Cutcliffe could redshirt Reed this season, he said his philosophy is to play kickers right away.

“The reason I don’t do that with the kicker is, number one we need the scholarships, and also, it’s tougher to be a punter,” Cutcliffe said. “We have a true freshman, just like Ross Martin, who is talented enough to come in and placekick.”

A native of Prattville, Ala., Reed was slated as the 13th-best kicker in the Class of 2016 by 247Sports. Although his ranking is not as high as Martin’s was coming out of high school, it is very difficult to judge how a kicker will perform this early in his career. Florida State kicker Robert Aguayo–the top kicker in the nation for multiple years and the first kicker taken in the NFL draft—was ranked behind Martin in the Class of 2012.

Regardless of which kicker Cutcliffe starts this season, he will have thought long and hard with special teams coordinator Jim Bridge about how best to use his latest freshman kicker.

“I believe in his talent, I believe in his work ethic,” Cutcliffe said. “My theory is this—I watch and work, and I watch their ability to focus.”

Khloe Kim | Chronicle File Photo Will Monday finished with the highest punting average in Duke history.

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JONES from page 5 opposing defenders.

“Knowing him, he’s going to put it on the spot so we can make the play,” sophomore wideout T.J. Rahming said after catching a touchdown from Jones in traffic in the Aug. 19 scrimmage.

Although Jones did not show off his wheels much in the only preseason scrimmage open to the media, his coaches have said that he can also move out of the pocket and scramble like Sirk and Boehme.

That’s why even though Sirk cannot play in 2016, the Glen St. Mary, Fla., native could still have an impact on this year’s

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 | 11

team by guiding Duke’s new leader.

“Thomas is a great guy to look to for advice,” Jones said.

Despite Jones’ success in practice so far, there is a difference between using physical tools in practices and scrimmages and excelling when the games count.

Even if Jones starts strong against N.C. Central, Boehme is staying ready in case he is called on again.

“He’s pushing back,” Cutcliffe said.

“Parker is doing really well, and he is doing what you would expect, really in the last three or four practices, even more so.”

Hank Tucker and Ben Feder contributed reporting.

Khloe Kim | Chronicle File Photo Veteran defensive tackle Mike Ramsay and his less experienced teammates up front hope to work together more effectively to harrass opposing quarterbacks in 2016.

ALBERT from page 5

Chronicle File Photo Parker Boehme accounted for 328 yards against Pittsburgh last season and could see time if Jones falters as the starter.

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With Brown, Deion Williams and Carlos Wray gone, the Blue Devils are counting on players with less experience but more raw tools to be more effective this year.

Along with Wolf and Ramsay, Edgar Cerenord, Quaven Ferguson, Zach Morris and Trevon McSwain—who moved from defensive end to defensive tackle—are expected to see playing time this year.

Redshirt freshman Brandon Boyce, who is suspended for the team’s first three games, could also be a factor.

But Duke could make an even bigger jump with more production from its defensive ends.

Sophomore Marquies Price and redshirt junior Dominic McDonald

will start on the ends, with former walk-on Danny Doyle and a trio of true freshmen—Chidi Okonya, Tre Hornbuckle and Terrell Lucas—also producing enough to earn spots in the rotation. One of the Blue Devils’ four-star recruits in the Class of 2016, Okonya in particular could make a big splash right way as a 6-foot-6, 220-pound edge rusher.

And having several different options is all part of Albert’s plan to reinvent a unit hoping to bounce back in a big way.

“Over the course of the season, there’s going to be a lot of different situations, so we need everybody,” Albert said. “It’s all hands on deck. That’s the philosophy.”

Hank Tucker and Amrith Ramkumar contributed reporting.

Khloe Kim | Chronicle File Photo A healthy Duke secondary gives the Blue Devils security it didn’t have late last season.

FEDER from page 8 Boyd running crisp routes, Pittsburgh was 99th in the nation with only 190.6 yards passing per contest.

The Panthers get 2014 ACC Player of the Year James Conner back and have one of the most physical offensive lines in the nation, but the Blue Devils will have their fair share of chances against methodical offenses that lean on their running games.

