Tag: Chandler Rivers

Manny Diaz says Duke football ‘didn’t respond well’ to Miami retaking the lead

Duke led Miami by as many as 11 points on Saturday, but head coach Manny Diaz said his team got in its own way after the Hurricanes battled back.

The Duke Blue Devils went on a 28-3 run midway through Saturday’s game against the Miami Hurricanes, opening up an 11-point lead after halftime, but Miami closed with 35 of the game’s last 38 points for a comfortable 53-31 victory.

After the game, head coach Manny Diaz said the team got in its own way once the Hurricanes started to pull away.

“We didn’t respond well after, I think it was the one touchdown drive that made it eight (an eight-point Miami lead),” Diaz said. “I don’t think we responded very well after that.”

That touchdown Diaz is referring to, a 49-yard catch-and-run from Miami quarterback Cam Ward to wideout Jacolby George, came with 12:56 left in the game. The Duke offense had scored points on five of its previous seven possessions, but the Blue Devils punted three times and turned the ball over twice after that point.

Diaz highlighted how the offense failed to convert a third-and-5 opportunity on the following possession, and even after star defensive back [autotag]Chandler Rivers[/autotag] intercepted Ward to give the Blue Devils another chance to tie the game, they only gained four yards for an instant three-and-out.

When the clock hit triple zeros, Miami won the fourth quarter 21-3 and won the second half 36-10.

“It’s a great lesson for our guys that you have to execute at a high level for 60 minutes against really good football teams, especially in their stadium,” Diaz concluded.

Turnovers and explosive plays cost Duke football a major Miami upset, Manny Diaz says

Duke built a lead over Miami on Saturday, but as head coach Manny Diaz said after the game, turnovers and big plays turned the tide.

The Duke Blue Devils built a strong lead over Miami on Saturday afternoon, but the undefeated Hurricanes scored 35 of the game’s last 38 points for a comfortable victory.

According to first-year Duke head coach [autotag]Manny Diaz[/autotag], two main culprits held the Blue Devils back from a season-changing upset.

“It’s a game of turnovers and explosive plays,” Diaz said after the game. “It’s hard to beat anyone on the road if you lose those two battles and it’s definitely hard to beat a team as talented as they are, and I thought that was the telling difference in the second half.”

The Hurricanes offense entered the game leading the FBS in scoring (46.8 points per game) and total offense (560.8 yards), and quarterback Cam Ward was already on the short list of Heisman Trophy contenders with 2,746 passing yards and 28 total touchdowns through eight games.

Duke paced the ACC in yards allowed per pass attempt through Week 9 and held Ward to 138 yards in the first half, but after winning the turnover battle 10-0 over the previous two games, the Blue Devils coughed up the ball three times in the final two quarters.

Each giveaway set the Hurricanes up across midfield, and Miami scored 21 points off turnovers for the game.

“Giving an offense like that short fields,” Diaz continued. “The quarterback is good enough as it is, and to have breakdowns in our coverage to leave guys wide open allowed them to get separation on the scoreboard and really take control of the game.”

Duke quarterback [autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag] threw for a career-high 325 yards and three touchdowns, but he also tossed three interceptions and fumbled the ball away. Three of those mistakes came after the Hurricanes moved within three points in the third quarter.

“It’s what happens, right?” Diaz said. “When you fall behind and you’ve got to drop back to try to come from behind, you’re going to put the ball in harm’s way.”

The defense stopped limiting the Hurricanes over the final 30 minutes as well. 18 of Ward’s 41 attempts resulted in a first down or a touchdown, including nine completions of 20 yards or more. The Blue Devils allowed touchdowns of 34, 49, and 66 yards.

“A lot of it was leverage and tackling,” star defensive back Chandler Rivers said after the game. “Getting the ball down, playing another play. We didn’t do a good job of that and then they exposed that.”

Five of Ward’s last eight throws picked up at least 20 yards, including his last two scoring passes, and the Miami quarterback averaged 9.76 yards per attempt for the game.

“We just made mistakes that just cost you a football game,” Diaz concluded.

Duke’s pass defense, the best in the ACC, set to face high-flying Miami Hurricanes

With Miami and Duke set to face off this week, the game will feature the ACC’s best passing offense against the top pass defense.

