Duke Football: Top 3 breakout candidates for 2020
By Riley Platt
Duke football is coming off of a rough 2019, but these three players could boost the Blue Devils to a bounce-back year in 2020.
2019 was anything but a silver lining for Duke football. Expectations were set high in 2018 with an eight-win campaign, but the following season did not live up to that standard.
After a rough Week 1 blowout loss to Alabama, Duke quickly rebounded to get things back under control. This would lead to an impressive 45-10 victory on the road at Virginia Tech, improving the Blue Devils’ record to 3-1.
Following this, Duke would lose a close heartbreaker against Pitt, but would bounce back with a commanding win over Georgia Tech. However, this is where things would take a downward spiral.
A trip to Charlottesville would end in a 48-14 loss to Virginia. This was the beginning of a five-game losing streak for the Blue Devils, which would ultimately knock them out of bowl contention. Despite the negativity surrounding the team, Duke would go on to defeat Miami in their final game of the 2019 season.
Play-calling was an issue that plagued the Blue Devils this past year. At times, the offense would be painstakingly conservative, leading to lackluster results. At other times, the plays ordered made you scratch your head wondering what was going on. This problem was recognized, as offensive play-calling duties were transferred from offensive coordinator Zac Roper to head coach David Cutcliffe.
Once again, the Blue Devils will be losing quality talent all across the field. These three players will have an opportunity to step up and truly determine what kind of season takes place in Durham this year.