Duke still has a point to make, and Saturday in Atlanta is a good place to make it.
Four games into the season, the Blue Devils are carrying the kind of energy that comes when a team has already outperformed the low expectations placed on it. Duke was picked by plenty of people to land in the middle or near the bottom of the ACC after losing a lot of talent in the offseason. Instead, Manny Diaz has kept this group moving forward, and the early returns suggest this year may be different.
A lot of that comes from Nate Sheppard. The star running back has given Duke a true centerpiece on offense, and the rest of the roster is starting to follow his lead. What had been concern spots are turning into strengths, and that shift is happening fast.
This weekend brings a chance to show it on a bigger stage. Duke opens ACC play against Georgia Tech in Atlanta, and the Blue Devils need more than just a win.
They need a performance that lands with the rest of the conference, including Top-25 poll voters. In other words, this is about leaving no doubt.
That means controlling the game on both sides of the ball, not just scraping through. Duke has already shown what it can be in games against Stanford and William & Mary. The run game will continue to run through Sheppard, quarterback Walker Eget is helping the passing game keep growing, and the defense is producing plays at all three levels with young talent making a real impact.
Georgia Tech enters with its own issues. The Yellow Jackets have been one of the worst teams in the ACC so far, dealing with inconsistency and injuries along the way. Brent Key has not lost to Duke since taking over, but that run is in danger this weekend.
Duke can’t afford to settle for a narrow result if it wants to keep building momentum. A close win would get the job done in the standings, but it wouldn’t carry the same weight as a convincing one. Diaz has a chance to earn his first win against Key and Georgia Tech, and a strong road showing would also send a message before a big home game against Bill Belichick and the North Carolina Tar Heels.
In Other News...
Dukes Preseason Debut Hinted At A Team Fans Will Love
Dukes preseason debut offered an early look at a roster that already seems to fit the way Jon Scheyer wants to play. In a 102-62 scrimmage win over Belmont, the Blue Devils leaned on a 10-player rotation, pushed the pace and controlled the glass, with the kind of energy and depth that can make a long season feel a lot more manageable.
Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje and Dame Sarr each scored 19 points, giving Duke multiple ways to create offense and a balanced feel throughout the lineup. The rebounding edge and the overall versatility were just as encouraging as the scoring, and while it was only a preseason outing, it was the sort of performance that can leave fans imagining a team with plenty of options once the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]
Duke May Have Found An Early Frontcourt Answer Under Scheyer
Dukes preseason scrimmage against Belmont offered an encouraging first look at how Jon Scheyers group might start to take shape in the frontcourt. At Cameron Indoor Stadium, the Blue Devils mixed returning pieces with new transfers and still looked comfortable from the opening stretch, building a 49-25 halftime lead behind active defense and steady free throw shooting.
The most eye-catching development came from Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, who looked like an immediate interior factor with 14 points and five rebounds in the first half. For a team trying to sort out its early rotation and find reliable size inside, that kind of production in a live setting is exactly the sort of sign Scheyer can build on, even if there is still plenty left to learn before the games count. [Read more 🡒]
Dukes Blowout Win Hintes At A New Scoring Option
Dukes preseason tune-up at Cameron Indoor Stadium offered a first real look at how this group might score when the lights come on for good. In a 102-62 exhibition win over Belmont, the Blue Devils got 19 points apiece from sophomore Dame Sarr and freshman Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, and five different players finished in double figures as the offense kept finding new sources of production.
The more encouraging sign for Duke may have been the way that scoring came without Caleb Foster and Drew Scharnowski on the floor. The Blue Devils still controlled the game with balanced offense and the sort of defense that can travel once the season starts, leaving the sense that this roster may have more than one pathway to points if the primary options are accounted for. [Read more 🡒]