Duke’s start has been built on more than just points from Nate Sheppard and a 4-0 record. The Blue Devils’ defense, and especially the way it’s getting after the quarterback, has emerged as one of the biggest reasons Manny Diaz’s team has looked so sharp through four games.
That was not supposed to be the easy part. Pass rush was a preseason question mark.
Four games in, it looks more like a strength that’s still climbing. Duke has been dangerous off the edge, and the group doing most of the damage has helped steady a defense that has clearly found its edge early.
Junior Tyshon Reed and sophomore Bryce Davis have been the main names to watch among Duke’s pressure producers, according to Pro Football Focus. Behind them, the Blue Devils have also leaned on a deep end rotation that includes Kevin O’Connor, Kobe Smith and Shemar Turner. That depth has mattered, because Duke has been able to keep bodies fresh and keep the pressure coming.
Reed and Davis have handled the job of replacing Wesley Williams and Vincent Anthony Jr., Duke’s top pass rushers from last season. So far, they’ve looked up to it. The pair has already put together a case as one of the ACC’s most underrated edge tandems, bringing explosiveness, power, pass-rush moves and the kind of football IQ that still lets them hold up against the run.
The other thing Duke has shown is flexibility. When the defense has a chance to attack, Jonathan Patke can let his ends go hunt.
And it’s not just the edge group doing the work. The interior has provided enough push to squeeze the pocket and make life miserable for quarterbacks trying to survive a full Duke rush.
That pressure has also come from beyond the defensive line. Sophomore linebacker Bradley Gompers has already stacked up eight pressures and three sacks, all while playing off the ball. The former four-star recruit has flashed a versatile skill set that could earn him more linebacker snaps as the season goes on.
Luke Mergott and redshirt junior Kendall Johnson have added their own piece to the puzzle, too, whether on coffeehouse blitzes or fire zones that bring a defensive back into the mix. Put it all together, and Duke’s pass rush looks like a unit that hasn’t fully tapped what it can become.
With tougher matchups still ahead, this could end up being one of the Blue Devils’ three biggest strengths this season. For now, it’s already one of the clearest reasons they’re sitting at 4-0 and eyeing a 5-0 start against Georgia Tech this weekend.
In Other News...
Duke Defense Faces Its Biggest Identity Test Yet At Georgia Tech
A bye week often gives a coaching staff time to sharpen the details, and for Jonathan Patke, Dukes defensive coordinator, it has also meant reinforcing something less tangible: the soul of the unit. The Blue Devils have taken real steps forward on defense this season, sitting near the top nationally in scoring and total defense, and Manny Diaz has pointed to the groups cohesion and its ability to keep opponents from generating easy chunk gains as a major reason.
Georgia Tech brings a different kind of test after making changes on offense, with a new play caller and a new quarterback steering the operation. For Duke, the matchup is less about matching stats than proving its identity holds up when the pictures change, the pace shifts and the game asks the defense to communicate on the fly. The next step for this unit is about whether those improvements still look the same when the pressure rises. [Read more 🡒]
Undefeated Duke Faces Another Chance To Prove This Start Is Real
Duke heads into its conference trip to Georgia Tech with an undefeated record and a growing sense that this start is more than a hot spell. Manny Diaz has made clear the Blue Devils know what is waiting in Atlanta, where winning is rarely simple and respect for the opponent is part of the preparation. So far, Duke has leaned on a strong defense and a balanced offense, with transfer quarterback Walker Eget and running back Nate Sheppard helping steady the attack.
Georgia Tech comes in off a bye looking for a reset after a difficult season, and Brent Keys team will try to build around first-year starter Alberto Mendoza. For Duke, the broader question is not just whether it can stay unbeaten, but whether it can keep answering the same test on the road, against a team still searching for traction and a setting that has made this matchup tricky before. [Read more 🡒]
Dukes Frontcourt May Hinge On One Underrated Newcomer
Jon Scheyer keeps circling back to Drew Scharnowski as one of the more intriguing pieces in Dukes offseason haul, and not just because the Belmont transfer arrives with a reputation for bringing size and versatility to the frontcourt. The Blue Devils are trying to sort out a rotation that can hold up once games start counting, and Scharnowskis presence was always going to matter because of how he fits with returning big man Patrick Ngongba and the younger forwards trying to earn minutes.
For now, though, Duke is waiting. Scharnowski is dealing with a knee injury and will not be available for the exhibition against Belmont, which at least delays the first look at how the frontcourt might take shape. Scheyer has indicated the two big men could share the floor often, and there is even a path for Scharnowski to push into the starting mix, a development that would not only change the look of Dukes lineup but also ease the pressure on freshmen Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje and Cameron Williams as they learn on the fly. [Read more 🡒]