Duke Spring Football 2013: What We Learned About The Offense

Following the conclusion of the 2013 Spring Game, Duke football has received a few answers about the state of their new-look offense.

Oct 13, 2012; Blacksburg, VA, USA; Duke Blue Devils wide receiver Jamison Crowder (3) catches a ball in the end zone over Virginia Tech Hokies cornerback Antone Exum (1) during second half the at Lane Stadium. Crowder was ruled out of bounds on the play. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

The Duke Blue Devils held their annual Spring Game this past Saturday afternoon, and the results were encouraging. Duke, attempting to take their next step forward in the rebuilding process, are forced to do so without several key contributors from their 2012-13 squad that manged to secure a spot in the 2012 Belk Bowl, the school’s first postseason birth in over a decade. These losses include quarterback Sean Renfree, a three-year starter who amassed 9,465 passing yards and 50 touchdown passes during his career, and star wide receiver Conner Vernon, who finished his four-year career at Duke with 3,749 receiving yards and 20 touchdown catches on 283 receptions, setting numerous Duke and ACC receiving records along the way.

Anytime a team loses a significant amount of contributors, they can always expect to face a fair amount of questions and doubt entering a new season. One of the primary events that allow a team to begin answering these questions and filling roles is the Spring Game, and there are a few conclusions we Duke fans should feel free to jump to following the scrimmage. Let’s take a look.

Game Summary

Final score – Blue team 27, White team 12

Top contributors – Anthony Boone, 18-30, 273 yards, two TDs. Ross Martin, 2 for 2 FG (30, 25). Jamison Crowder, 4 catches, 71 yards, 2 TDs. Josh Snead, 11 carries, 67 yards, TD. Jack Wise, 6 catches, 68 yards, TD. Parker Boehme, 11-13, 128 yards, 1 TD.

Conclusion #1 – Anthony Boone is your starting quarterback, and that appears to be a pretty good thing

Boone came out rusty, tossing two first-quarter interceptions and appearing a bit out of sync with his receivers on occasion. Once the rust was off, however, Boone was every bit as good as the coaching staff could’ve hoped. His ability to be on the same page with the explosive Crowder will be the key to the offense this year, and they already appear to have a fairly decent rhythm.

I have no idea whether or not Boone will be every bit as good as Renfree, but his mobility and athleticism allows him the ability to make plays the less-mobile Renfree couldn’t. Whether it be buying that extra second in the pocket or making a tough run to pick up a critical first down, Boone will certainly be giving Duke a different look at the quarterback position this year.

Conclusion #2 – Parker Boehme is next in line

Boehme was my favorite recruit from their 2013 class. He has good size at 6’2″ and 215 lbs, possesses an accurate arm and, while he doesn’t have the strongest of arms, he has at least a year, if not more, to develop and strengthen his body.

He looked sharp in the game, showcasing the accuracy that drew Duke scouts to him when he was in high school. Boehme showed poise and moxie in the pocket, appearing as comfortable as someone who had been running the offense for a couple years. Sure, Duke doesn’t have a passing defense to go bragging about, but Boehme looked strong, regardless. When you consider that he came to Duke early, meaning he should technically still be in high school, his performance was all the more impressive.

Conclusion #3 – The running game will be better this year

Cutcliffe stated earlier in the offseason that he would put a stronger emphasis on the running game this year, and it showed in the spring game. Snead was solid for the most part, and backups Shaquille Powell and Eric Adams combined for 137 yards and a TD on 23 carries. Once again, Duke doesn’t have the nation’s strongest defense, but the current state at running back looks far better than anything I’ve seen during the Cutcliffe era, and the unit will make a larger impact this season than they have in the past.

I don’t think anyone has Duke penciled in a rushing powerhouse, but they should certainly improve upon their 125.2ypg average last year, which was good enough for 100th in the nation.

Questions about the offense that remain

• How will the wide receivers, as a whole perform after losing their leader? While Crowder should be magnificent, who else will step up and emerge as a reliable option for Anthony Boone?
• Can Anthony Boone be productive against ACC defenses, specifically strong defenses such as Florida State, which caused Boone problems in the past?
• The offensive line, and how they will perform over the course of the season. Really, this is always a question mark for every team, as a line always appear to be the most vulnerable to a production drop-off.