Duke Football: 2020 Report card for Blue Devils

Overall Defensive Grade: D

The defense passes because of the pass rush and secondary. Duke finished 98th in total defense, 113th in rush defense, and 63rd in pass defense. The secondary played admirably at times despite being overmatched athletically. The Devils were without Lummie Young IV due to injury. The defensive line was too small to hold up physically against bigger, stronger offensive lines. There were bright spots, however. Chris Rumph II and Victor Dimukeje combined for 15.5 sacks.

Outstanding Defensive Player:

• Chris Rumph II, DE:  52 total tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks

Though undersized (235 pounds), Rumph led the Blue Devils in sacks and tackles for loss. Rumph made up for the lack of size with great bend and the ability to transition speed into power. On a defense that was not very good, Rumph was one of the bright spots.

• Victor Dimukeje, DE: 39 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks

Dimukeje, along with Rumph, formed a formidable tandem at defensive end. Dimukeje is also a bit undersized, but his non-stop motor and underrated power gave offensive tackles nightmares. Dimukeje also played inside on 3rd and long situations.

Defensive Line: C

The defensive line gets a C because of their poor performance against the run. However, the Blue Devils were 26th in the country in sacks (31) and sacks per game (2.82). Duke’s defense was built to stop the pass, yet the defense was not big or deep enough to slow down the run. Finishing 113th in rush defense has a lot to do with the defensive line.

Linebackers: D

Finishing 113th in rush defense also has a lot to do with the linebackers. Their backers were young; both were underclassmen, with freshman Dorian Mausi seeing lots of action. Duke runs a 4-2-5 defense, and their linebackers blitz a lot. They were porous against the run but did have a combined five sacks and 11 tackles for loss.

Secondary: C+

The secondary was impressive for the Blue Devils, finishing a respectable 63rd in pass defense. Duke was also tied for 35th in interceptions with nine. The secondary played hard and well in some cases but could not keep up with teams with talented receivers.

Special Teams: C

The special teams were middle of the road. Kicker Charlie Ham made 93.8 percent of extra points and 86.7 percent of field goals. Punter Porter Wilson averaged 42.9 yards per punt. Jaylen Stinson led Duke in kick return yards (355), and Dorian Mausi returned one punt for a touchdown.