Despite losses, Duke football players remain hopeful

DURHAM – Despite three consecutive losses to ACC opponents, Duke football players balked at any notion of throwing in the towel with four games remaining on their regular-season schedule. 

“There’s still hope out there,” said Duke senior safety Matt Daniels, whose play in a 14-10 loss to No. 15 Virginia Tech last week exemplified the effort and determination the Blue Devils (3-5, 1-3 ACC) have possessed during a topsy-turvy season.

Daniels, a 6-foot-1, 210 pound Fayetteville native, finished with 13 tackles, two interceptions and two pass break-ups, helping the Devils hold the Hokies scoreless in the second half. The Devils had a chance to win and take that small consolation with them to Miami for Saturday’s game against the Hurricanes (4-4, 2-3).

The Devils then face Virginia (5-3, 2-2), Georgia Tech (7-2, 4-2) and North Carolina (6-3, 2-3) in their remaining games. The program, which earlier this season won three consecutive games over Boston College, Tulane, and Florida International, must win three games to become bowl eligible for the first time since 1994.

Duke coach David Cutcliffe said last Saturday’s near-win frustrated his team but instead of sulking players elevated their practice intensity.

“Nobody is going to tuck their head anytime around here and feel sorry for themselves,” he said. “We do not have time for that.”

For a Duke team averaging 22.9 points per game, and having lost the past two contest by four points or less, more time is to be spent on finding ways to score.

The Devils own the league’s 11th-ranked scoring offense – even though it ranks third in passing offense (279.2 yards per game).

Scoring in the redzone has proved difficult for the Devils, who have converted 24 of 33 chances and are ranked 11th among league teams in that category. By contrast, Wake Forest is ranked first, scoring on 32 of 35 chances (91.4 percent).

Cutcliffe said his team is not as talented – player-for-player – as opponents and that gives the Devils a slim margin for error in each game. Over the past three weeks, he said, Duke’s errors have overshadowed some improved play, particularly on defense.

“Our program is winning right now, our team is not,” Cutcliffe said. “But because we’re getting better, because we’re recruiting well, because ... our guys are playing harder, maybe harder than anybody else out there, the program continues to win. I’m not going to let that get lost.”

Duke sophomore linebacker Kelby Brown laughed at the possibility of quitting with four game left.

“I feel better about this week than I have all this season,” Brown said. “I don’t know what it is. Maybe it’s the challenge. Everyone on the team is ready to rise up to it. And we’re ready to take this game over from the beginning.”

Duke ranks second in the conference and 15th nationally in time of possession, averaging 32 minutes, 42 seconds per game. They have held the ball longer than six of their eight opponents.

Still, more time hasn’t led to high scoring. More often, the Devils have started slow and have trailed at halftime in six games this season.

Duke quarterback Sean Renfree said errors and turnovers have derailed first-half drives.

“If you’re executing at a high level, you’ll be able to put a drive together and go score,” Renfree said. “That’s ultimately what matters.”

The Devils are working on eliminating errors. They have something to prove. 

“It would be miserable for you to quite,” Renfree said. “I don’t feel at all that way about this team. I don’t care what our record is. I know guys will always have fun doing this.”