NU - Duke Second Half Thread

FeliSilvestris

Redshirt
Oct 21, 2004
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Duke D is gassed for sure....maybe their conditioning isn't that good...heat should have been an advantage for them!
 

FeliSilvestris

Redshirt
Oct 21, 2004
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What an effort by JJ...amazingly durable...seemed to get stronger as the game progressed...DA-type of effort
 

Deeringfish

All-Conference
Jun 23, 2008
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Great win! To have Thorson play like that and still get the W is fantastic!
Yeah hopefully he will improve a little each week. He has to go to class this week so we will see. Perhaps class will be a good distraction.
 

FeliSilvestris

Redshirt
Oct 21, 2004
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Great win! To have Thorson play like that and still get the W is fantastic!
True...but we won't get away with that in the B1G...our non-development of QB's will hurt us big time and likely cost us a division run...this team has serious talent....Alviti should have been ready by now to at least show the D a different look and run some option plays when Thorson is struggling...apparently the coaches have no faith on either of our back-ups.
 

GlideCat

Senior
Jan 19, 2013
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Take-aways...

The defense is as promised. That was a good offense with some speed. The D was on the field a lot and won basically every battle. Began to get a little tired in the second half but still kept Duke out of the endzone in the half.

Special teams was a great surprise. Best overall special teams play in years.

The biggest area for improvement is no surprise. Through the first half an undermanned Duke defensive line was able to straight gap rush at us and get pressure on Thorson without allowing openings for the running game. We wore them down in the second half which was expected but we should have had more push starting in the first half. Bigger, stronger D Lines may be problematic.

Anyone who watched the first two games knew that Thorson was due a couple of interceptions. He remains a freshman and will only get better and make better decisions. I am more worried about how little pocket time the O Line gave him.

If we can find some way to improve O Line play, we contend for the Western Division. If we do not, then we are a lower tier bowl game team.
 

hdhntr1

All-Conference
Sep 5, 2006
37,786
1,300
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can someone explain why Shuler doesn't fair catch that punt? He vacates the space last minute and lets the punt bounce several more yards where it is downed by Duke. An easy high hanger to fair catch. don't get our special teams PR play at all...
Because it was one tough to handle. Later in the game the Duke PR fumbled and ended the game.
 

CPVT

Redshirt
Jan 22, 2014
143
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I don't think Thorson played horribly. Missed some throws but theyve got a fast defense. I think he needs some help from wideouts. Seems like Jones is our only real option besides Vitale and the backs in the passing game. Would like to see some more of those plays like we had with the Jackson short pass and the Vitale shovel. Make it easy on him. Also against a team like this, we should have been running up the middle more. Save the sweeps for when we aren't playing such a small and athletic defense

But great win, gotta think we are guaranteed a bowl at this point and hopefully a lot more. Also great that we have beaten ND, Stanford, and Duke in a row. What academic school is left that has a decent football program? Hope our recruiting benefits from this "rebuilding year"
 

EvanstonCat

Senior
May 29, 2001
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I don't think Thorson played horribly. Missed some throws but theyve got a fast defense. I think he needs some help from wideouts. Seems like Jones is our only real option besides Vitale and the backs in the passing game. Would like to see some more of those plays like we had with the Jackson short pass and the Vitale shovel. Make it easy on him. Also against a team like this, we should have been running up the middle more. Save the sweeps for when we aren't playing such a small and athletic defense

But great win, gotta think we are guaranteed a bowl at this point and hopefully a lot more. Also great that we have beaten ND, Stanford, and Duke in a row. What academic school is left that has a decent football program? Hope our recruiting benefits from this "rebuilding year"

It was a great win, but we won in spite of Thorson. He is not very good just yet. 9/23 70 yards 2 INTs - missed opportunities everywhere. If we had Persa, Siemian, or Bacher, we'd be a juggernaut.
 

FeliSilvestris

Redshirt
Oct 21, 2004
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Also great that we have beaten ND, Stanford, and Duke in a row. What academic school is left that has a decent football program? Hope our recruiting benefits from this "rebuilding year"
I suppose SEC's Vandy is the answer...last season they did poorly, but the season prior they finished ranked in the top 25....there most be some talent in their roster. Rice has done well recently, but plays in a smaller league.
 

GlideCat

Senior
Jan 19, 2013
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I suppose SEC's Vandy is the answer...last season they did poorly, but the season prior they finished ranked in the top 25....there most be some talent in their roster. Rice has done well recently, but plays in a smaller league.
Vandy counts. The last time we beat them was one of their up years. They are part of the streak against academic schools with good teams. They are awful now, though.