The Miami Hurricanes (8-0, 4-0) will host the Duke Blue Devils (6-2, 2-2) in Week 10 of the college football season. While it will be a big-time ACC matchup for the records alone, it will also be a showdown between the best Power Four passing offense and top ACC pass defense.

The Hurricanes average 366.8 passing yards per game, second only to North Texas among FBS teams, and lead the country with 560.8 total yards per game. On Duke’s side of things, the Blue Devils have allowed just 166.6 passing yards per game, good enough for 13th in the nation and first in the ACC.

The Miami offense has averaged 46.8 points per game, also the top mark in the nation. Additionally, the Hurricanes are led by Heisman Trophy candidate Cam Ward at quarterback. Through eight games this season, Ward has thrown for 2,746 yards and 24 touchdowns with five interceptions. He also has 186 yards and three touchdowns on the ground on just 42 carries.

The Blue Devils defense, on the other hand, has allowed just 18.6 points per game, tied with the Alabama Crimson Tide for 20th in the FBS. Additionally, Duke’s 5.44 yards allowed per pass attempt are the fifth-fewest in the nation and more than 0.5 yards better than any other ACC team.

The most notable Duke star has been cornerback [autotag]Chandler Rivers[/autotag]. Through eight games, he’s recorded 27 tackles, three tackles for loss, two interceptions, five pass deflections, and one defensive touchdown. Each of his picks came in the last two weeks, earning ACC Defensive Back of the Week honors after he returned one for a touchdown against the Florida State Seminoles before making the Pro Football Focus ACC Team of the Week for his performance against SMU.

Three Duke players named to Pro Football Focus ACC Team of the Week for Week 9

Despite a close overtime loss to SMU in Week 9, three Duke Blue Devils were named to Pro Football Focus ACC Team of the Week.

Despite falling to the SMU Mustangs by one point in overtime this weekend, a handful of Duke football stars still shined bright. Included among them were the three players named to the Pro Football Focus ACC Team of the Week on Sunday.

Linebacker Tre Freeman III led the way on the National Team of the Week after he forced a fumble and picked off a pass. He finished with six total tackles, and his fourth-quarter interception set the Blue Devils up for a go-ahead field goal attempt. Wide receiver Eli Pancol and cornerback Chandler Rivers joined him on the conference squad.

Pancol caught 11 passes for 138 yards and one touchdown, including a 25-yard scoring grab in overtime when he won a contested catch over a Mustangs defensive back. He also snagged the game-tying 2-point conversion in the fourth quarter.

On Rivers’ side of things, the star cornerback had two solo tackles and two assisted tackles. Most notably, though, he made a diving interception in the final five minutes to give the offense a chance at victory in regulation. It marked two weeks in a row that Rivers snagged an interception after he returned one for a touchdown against the Florida State Seminoles in Week 8.

Duke football has as many interceptions as passing touchdowns allowed through eight games

After seven games, the Duke secondary has only allowed six passing touchdowns with six interceptions to match.

After seven games, the Duke football team is 6-1 and fifth in the ACC standings. A big reason for the Blue Devils’ success has been a strong pass defense that has intercepted as many passes as they’ve allowed to reach the end zone.

Through their seven games, the Blue Devils’ secondary has been one of the best in the country. The defense sits fourth in the nation in yards allowed per attempt (4.9) and gives up a completion on just 57.5% of attempts.

The most impressive metric, however, is the turnovers. They’ve intercepted six passes, the exact same number as the total passing touchdowns allowed.

Duke’s secondary is led by cornerback [autotag]Chandler Rivers[/autotag], who could well end up playing on Sundays once he leaves Durham. He’s recorded only one interception on the season, but he returned it 36 yards for a touchdown against the Florida State Seminoles last Friday night. It was his second straight year with a pick-six against FSU.

Starting safety Terry Moore leads the team with two interceptions, catching them in back-to-back weeks against Northwestern and Connecticut. Tre Freeman, Ozzie Nicholas, and DaShawn Jones are the other three Blue Devils with an interception.

