Through two weeks, the biggest question about the Duke offense pertained to whether or not any Blue Devil could step forward as the lead tailback.
The offense managed just 152 yards on the ground between the first two games with one touchdown and no carries longer than 12 yards. Senior [autotag]Jaquez Moore[/autotag], who amassed 674 yards last season, left the Week 2 game against Northwestern with an injury, and the Blue Devils risked becoming completely one-dimensional without him.
Turns out, New Mexico State transfer [autotag]Star Thomas[/autotag] just needed a little more time with the team.
Thomas ran for 122 yards against Connecticut in Week 3, his first 100-yard game with the Blue Devils, and he reached triple digits again against Middle Tennessee on Saturday. He scored two touchdowns against the Blue Raiders as part of a 111-yard performance, and between the last eight quarters, he’s now rattled off five 20-yard runs.
Between Weeks 3 and 4, Thomas gained 233 yards on 39 attempts for an average of 6.0 yards per carry, and the first-year Blue Devil has 314 yards on the season through Week 4. No other player on the roster has more than 88.
Star Thomas finds the end zone for his second of the day!
He now has 17 carries for 111 yards and two scores! pic.twitter.com/8AhfqkHjM5
— Duke Football (@DukeFOOTBALL) September 22, 2024
Even visually, Thomas has looked much more effective over the last two games. He always had the burst for big gains and the power to stay upright through contact, but he’s choosing rushing lanes more decisively and brushing off more and more tackles with each game. He offers an excellent blend of patience and acceleration, able to wait an extra half-beat for the defensive picture to become clear while also taking off the second he finds a gap.
Combine that increased comfort with an offensive line playing more and more games together, and the arrow is pointing up for the Blue Devils rushing game.