And even if it falters once or twice against that trio, Duke will have more chances to make yet another postseason against teams adjusting to new head coaches.

Virginia’s Bronco Mendenhall, Virginia Tech’s Justin Fuente and Miami’s

20

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Mark Richt are among the most wellrespected coaches in the country, but trying to make too many changes in their first years without the right personnel could lead to trouble, especially for the Cavaliers and Hokies.

Both teams are trying to transition to up-tempo offenses without quarterbacks who have shown they can excel in such systems against ACC competition. Virginia faces major questions at wide receiver as it adjusts to life with East Carolina transfer and quarterback Kurt Benkert, who was named the starter ahead of returner Matt Johns. And although Virginia Tech returns almost its entire offensive line and key playmakers at running back, tight end and wide receiver, the Hokies will still be inconsistent on offense unless Brenden Motley or junior college transfer Jerod Evans make an extremely quick transition to Fuente’s fast-paced structure.

In contrast to those teams, even the new Blue Devil starters are familiar with Duke’s offensive and defensive systems, having been in Durham for at least one year to learn from last December’s historic bowl win. And let’s not forget the importance of limiting penalties and turnovers and making big plays in special teams, areas where the Blue Devils should excel again—even with a new kicker and punter—thanks to the speed of their return men and tutelage of Cutcliffe and his staff.

At first glance, it might appear that Duke is bound for a rebuilding year.

But with the level of talent growing each year, don’t be surprised if the Blue Devils exceed expectations yet again and make it to another bowl game.

TUCKER from page 8 enough reason to believe Duke will take a step back this year even if they did not also have to replace their starting quarterback.

But they do.

Thomas Sirk partially tore the same left Achilles’ tendon last week that he tore in February, sidelining him for the season. Sirk passed for 16 touchdowns last year and was also the Blue Devils’ leading rusher, but instead of an experienced redshirt senior under center when Duke opens the season Saturday, it will be redshirt freshman Daniel Jones.

Jones was able to get a lot of work in with the first-team offense in spring and fall camp while Sirk was recovering from his initial injury. But repetitions in practice do not entirely prepare a young quarterback for a hostile environment on the road against a decent team, a scenario the Blue Devils will encounter six times this season.

And when Jones drops back to pass this season, he will not have Duke’s most reliable option to throw to from 2015. Max McCaffrey graduated after leading the Blue Devils in receiving yards and touchdowns last season, leaving T.J. Rahming and Anthony Nash as the team’s best options in the passing game. The receiving corps does not have much depth, with highlytouted freshman Scott Bracey missing most of fall camp due to a hamstring injury and tight ends Braxton Deaver and David Reeves also gone from last year’s team.

Duke’s starting running back, Shaquille Powell, graduated too, and although Jela Duncan and Shaun Wilson have both had success at the position, they might not be as effective behind a young line and a young quarterback.

The Blue Devils are recruiting more talent than ever before, but it is hard for freshmen to step in and make an immediate impact in college football. Cutcliffe’s program will not stay out of the postseason for long, but a 4-8 or 5-7 finish is much more likely for this team than 6-6 or anything better.

Chronicle File Photo Veteran Anthony Nash is stepping into a big role this season as a starter on the edge for offensive coordinator Zac Roper.

SPORTS THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOU GRADUATE

For the full list of 101 Things to Do Before You Graduate visit welcome.dukechronicle.com o Play volleyball on central o Go to a sporting event outside of Cameron or Wallace Wade o Cheer on the Durham Bulls

o Run the Al-Buehler Trail at WaDuke o Chat with a basketball player o Tent in K-Ville

o Enroll in a golf class at The Washington Duke o Go “crazie” at the DukeUNC basketball game o Walk the American Tobacco District

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2016 nonconference opponents

N.C. Central September 3, 2016, Wallace Wade Stadium After sharing the MEAC title in the FCS last year, N.C. Central will look to become conference champions for the third straight year. With the return of 13 starters—seven on the offensive side of the ball—the Eagles could accomplish the feat, though they will likely be overmatched when they visit Duke.