In 2023, the [autotag]Manny Diaz[/autotag]-led Penn State Nittany Lions defense recorded 12 interceptions on the entire season with nine different players snagging one and three ending the year with multiple.

Duke defenders Chandler Rivers and Kimari Robinson named to PFF’s Week 8 ACC Team of the Week

Duke cornerbacks Chandler Rivers and Kimari Robinson were both named to PFF’s Week 8 ACC Team of the Week.

On Friday, Duke took down the Florida State Seminoles for the first time ever on the football field. As a result, two of the Blue Devils’ defenders have been named to Pro Football Focus’ ACC Team of the Week.

Cornerbacks [autotag]Chandler Rivers[/autotag] and Kimari Robinson both made the cut for Week 8. Rivers earned one of the two cornerback spots while Robinson was listed as a flex defender.

Rivers, who has a case as the team’s best defender overall, held it down in coverage against the Seminoles. While he finished with no other stats, he did record one interception, his first of the season, and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown. PFF rewarded him with an 84.9 defensive grade.

Although it was his first interception of the season, Rivers also recorded a pick-six against FSU in 2023 as well. The difference, though, was this one he jumped the route this time instead of catching a tipped ball, something he said he preferred after the game.

For Robinson, who’s just a redshirt freshman, he handled business whenever he saw the field. On the day, he recorded three total tackles (one solo and two assisted) while also notching two pass deflections and a tackle for loss, earning a 76.1 defensive grade.

Duke cornerback Chandler Rivers named ACC Defensive Back of the Week

Duke cornerback Chandler Rivers was one of two Blue Devils named to the ACC Players of the Week.

Following the Blue Devils win over the Florida State Seminoles on Friday, cornerback [autotag]Chandler Rivers[/autotag] was named one of the ACC Players of the Week.

Rivers was named the conference’s best defensive back for Week 8 after he returned an interception 36 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter, Dukeโ€™s first touchdown of the game.

It was his first interception of the season. In fact, it was the first time Rivers recorded a pick since he returned one for a score against Florida State just last year. He took a tipped pass from Jordan Travis 13 yards to the house in ย Tallahassee, but Rivers said himself that he thinks this one was definitely the better of the two.

โ€œI like this one more,โ€ said Rivers in comparison of the two. โ€œI love this one more because last year, it was a tip, and I just caught the tip. This year, I actually caught the pick, so I like this one more.โ€

While his pick six didn’t result in a win last year, it did this year as the Blue Devils’ picked up their first-ever victory over the Seminoles.

Duke linebacker Ozzie Nicholas, who forced two turnovers in the second quarter, was also honored by the conference.

Chandler Rivers says he likes this pick-six against Florida State more than last year’s

Chandler Rivers has returned an interception for a touchdown against FSU twice in two years, but he quickly said Friday’s was his favorite

The Florida State sideline must have felt the worst dรฉjร  vu when [autotag]Chandler Rivers[/autotag] got the ball in his hands on Friday night.

One season after Duke’s star cornerback snagged a tipped pass for a 13-yard touchdown in Tallahassee, Rivers undercut an out route for another interception and easily covered the remaining 36 yards to the end zone for another score in the first quarter.

“My mind just went, like, blank,” Rivers said about Friday’s encoure after the game. “I honestly don’t really remember a lot from that moment, but it was still a pretty cool moment.”

When asked if he had a preference between his two touchdowns against the Seminoles, Rivers didn’t need to deliberate over the answer.

“I like this one more,” Rivers said. “I love this one more because last year, it was a tip, and I just caught the tip. This year, I actually caught the pick, so I like this one more.”

Rivers didn’t need to mention this last part, but his Friday interception helped Duke beat Florida State for the first time in school history, so maybe that plays into the favoritism as well.

Duke football beats Florida State for the first time in school history

The Duke Blue Devils did something they’d never done before on Friday night: they beat the Florida State Seminoles.

When the clock hit triple zeros at Wallace Wade Stadium on Friday night, the Duke Blue Devils finally had their victory over the Florida State Seminoles.

After 22 previous matchups over the past 32 years, first-year head coach [autotag]Manny Diaz[/autotag] and his team forced four turnovers and stacked six sacks against a struggling FSU offense for a 23-16 victory.

