Duke Football: 2017 season preview, predictions

Defense

The Duke Blue Devils defense will need some players to step up in 2017, or they could be in for another long season. They return just five starters from last year’s squad. The good news is their top two tacklers from last season return. After that, it’s hard to find other positives.

Linebackers Ben Humphreys and Joe Giles-Harris led the Blue Devils defense with 107 tackles apiece last year. Humphreys also tied for the team-best in tackles for loss (12.0) with now departed safety Corbin McCarthy.

Other than that, Duke ranked 11th in the ACC in yards allowed per game (414.7) and 11th in points allowed per game (28.2). They gave up over 30 points twice last season, including 56 points against the Pittsburgh Panthers.

In arguably their worst game of the season, Duke gave up 224 rushing yards, four rushing touchdowns and 237 passing yards and three passing touchdowns against Pittsburgh. They gave up 40 points to the Miami Hurricanes the following week in their final game of the regular season.

Growing up quickly

The Duke Blue Devils defense will need three new starters on the defensive line to step up as well as new players in the secondary to catch on quickly.

Things could become more of a gamble as the defense looks for more playmakers to turn up the pressure a bit on opposing offenses. Players like sophomore cornerback Mark Gilbert and sophomore defensive end Tre Hornbuckle will be looked upon to grow up quickly next season.

Gilbert had 18 tackles last season, two of them for losses. Hornbuckle had 15 tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss in 2016. Their 4-2-5 scheme could be a challenge to run in 2017, but like most Cutcliffe team’s they should be up for the challenge.