Duke: 3 Takeaways As Blue Devils Head Into Crucial Bye Week
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
The Duke Blue Devils head into their bye week with a 4-0 record this season and an eight-game winning streak.
The Blue Devils have earned some pretty big wins in the early season, beating Big Ten program Illinois 31-27 on the road. They beat Stanford 35-7 in their ACC opener. Duke started its season with a 17-3 win over the Tulane Green Wave, who made the College Football Playoff last season.
Duke's final performance before the bye was impressive. The Blue Devils beat William & Mary 62-7. They will next travel to play Georgia Tech on Saturday.
Here are three takeaways from the early season.
Nate Sheppard is the real deal
After Darian Mensah transferred to Miami, it was fair to question where the offense would come from this season. Nate Sheppard has answered the call, rushing for an NCAA-leading 644 yards and six touchdowns on 91 carries. He's averaging 7.1 yards per rush.
Sheppard gashed Illinois defense in Week 2, running for 147 yards and one touchdown on 24 carries. He should be of concern to ACC teams he faces for the remainder of the season. With Sheppard, Duke has a chance to make a bid for a return to the ACC championship.
Duke's defense has been legit
The Blue Devils defense has only allowed Illinois to score in the double digits this season. Duke's defense ranks No. 20 nationally, only allowing an average of 4.51 yards per play.
The defense is another reason the Blue Devils are a threat in the ACC. Bradley Gompers leads the defense with three sacks.
Duke's defense will be tested when they play more advanced teams in the ACC. Still, Manny Diaz has the unit playing at a high level, and they could be more than competent in conference play.
Walker Eget has more to prove
Duke is relying on an old-fashioned dynamic of defense and a strong rushing attack to win games. Can that trend continue?
At some points, the Blue Devils will need to turn to San Jose State transfer quarterback Walker Eget to win games. He's thrown for 721 yards, six touchdowns, and one interception this season. He played his best game against Illinois, throwing for 206 yards and three touchdowns. (Illinois has since parted ways with Bobby Hauck as defensive coordinator.)
The good news is that Eget is limiting turnovers. But he'll have to push the ball down the field to win the big ones.
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos