2006 ACC Preview & Prediction: Duke

As bad as things have been the past few years for the Blue Devils, they could be even worse this season. There are only four returning starters on the offensive side of the ball from last year, and only 25 starts have been made between them.

2005 RECORD: 1-10 overall, 0-8 ACC (6th in Coastal).

HEAD COACH: Ted Roof, 5-22 overall in three seasons at Duke.

KEY ADDITIONS: DE Tyler Rice, RB Brandon King, QB Thaddeus Lewis, TE Brett Huffman, OL Marcus Lind, DE Wesley Oglesby.

KEY LOSSES: TE Andy Roland, LG Jim Moravchik, RG Tyler Krieg, DE Phillip Alexander, LB Brendan Dewan, S Brian Greene.

OFFENSE: As bad as things have been the past few years for the Blue Devils, they could be even worse this season. There are only four returning starters from last year, and only 25 starts between the four of them. One of the returnees is sophomore quarterback Zack Asack, who can run and throw. He’s got potential to be a very solid signal caller, but without any semblance of an offensive line, he’ll likely be using those legs running for his life instead of doing bootlegs. The only returning lineman is junior center Matt Rumsey.

Sophomore wide receiver Eron Riley and junior tailback Justin Boyle are the other two returning starters and each have started a whopping four games each. The players that are returning are pretty good, but having to rely on seven new starters is a bit much to ask for any team, let alone Duke. The good news is that Roof brought in one of the programs best recruiting classes in years. Undoubtedly many of the incoming freshmen will see playing time, which will help in the future, but not this year.

DEFENSE: The defense is the exact opposite from its counterpart on offense. There are seven returning starters, three of which are two-year starters. Five of the top seven tacklers return, including first team All-ACC senior cornerback John Talley. There’s also sophomore linebacker Michael Brown, who was named as the ACC Defensive Freshman of the Year after leading all league freshmen in tackles.

The defense should be pretty solid, but unless the Blue Devil offense helps it by eating up some minutes on long drives, it’ll end up giving up big chunks of yardage and points again.

BY THE NUMBERS: 7 – Number of true freshmen that started in 2005.

WHAT TO WATCH: Which team will be the unlucky one to lose to the Blue Devils? Every year it seems they win one they shouldn’t.

PREDICTION: 2-10 overall, 0-8 ACC (6th in Coastal).


Ted Roof and Tommy Bowden



QB Zack Asack



CB John Talley