Led by quarterback Malcolm Bell and running back Dorrel McClain, N.C. Central brings a solid rushing attack into every contest. McClain entered the starting lineup for the last seven games of the 2015 season—all

wins for the Eagles—and led the team with 958 rushing yards.

On the other side of the ball, a strong front seven that helped the N.C. Central record 104 tackles for loss a year ago anchors the Eagle defense.

N.C. Central returns two of its best playmakers in linebacker Jeremy Miles and defensive lineman Darius Spruill.

The Eagles enter the season hoping to win a third straight conference championship for the first time in program history.

—Ben Feder

Notre Dame

September 24, 2016, Notre Dame Stadium Just one year removed from nearly making its first ever College Football Playoff appearance, No. 10 Notre Dame returns starting quarterback DeShone Kizer with hopes of earning one of the coveted top four spots.

However, Notre Dame will have to replace a number of significant pieces on offense. Offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley and wide receiver Will Fuller were the No. 6 and No. 21 overall picks in the 2016 NFL Draft, respectively. Leading rusher C.J. Prosise also was drafted in the third round and as a result,

Kizer will need senior wideout Torii Hunter Jr. and senior running back Tarean Folston, among others, to emerge as weapons on that side of the ball.

Defensively, the Fighting Irish will have to fill voids left by linebacker Jaylon Smith—last year’s leading tackler—and defensive tackle Sheldon Day. Notre Dame will not lack in experience, however, as several of its defensive starters will be either juniors or seniors.

—Mitchell Gladstone

Northwestern

September 17, 2016, Ryan Field Northwestern exceeded expectations in 2015 by winning 10 games and finishing second in the Big Ten’s West Division. But with a tougher schedule this season, the Wildcats will have to improve offensively to continue their recent success.

In 2015, Northwestern ranked last in the Big Ten in several offensive categories, averaging just 19.5 points and 327.1 yards per game. Although running back Justin Jackson rushed for 1,418 yards last season and the Wildcats ranked fourth in the Big Ten in rushing yards per game, Northwestern lacked a consistent passing attack.

On the other side of the ball, Northwestern has the potential make up for the loss of defensive linemen Deonte Gibson and Dean Lowry. The Wildcats bring back first-team All-Big Ten linebacker Anthony Walker Jr.and can go five deep at defensive tackle. The secondary will be one of the Northwestern’s strongest units with All-Big Ten cornerback Matthew Harris manning the sidelines and Godwin Igwebuike—the Wildcats’ second leadingtackler in 2015—moving forward to defend the run.

—Sam Turken

Army

October 8, 2016, Wallace Wade Stadium The Black Knights went home with a 35-21 victory against Duke the last time they visited Durham in 2010, but the two programs have gone in opposite directions since then.

Army has not made a bowl game since 2010 and reached a low point last year with a 2-10 record, including a 44-3 loss to the Blue Devils in West Point, N.Y. The Black Knights’ triple option offense fumbled seven times in that game.

Army struggled to hold onto the ball all season, losing 13 of its 38 fumbles and committing 22 turnovers.

Eleven different Black Knights rushed for at least 100 yards last season, led by quarterback Ahmad Bradshaw with 616 yards. Bradshaw is back this season, but Army will have to replace its two other top threats on the ground.

Army returns its two leading tacklers from a defense that allowed 27.8 points per game last year, and defensive back Brandon Jackson is also back after finishing with three interceptions as a freshman.

—Hank Tucker

o Travel to an away sporting event o Follow Duke sports coverage in The Chronicle o Explore the Duke Basketball Museum o Hike to Eno Quarry and swim

o Watch a game with friends at Satisfaction o Play an IM sport o Paint your face Duke blue and show your spirit in the student section at Cameron o Swim in the Central pool o Do the walk-up line for a non-UNC game

o Tailgate for a Duke football game o Run around the East Campus loop

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2016 ACC opponents

Wake Forest

Virginia

September 10, 2016, Wallace Wade Stadium

October 1, 2016, Wallace Wade Stadium

Wake Forest has not had a winning season since 2008 and that trend is likely to continue in 2016 in a competitive Atlantic Division. Dave Clawson enters his third year as head coach of the Demon Deacons, but the program has a 6-18 record since his arrival.

