Duke
Duke

Duke Team Report

Updated: April 26, 2012 01:05 EST

The Blue Devils showed signs of the progress on defense deemed necessary for the 2012 season.

"It was the best I've seen all spring," quarterback Sean Renfree said of the defense.

The defense tends to receive much of the scrutiny because even when the Blue Devils have gotten it together on offense, it's often the defense that lags behind.

"This program isn't going to turn the corner until the defense stands up," defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said.

If there was a downside for the defense, it came with injuries suffered by cornerback Lee Butler and safety Brandon Braxton, who has converted from receiver. Neither injury is expected to impact their summer workouts, however.

Coach David Cutcliffe believes the spring was a success.

"We've got players who can make plays on both sides of the ball," he said. "That's a key, and we want to grow that number."

The top players from spring game were quarterback Brandon Connette and cornerback Ross Cockrell, who were dubbed Offensive and Defensive Most Valuable Players, respectively.

Connette, considered a run-first quarterback, is back after taking a redshirt season following a shoulder separation early in the 2011 season.

"The whole spring has been a chance to see I was back," Connette said. "The coaches have seen that all along. This was just a chance for (everybody else)."

Running back Josh Snead missed the 2011 season with a foot injury, but he showed energy during the spring.

"He's back," Cutcliffe. "He's strong and he's fast."

The whole concept on offense for the spring was to go to a faster-paced approach. That meant getting to the line of scrimmage for snaps and bolstering the tempo.

--Don't rule out the notion of the Blue Devils putting three players who call themselves quarterbacks on the field at the same time.

With QB Sean Renfree a traditional pocket quarterback, that leaves Anthony Boone and Brandon Connette to be used in other capacities. During the spring, there were alignments using more than one quarterback. Connette lined up as a tight end and receiver in some formations.

"We're trying to get Coach to get three (quarterbacks out there)," Connette said.

--NFL great Peyton Manning spent considerable time during the offseason working out at Duke in his preparation to return after missing the 2011 season. The quarterback's presence is bound to give the Blue Devils a boost because the players often saw him working out and the effort he put in.

That's something that can't be underestimated in coach David Cutcliffe's mind. Cutcliffe was Manning's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in college at Tennessee.

"They saw the work ethic," Cutcliffe said of what his Duke players picked up during those winter sessions.

SPRING MOVERS

WR Blair Holliday -- He got off to a good start during spring workouts and that continued through the sessions. Holliday, a rising sophomore, has a knack as a playmaker and could be the ideal complement to WR Conner Vernon. "I don't know if I ever saw a player jump forward the way he did," coach David Cutcliffe said.

LB David Helton -- He was pressed into duty as a true freshman in 2011, but now he has some valuable seasoning and should be better equipped for full-time duty. His understanding of the defense is a valuable asset, and his reaction times seem to be getting better.

LB Kyler Brown -- The younger brother of Duke standout LB Kelby Brown will be a redshirt freshman in 2012. He plays at the linebacker spot opposite his brother. Kyler Brown might be making a name for himself, though at 225 pounds, he must use his agility to compensate for size. "They're obviously going to expect great things right away because how great my brother is," Kyler Brown said.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I've said this: There's no magic. We have to play great at times to beat some of the teams on our schedule." -- Coach David Cutcliffe, whose team's road schedule includes Stanford, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Florida State and Georgia Tech (all bowl teams from the 2011 season).

2012 OUTLOOK: The Blue Devils came out of spring feeling good about the number of players who can be difference-makers. "The theme all across the board (in the spring) was players, not plays," coach David Cutcliffe said. Duke is coming off a three-win season in which it felt there were opportunities for something much better. There's no easy path for the Blue Devils to reach the next level because they tend to be in the underdog role on a regular basis. This will be Cutcliffe's fifth season at Duke, and showing more progress in the win-loss column might start carrying more importance in the big picture. With a senior in QB Sean Renfree, this is a season in which some of the pieces should be in place to make some upward movement in the standings.

SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: It starts with Renfree, who has been the focal point of the offense, and the pass-first mentality isn't going away. Renfree remains at the center of what the Blue Devils are doing, but during the spring it also became clear that the Blue Devils are increasingly willing to mix up their schemes. WR Conner Vernon is a four-year starter, and he should take pressure off some younger wideouts who'll be needed to produce. Those wideouts were given ample chances to show what they're capable of during the spring. The running game is almost always a question mark for the Blue Devils, and RB Desmond Scott has another chance to show he can be a complete and consistent performer. The spring session offered another chance for there to be encouraging overtones about the rushing attack. The offensive line has some holes to fill, but nothing that can't be remedied, especially if C Brian Moore's leadership carries some weight in the middle.

SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: This will be the second season of a new defensive alignment, and much of that should be more familiar for the Blue Devils. There's an urgency in finding a replacement for S Matt Daniels, who was the quarterback of the unit. LB Kelby Brown is a standout in the middle, but keeping him healthy tends to be an issue. The biggest questions could come across the defensive front because developing a better pass rush has been identified as one of the priorities. Linemen could be tested in several ways to see what works best in upgrading the pass rush, and the Blue Devils are counting on DT Sydney Sarmiento to do more. With CB Ross Cockrell developing into a solid player, the secondary could be in good shape if it's not left vulnerable by the untested players in front of them. Cockrell was dubbed as one of the top players on defense during the spring, and he seems more willing to take a leadership role as well.

SCOUTING THE SPECIAL TEAMS: The Blue Devils had some shortcomings in the past in these areas, and upgrading them has been a priority. While help could be on the way, the spring work belonged primarily to P Will Monday, who's handled kicking and punting. The coaching staff will give highly touted incoming freshman K Ross Martin a chance to win the starting role in the summer. The Blue Devils felt too many big-play opportunities went by the wayside on kickoff returns last season, so there will be a sampling of options to see what that can be improved. WR Jamison Crowder will be used on returns.

TOP NEWCOMERS:

LB Deion Williams -- The Blue Devils covet a player with the athletic potential that's projected by Williams. He'll need to put on some weight (from 225 pounds) if he's going to stay at inside linebacker, but national ratings peg him as a top-30 recruit at that position, so he'll look to make an early impact.

K Ross Martin -- The Blue Devils made a quick push to add Martin to the class, realizing the immediate need at the position. Rivals.com made him a No. 1 kicking prospect in the class, and his range is something that caught the attention of coaches right away. He'll be given a chance in the summer to make an impact right away, as his name was often mentioned frequently in the spring even though he wasn't on campus.

RB Shaquille Powell -- He comes from a winning program, and his credentials include Parade All-American status. The Blue Devils continue to thirst for a running back to upgrade their rushing attack, and they're willing to give Powell a shot to show that he can do that.

ROSTER REPORT:

--S Brandon Braxton was considered a key member of the receiving corps a year ago, but he has been converted to a defensive back. That process went extremely well during the spring, and the rising junior is bound to be on the field as a safety in 2012. He was a starting rover for some of the spring session.

--DE Jonathan Woodruff, a rising sophomore, made the switch from linebacker to defensive end during the spring. That's part of the effort to bolster the pass rush.

--TE Braxton Deaver has made an impression even though he's coming off ACL surgery. His speed might set him apart.

--LB Kelby Brown's status remains a bit uncertain after another knee injury forced him to miss the 2012 spring session.