[autotag]Manny Diaz[/autotag] and his Duke Blue Devils have made the trip from Durham to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, as they prepare themselves for their final non-conference test of the season against the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders.
Diaz and a few members of this Duke staff are no strangers to Murfreesboro. Diaz landed his first-ever defensive coordinator role there, a four-year stint from 2006-09, and he worked with multiple of his current assistants in that time.
Diaz’s tenure at MTSU catapulted him into SEC and Big 12 jobs, eventually leading to his first head coaching gig at Miami. Saturday will likely be an emotional day for Diaz, but Duke is one win away from going 4-0 before they turn their attention to their biggest rival, the North Carolina Tar Heels, next weekend.
Duke has the talent advantage, but the Blue Raiders aren’t a pushover. Duke will need to play a clean game, or they could certainly end up on upset alert.
A win is never guaranteed, but here are three key players who would help Duke put itself in position to leave Tennessee with its fourth win of the season on Saturday.
Where’s the balance?
Duke’s best method of attacking defenses in 2024 comes through the air. Partly, that’s to be expected, right? Jonathan Brewer, Duke’s offensive coordinator, has his roots firmly planted in the Air Raid system from his time at SMU under Sonny Dykes, another Air Raid disciple.
However, being an Air Raid team doesn’t mean running the ball is off the table, and Duke could and should find lanes to run the rock against an MTSU team that likely spent all week preparing for this passing attack. If Duke can use the run effectively, the Blue Devils should be able to put a team currently giving up 159 rushing yards per game on its heels.
Stay solid
Duke’s best defensive unit is its veteran secondary. It’s the most experienced position group on the defense with four starting upperclassmen and, pound-for-pond, probably the most talented group as well.
Like Duke, MTSU is looking to pass the ball. The Blue Raiders have thrown for more than 300 yards per game so far this season. The primary target for the Blue Raiders, Auburn Tigers transfer wide receiver Omari Kelly, leads his new team with 14 catches for 285 yards and three touchdowns. Tight end Holden Willis also has double-digit catches (12) and should not be taken lightly.
Duke has the corners to match up and the safeties to avoid getting beat deep, but if that unit has a bad day, there’s a real chance Duke will lose this ballgame.
Keep Maalik Murphy locked in
Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy has been a terrific transfer for the Blue Devils. He has completed 64% of his passes for 801 yards, eight touchdowns, and only three interceptions. He can still improve, and he knows that, but the talent has been showcased, and he gives Duke a chance to win every time he steps on the field.
The only downside to his performance so far has been the spurts at which the consistency of his play fluctuates. He’ll be dangerous for two drives and then wildly inaccurate for a third, which sometimes lets the whole offense stagnate and lose control of games. Then, Murphy will suddenly reel it in and look like a truly gifted talent once again.
The highs and lows are hard to deal with, but until Duke finds that consistency, Murphy may not be able to showcase how talented they are, and that could cost them a game or two. So far, they’ve managed, but they’ll need to mitigate that during their second true road game of the season.