The key question for Wake Forest is who will be under center this season.

Junior John Wolford has started most games for the Demon Deacons during the last two years, but was consistently challenged by Durham native Kendall Hinton last season.

The duo battled it out for the starting job until Clawson named Wolford the starter last week. Regardless of who starts, the Wake Forest quarterback will face a daunting task, trying to turn around an

offense that was one of the worst in the nation last season.

No matter who is under center, they will have a solid target in tight end Cam Serigne. The redshirt junior currently has 100 career receptions, which is just 44 catches shy of tying the ACC record for most receptions by a tight end held by former Virginia standout Heath Miller.

The defense was a bright spot for Wake Forest last season and the secondary should be a strength for the Demon Deacons once again, with honorable mention All-ACC cornerback Brad Watson returning to Winston-Salem for his senior season.

—Brian Mazur

Louisville October 14, 2016, Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium After starting 0-3 last season, the Cardinals finished the regular season as one of the hottest teams in the ACC, winning eight of their last 10 games. With nearly its entire offense and most of its defense returning this season, Louisville will look to use its momentum to become a surprise playoff contender.

The Cardinals will return one of the most exciting players in the conference in quarterback Lamar Jackson, who rushed for 226 yards in the team’s bowl victory against Texas A&M last season. The biggest question mark for the electrifying signal-caller is how much he can improve his decision-making with his arm inside the pocket.

One unit that should improve is the team’s offensive line, which gave up the second-most sacks in the

nation a year ago. If the Cardinals can do a better job with protection, running back Brandon Radcliff will find more open holes to run through and Jackson may be able to buy enough time to find standout wide receiver James Quick downfield.

Louisville’s ability to finish games will likely determine whether they can become a playoff sleeper, though. The Cardinals face a difficult schedule which includes games against top-five teams Clemson and Florida State, as well as a road contest against Houston. If Louisville could spring an upset or two, it could find itself in the playoff conversation toward the end of the season.

—Sameer Pandhare

With a new coaching staff and several playmakers returning, Virginia has a chance to end its steak of four straight losing seasons in 2016.

The hiring of head coach Bronco Mendenhall has fans in Charlottesville excited, but the Cavaliers will likely struggle unless they can find consistency at quarterback.

In the past 12 seasons, the Cavaliers have had 11 different signal callers start a season opener, and that trend will continue this year.

In order for the Cavaliers to improve their offensive attack— which ranked 12th in the ACC last season with 25.8 points per game— they will need another big year from

senior running back Taquan Mizzell.

A third team All-ACC performer, Mizzell broke the ACC record for most receiving yards out of the backfield with 721.

Mendenhall has overhauled the Cavaliers’ defense, which ranked last in the ACC a year ago in points allowed per game. Virginia will play a 3-4 scheme in 2016 to allow AllACC linebacker Micah Kiser and AllAmerican safety Quin Blanding to make more plays in space. Defensive lineman Andrew Brown—a former five-star recruit who has struggled his first two seasons—could also be a playmaker this season for Virginia.

—Sam Turken

Georgia Tech

October 29, 2016, Bobby Dodd Stadium After a breakout season in his first year running the triple option, quarterback Justin Thomas went through a junior slump last year.

Despite winning their first two games by at least 55 points, the Yellow Jackets were done in by injuries to their key contributors in the backfield. Georgia Tech lost five straight games in the middle of the season before upsetting conference heavyweight Florida State in improbable fashion. With limited options in the backfield and an inconsistent offensive line, Thomas struggled and averaged a mere 3.4 yards per carry despite running the vaunted triple option.

With another year at quarterback under his belt, Thomas should rebound from his dismal performance in 2015 with a strong senior year.

Despite losing three of five starters on his offensive line, Thomas will be alongside sophomore running back Marcus Marshall, who led the Yellow Jackets in yards per game and averaged 7.6 yards per carry on the ground last season.

