With Duke’s starting running back injured, can the Blue Devils maintain their ground game and keep winning?
Moore had an eight-yard rush in the first quarter against Northwestern, but after the play, he hobbled to the bench without putting weight on his foot and later returned to the sidelines wearing a protective boot. Although Duke won the game 26-20 in double overtime, the loss of Moore—a key part of their running attack—has raised concerns as Duke (2-0) gears up for Saturday’s home game against Connecticut, with ACC play starting soon. The Blue Devils’ rushing offense has yet to excel, ranking near the bottom of the ACC, and losing Moore, who ran for 634 yards and six touchdowns last season, won’t help.
The coaching staff has expressed confidence in Star Thomas and Peyton Jones, who stepped in after Moore’s injury. However, Duke is currently 16th out of 17 ACC teams in rushing yards per carry (2.67) and rushing yards per game (152). They hope to see more production from their running game in upcoming nonconference matchups before ACC play begins against North Carolina on September 27.
Head coach Manny Diaz noted progress against Northwestern compared to their 26-3 season-opening win over Elon. “We were more efficient in our run game, even if we weren’t as explosive as we’d like to be,” Diaz said. “Our four-yard gains increased from week one.” Offensive coordinator Jonathan Brewer emphasized the importance of these gains, especially on first downs, which help avoid challenging second-and-10 situations. Duke managed only 93 rushing yards, averaging 3.1 yards per carry against Northwestern, with just four first downs on the ground. Brewer pointed out that Duke’s offense relies on run-pass options, and when defenses stack the box against the run, quarterbacks Maalik Murphy and Henry Belin opt for short passes instead.
“It might not show up on the stat sheet,” Brewer explained, “because if the box is overloaded, our quarterbacks are throwing RPOs. When it’s not overloaded, we’re getting four to eight yards each run.” Thomas, a graduate transfer from New Mexico State, led Duke with 88 rushing yards against Northwestern, including an 11-yard run and two nine-yard runs. Jones added 15 yards on five carries. Moore’s ability to evade tackles and extend plays will be missed, but Thomas and Jones will take on the primary roles for now. “They’re getting the most reps,” Brewer said. “It was good to see Peyton get a chance in a live game, and Star’s experience meant it wasn’t a big adjustment for him.”
To stay successful on first down while Moore is sidelined, the Blue Devils plan to improve their running game or utilize quick, easy throws to keep drives manageable. “We want to avoid second-and-10 situations,” Brewer noted. “Those lead to third-and-sevens, which lead to intense pass rushes. We need to either run effectively or complete quick RPO passes to keep moving forward.”
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