Yes, the defending conference champions entered Friday’s game with one win in their first six games of the season, but 1-22 sure sounds a lot better than 0-22.

Linebacker Alex Howard notched two sacks of his own, linebacker Ozzie Nicholas forced a fumble and intercepted a pass, and star cornerback Chandler Rivers ran a pick of his own all the way back to the end zone for a touchdown.

The FSU offense only managed 291 yards of offense for the game with two conversions on 14 third-down attempts.

It looked like Duke might break the streak in Tallahassee last season, building a 17-7 lead early in the second quarter, but an injury to then-quarterback Riley Leonard and three fourth-quarter touchdowns from the Seminoles left the Blue Devils on the wrong side of a 38-20 final score.

The win, Duke’s sixth of the year, also ensured the Blue Devils would be eligible for a bowl game in the first year of the Diaz era.

Duke football turns four turnovers into a victory over Florida State

Duke’s defense stole the show during Friday night’s victory over Florida State with four turnovers and six sacks to power a 23-16 win.

The Blue Devils beat the Florida State Seminoles for the first time ever on Friday night in Durham, emerging with a 23-16 victory thanks to an epic defensive performance.

Florida State entered Friday’s game as the worst offense in the ACC, and the miscues continued for the Seminoles in Durham.

In the final minutes of the opening quarter, FSU quarterback Brock Glenn tried to hit wideout Jalen Brown on a third-down out route, but Duke cornerback [autotag]Chandler Rivers[/autotag] jumped in front of the route like he’d heard the play call in the huddle. The junior defensive back easily made the 36-yard journey to the end zone, putting the Blue Devils ahead.

On the very next play, Glenn tried to scramble to his left, but Duke linebacker Ozzie Nicholas punched the ball out for a fumble, giving the Blue Devils the ball at the FSU 36-yard line and setting up another touchdown drive.

On Florida State’s next offensive play (yes, these all happened in a row), Glenn inexplicably threw a short pass directly to Nicholas for an interception, setting Duke up at the FSU 11-yard line after a strong return. Three plays, three turnovers, and the ensuing field goal stretched the lead to 14 points.

Florida State coach Mike Norvell yanked Glenn for true freshman Luke Kromenhoek after that last turnover, but the gaffes looked contagious. Wide receiver Kentron Poitier dropped a perfect 44-yard pass from the first-year quarterback in the end zone, and Hykeem Williams let a throw that would have put his team in field goal range clank off his hands with seconds left in the half.

Readers might notice the Duke offense hadn’t been mentioned yet in this story, and that’s for good reason. After seven combined first-half points against North Carolina and Georgia Tech, a bye week of preparation brought hope for a new-look scheme.

Instead, the Blue Devils punted on their first four drives and only gained 62 yards in the opening half at an average of 1.9 yards per play. The turnovers weren’t just giving Duke an advantage, they were literally keeping the offense afloat. For all of the mistakes listed above, Duke only led by 11 points at the midway point.

Well, four points after FSU’s Samuel Singleton Jr. outraced the Blue Devils kickoff team for a 95-yard touchdown on the first play of the third quarter. Now, despite being in complete control all night, Duke was left to stare at a 17-13 lead on the scoreboard.

With Duke clinging to a seven-point lead midway through the fourth quarter after some field goals, however, the defense came through once and for all. The Blue Devils forced another fumble, this time from true freshman running back Kam Davis, and defensive tackle Preston Watson (a true freshman in his own right) fell on the ball to give Duke the chance to salt the game away.

The offense, which only finished with 185 total yards, could only drain a few minutes off the clock, however. Florida State got the ball back at its own 40-yard line with 2:43 left on the clock and a chance to tie the game.

Instead, once again, Duke’s defense planted a flag. VJ Anthony and Wesley Williams harassed Glenn for the entire final drive, forcing multiple sacks before destroying the final fourth-and-24 play before it ever developed.

The Blue Devils finished with 11 tackles for loss and six sacks for the game, allowing only 291 yards and no offensive touchdowns. Williams and linebacker Alex Howard combined for 3.5 sacks just between the two of them.

Duke, now firmly in the postseason, improves to 6-1 for the year and 2-1 in conference play.