Defensively, Georgia Tech put up similar numbers in 2015 to what it put up in 2014, allowing 25.8 points per game after giving up 25.7 per game in 2014. Despite generating only 14 sacks last season, the Yellow Jackets’ linebackers held strong and come into the season as a strength once again for an overall mediocre defense. Unless it forces turnovers, Georgia Tech may have trouble keeping its opposition off the scoreboard.

—Ben Feder

Previewing the rest of the ACC Clemson A year after falling five points short against Alabama in the national championship, Clemson has its entire core back for a chance at redemption.

The preseason No. 2 team in the nation, the Tigers enter 2016 as the favorite to win the ACC with 10 preseason first-team all-conference selections, led by first-team All-American quarterback Deshaun Watson. The reigning ACC Player of the Year accounted for 47 touchdowns last season, passing for 4,104 yards and rushing for 1,105 more for a unit that was second in the nation in total offense.

Clemson also returns its best wide receiver and running back from last year’s team. The speedy Artavis Scott earned first-team AllACC honors last season after racking up 901 receiving yards in 2015. In the backfield, redshirt junior Wayne Gallman was second to Florida State’s Dalvin Cook in the ACC in rushing last year with 1,527 yards. The 210-pound tailback could have a lot of holes to run through again this year with three

preseason All-ACC offensive linemen in front of him.

On the defensive end, defensive tackle Carlos Watkins, linebacker Ben Boulware and cornerback Cordrea Tankersley will anchor a unit that does not have a clear weakness.

Tankersley was tied for second in the ACC with five interceptions last year, but will be matched up against opponents’ best receivers this year without Mackensie Alexander—a secondround pick in the 2016 NFL draft—manning the other sideline in the secondary.

—Hank Tucker Florida State After failing to win the ACC for the first time in three seasons a year ago, the Seminoles enter the season with one of the most talented teams in the country.

Florida State has won double-digit games in five of its six seasons under head coach Jimbo Fisher and has the players on paper to do so again.

The biggest question mark for Florida State will be at the quarterback position.

Inconsistent play from Everett Golson and Sean Maguire last season hurt the team in its biggest games against Clemson and Houston, and without a marked improvement at the position, the Seminoles will have difficulty competing with Clemson for the Atlantic Division crown. Luckily for Florida State fans, Fisher’s team appears to have its guy in dual-threat signal caller Deondre Francois—who could form a devastating duo with Heisman candidate Dalvin Cook—as its starter.

Defensively, the Seminoles will have to replace shutdown corner Jalen Ramsey. But All-American candidates Marquez White and Derwin James should be up to the task of creating explosive plays in Fisher’s defensive backfield. Up front, defensive ends DeMarcus Walker and Josh Sweat are both more than capable of wreaking havoc in opposing backfields and appear set for a big season. The Seminoles continued

to add to their riches in the offseason by securing an incoming recruiting class with 16 ESPN 300 commits.

—Sameer Pandhare N.C. State Led by head coach Dave Doeren, N.C. State is coming off two straight bowl appearances.

But the Wolfpack will have to quickly develop new weapons in the passing game if they want to run that streak to three.

N.C. State, which lost signal-caller Jacoby Brissett to the NFL, faces Notre Dame, Clemson, Louisville and Florida State in a span of five weeks starting in October. That means the Wolfpack can’t afford any slip-ups earlier in the season, particularly Sept. 10 at East Carolina, which is now led by former Duke offensive coordinator Scottie Montgomery.

Although N.C. State is searching for playmakers under center and at wide receiver, it returns star running back Matthew Dayes and versatile fullback and tight end Jaylen

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2016 ACC opponents

Virginia Tech November 5, 2016, Wallace Wade Stadium The road team has won the last three games between Duke and Virginia Tech, and to break that streak this year the Blue Devils will have to quickly adjust to a newlook Hokie offense.

