Photo by: Charles Wainwright
11/11/2019 1:44:00 PM | Football
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The last time the Orange played a football game at Duke the year was 1939 and Franklin Delano Roosevelt was president.
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Much has changed since then and Syracuse (3-6, 0-5 ACC) looks to put its best foot forward when it returns to Durham, North Carolina for the first time in 80 years to face the Blue Devils (4-5, 2-3 ACC) on Saturday at Wallace Wade Stadium. Both sides have struggled of late. The Orange have lost four in a row, while Duke has dropped its last three.
Head coach Dino Babers knows if the Orange are to make a run at a second consecutive bowl berth they must be focused on the task at hand. Â
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"We're not looking further than anything other than trying to play a lot better than what we have been against Duke this week," head coach Dino Babers said during his Monday press conference.
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That challenge is made more difficult by the presence of David Cutcliffe on the Duke sideline. One of the most respected coaches in the sport, Cutcliffe gained acclaim as Peyton Manning's position coach and offensive coordinator at Tennessee and then as the head coach at Ole Miss where he worked with Peyton's brother, Eli. Since Cutcliffe arrived at Duke in 2008, he's been named ACC Coach of the Year twice. In the last six seasons, the Blue Devils have reached five bowl games.
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"Coach Cutcliffe does a fantastic job," Babers said. "In the four years that I've been in the ACC – at the [coaches] meetings – I can humbly say that I think that he's the smartest guy in the room. No disrespect to anyone else, but when you have a conversation with David Cutcliffe, you understand the knowledge that flows through him. We have a very difficult task to not only play well, but to get our defense to play well against a guy like that who knows so much offensive football. He makes it very difficult on defenses."Â
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The Blue Devils have given up just 13 sacks on the season, tied for the third-fewest in the ACC. They boast an experienced dual-threat quarterback in Quentin Harris, who is responsible for 20 of Duke's 30 offensive touchdowns. They also feature talented tight end Noah Gray. Gray is Duke's second-leading receiver with 36 catches.
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Syracuse counters with a pair of linebackers who rank among the league leaders in tackles. Lakiem Williams is sixth in the ACC in tackles per game (8.6) and Andrew Armstrong is tied for 12th (7.2). Offensively, quarterback Tommy DeVito is completing 64.5 percent of his passes over the last four games. He's thrown 131 consecutive passes without being intercepted and boasts a 3:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio for the season. DeVito's favorite target, wide receiver Trishton Jackson, was named to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List Monday morning. Jackson is fourth in the ACC in receiving yards per game (86.7).
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"For us to be able to match what they can do offensively is a tall task, but if we can find a way then it gives us a chance," Babers said.
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For complete coverage of Syracuse football, follow us on Twitter (@CuseFootball), Instagram (@CuseFootball) and like us on Facebook (Syracuse Football).
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Much has changed since then and Syracuse (3-6, 0-5 ACC) looks to put its best foot forward when it returns to Durham, North Carolina for the first time in 80 years to face the Blue Devils (4-5, 2-3 ACC) on Saturday at Wallace Wade Stadium. Both sides have struggled of late. The Orange have lost four in a row, while Duke has dropped its last three.
Head coach Dino Babers knows if the Orange are to make a run at a second consecutive bowl berth they must be focused on the task at hand. Â
Â
"We're not looking further than anything other than trying to play a lot better than what we have been against Duke this week," head coach Dino Babers said during his Monday press conference.
Â
That challenge is made more difficult by the presence of David Cutcliffe on the Duke sideline. One of the most respected coaches in the sport, Cutcliffe gained acclaim as Peyton Manning's position coach and offensive coordinator at Tennessee and then as the head coach at Ole Miss where he worked with Peyton's brother, Eli. Since Cutcliffe arrived at Duke in 2008, he's been named ACC Coach of the Year twice. In the last six seasons, the Blue Devils have reached five bowl games.
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"Coach Cutcliffe does a fantastic job," Babers said. "In the four years that I've been in the ACC – at the [coaches] meetings – I can humbly say that I think that he's the smartest guy in the room. No disrespect to anyone else, but when you have a conversation with David Cutcliffe, you understand the knowledge that flows through him. We have a very difficult task to not only play well, but to get our defense to play well against a guy like that who knows so much offensive football. He makes it very difficult on defenses."Â
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The Blue Devils have given up just 13 sacks on the season, tied for the third-fewest in the ACC. They boast an experienced dual-threat quarterback in Quentin Harris, who is responsible for 20 of Duke's 30 offensive touchdowns. They also feature talented tight end Noah Gray. Gray is Duke's second-leading receiver with 36 catches.
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Syracuse counters with a pair of linebackers who rank among the league leaders in tackles. Lakiem Williams is sixth in the ACC in tackles per game (8.6) and Andrew Armstrong is tied for 12th (7.2). Offensively, quarterback Tommy DeVito is completing 64.5 percent of his passes over the last four games. He's thrown 131 consecutive passes without being intercepted and boasts a 3:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio for the season. DeVito's favorite target, wide receiver Trishton Jackson, was named to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List Monday morning. Jackson is fourth in the ACC in receiving yards per game (86.7).
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"For us to be able to match what they can do offensively is a tall task, but if we can find a way then it gives us a chance," Babers said.
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For complete coverage of Syracuse football, follow us on Twitter (@CuseFootball), Instagram (@CuseFootball) and like us on Facebook (Syracuse Football).
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Saturday, October 31
Saturday, October 31
Saturday, October 31