With legendary head coach Frank Beamer calling it quits after last season and Justin Fuente coming in, fans in Blacksburg are in for an offensive culture shift. The former TCU offensive coordinator and Memphis head coach has worked with two of the most prolific passers in college football history in Andy Dalton and Paxton Lynch. If he can get veteran Brenden Motley or junior college transfer Jerod Evans comfortable running his fast-paced offense, the Hokies could rise to the top of the Coastal Division with the offensive

talent they have returning.

Virginia Tech brings back a 1,000yard rusher in Travon McMillian, a 1,000-yard receiver in Isaiah Ford and its most versatile offensive playmaker in 6-foot-7 tight end Bucky Hodges.

Perhaps the best thing Fuente has done so far as head coach is keep longtime defensive coordinator Bud Foster, who is trying to re-energize a defensive unit that struggled last season.

Virginia Tech allowed at least 30 points five times last season—including in a four-overtime loss at home to Duke— and is hoping cornerback Brandon Facyson can get healthy to shore up a leaky pass defense.

—Amrith Ramkumar

Pittsburgh November 19, 2016, Heinz Field After finishing second in the ACC Coastal Division in Pat Narduzzi’s first year at the helm in 2015, expectations are high for the Panthers this season.

Pittsburgh returns most of its key playmakers plus the 2014 ACC Player of the Year in running back James Conner.

Conner missed all of 2015 nursing an MCL injury and battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He will join last year’s ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year Qadree Ollison to form one of the best running back tandems in the country.

Although the Panther offense will feature a run-first attack, Pittsburgh will need starting quarterback Nate Peterman to keep opposing defenses honest. The redshirt senior finished second in the ACC in completion

Samuels. The duo should give new offensive coordinator Eli Drinkwitz, a pupil of Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn, options to create more explosive plays, even if they are used as decoys to open up the passing game.

Both Jalan McClendon and Ryan Finley are expected to see time at quarterback in the team’s opener against William and Mary.

Even if the offense struggles to get the ball downfield as it replaces three starting offensive linemen, a stingy defense led by its front seven should keep the Wolfpack close in most games. N.C. State lost defensive end Mike Rose, but returns every other starter along the defensive line and has depth, allowing the team to bring in fresh bodies to pressure opposing quarterbacks.

The Wolfpack ranked in the top six in the ACC in most major defensive categories, and should be a notch below the conference’s elite teams—Clemson, Florida State and Louisville—again in 2016.

—Amrith Ramkumar Syracuse The ACC is breaking in four new head coaches trying to inject life into offenses that

percentage and third in touchdown passes last season, but must find a new target to make up for the departure of the program’s all-time leading receiver Tyler Boyd.

On the other side of the ball, the Panthers have an aggressive defense with standouts at multiple positions.

Up front, defensive end Ejuan Price will lead a veteran defensive line that ranked 16th nationally a year ago with 2.85 sacks per game. In the secondary, Pittsburgh will rely on 2015 ACC Rookie Defensive Player of the Year Jordan Whitehead—who led the team with 109 tackles last year—to make plays across the field.

—Sam Turken

have been inconsistent in recent years, and perhaps none of them have a tougher job than Syracuse head coach Dino Babers.

A successful head coach at Eastern Illinois and Bowling Green, Babers hopes to get players and fans excited in Syracuse again after the Orange have gone a combined 7-17 the past two seasons. As usual, Syracuse’s schedule doesn’t do the team any favors in 2016 as Babers looks to implement an uptempo offense.

Because they play in the Atlantic Division, the Orange—who ranked outside the top 10 in the ACC in almost every major statistical category last season—have to play the league’s three best teams in Clemson, Florida State and Louisville, in addition to taking on Notre Dame.

Offensively, Syracuse does have weapons to work with in running backs Jordan Fredericks and Dontae Strickland and quarterback Eric Dungey, who started seven games as a freshman in 2015 before getting injured.

But for Dungey to be effective in his second year, the 6-foot-3 signal caller will need better protection from an offensive line that will use three new starters in 2016.

On the defensive side of the ball, the

North Carolina November 10, 2016, Wallace Wade Stadium North Carolina reemerged last season after a disappointing 2014 campaign, riding an 11-game winning streak en route to an ACC title game berth after going undefeated in conference play. Despite dropping a 45-37 heartbreaker to No. 1 Clemson and falling 49-38 in the Russell Athletic Bowl three weeks later against Baylor, the Tar Heels finished the season ranked No. 15.

After struggling on defense in recent years, North Carolina found a good fit at defensive coordinator in Gene Chizik.

The switch to a traditional 4-3 defense led to a major turnaround, as the Tar Heels surrendered 14.5 fewer points in 2015 than the year prior. North Carolina will be looking for new key contributors in 2016 to help stop the

run after losing starting linebackers Jeff Schoettmer and Shakeel Rashad.

Although the Tar Heels lost starting quarterback Marquise Williams to graduation, expectations are high for incoming starter Mitch Trubinsky, who is expected to lead a unit returning seven starters.

Running back Elijah Hood will be among the returners and is coming off an impressive 2015 campaign in which he rushed for 1,488 yards and scored 17 touchdowns. Four of the five expected starters on the offensive line are incumbents, and Trubinsky also has All-ACC wide receiver Ryan Switzer to throw to downfield.

—Ben Feder

Miami

November 26, 2016, Hard Rock Stadium The Hurricanes enter the 2016 season looking for a fresh start under new head coach Mark Richt with many of the same players that flashed potential last season.

Arguably the most important returning player on offense for Miami is quarterback Brad Kaaya. The junior stuffed the stat sheet a season ago, finishing second in the ACC with 3,238 yards passing. Kaaya made plays when a porous offensive line gave him time to throw and finished with 16 touchdowns, compared to just five interceptions.

A huge part of the quarterback’s success will hinge on the playmakers around him in 2016. Mark Walton is expected to start at running back

Orange will look like a completely new team this year as they transition from a more aggressive scheme to the Tampa-2, which involves less blitzing and more zone coverage.

The new approach should help Syracuse, which allowed more than 40 points in all five of its road losses in 2016, limit explosive plays in the passing game.

The Orange had some bright spots in 2015, including putting a scare into LSU, and could surprise some teams this year if they can play better away from the Carrier Dome.

—Amrith Ramkumar Boston College Boston College made history in 2015-16— just not in a positive way.

The Eagles’ football and men’s basketball teams went a combined 0-26 in conference play, making them the first school in ACC history to reach such a level of futility. The Boston College football program won just three nonconference matchups—all of which came at home—but did rally late against then-No. 5 Notre Dame before eventually falling short.

The Eagle defense was Boston College’s strength in 2015, surrendering an average of

after racking up 1,054 all-purpose yards as a freshman last season. In the passing game, Kaaya will be able to throw to the explosive Stacey Coley and the reliable Braxton Berrios, who have been offensive staples in the past few years.

On the defensive side of the ball, a number of questions are lingering in Coral Gables after the sudden dismissals of linebacker Jermaine Grace and defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad. The loss of Grace has allowed true freshman Zack McCloud to join a starting lineup with classmates Michael Pinckney and Shaq Quarterman.

—Brian Mazur

only 15.3 points and 254.3 yards per game— good for fourth and first in the nation, respectively. The unit’s 4.0 yards allowed per play was also best among Division I teams.

Much of that credit goes to head coach Steve Addazio, a defensive specialist, and defensive line coach Ben Albert, who came to Duke in the offseason.

On that side of the ball, linebackers Connor Strachan and Matt Milano will look to lead the team back to a bowl game. Strachan finished second on the team in tackles in 2015 and Milano led the defense in sacks.

If the Eagles are going to be competitive in the ACC Atlantic Division, they will need to get much-improved play from whoever starts under center. Boston College landed former Kentucky quarterback Patrick Towles as a graduate transfer this offseason and will get redshirt sophomore Darius Wade back from injury. Boston College returns veteran running backs Tyler Rouse and Myles Willis, but unless the Eagles can find momentum in its passing game, they could be in for another rough year with games against Clemson, Florida State, Notre Dame and Louisville.

—Mitchell Gladstone

16 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016

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