Belk Bowl: Duke has to Slow Balanced Cincy Attack - SCACCHoops.com

Belk Bowl: Duke has to Slow Balanced Cincy Attack

by WebMaster

Posted: 12/26/2012 9:36:07 AM


When Duke takes on Cincinnati in the 2012 Belk Bowl it will be heading into unfamiliar waters.

Duke is playing in its first bowl game since the 1994 season.

Duke is playing in its first bowl game since the 1994 season.

It has been well documented since really forever that the Blue Devils haven’t been to a bowl game, any bowl game, since the 1994 season when they played in the Hall of Fame Bowl against Wisconsin. Less known is that Duke hasn’t won a bowl game since the 1961 Cotton Bowl. As long as it has been since they went bowling it has been even longer since they actually won one.

The Blue Devils get the chance to topple that streak when they play Cincinnati on December 27, but it won’t come easy. The Bearcats are 9-3, co-Big East Champions, and have an offense that will offer the Duke defense and big challenge.

Cincinnati features an offense that is extremely balanced. They have two quarterbacks with experience in Munchie Legaux and Brendon Kay who replaced Legaux late in the season. Legaux threw for 1700 yards and 13 touchdowns while Kay threw for 966 yards and 6 touchdowns.

But the Bearcats also have two solid running backs in George Winn (1204 yards, 12 touchdowns) and Ralph Abernathy. Cincinnati is averaging 31 points and more than 400 yards of offense per game. Duke defensively has struggled to slow down teams and if the Bearcats continue to be as versatile in both the running game and passing game as they have been then it could be a long game for Duke.

Prediction:

Cincinnati-42 Duke-24

I would really like to think that Duke could win this game and put the icing on the cake of this season, but there are just so many factors that lead me to believe that the Blue Devils will struggle to keep this game close.

Obviously the defensive issues have been a problem all year and with injuries and defections in the secondary coach David Cutcliffe has been forced to move freshman running back Shaquille Powell to safety. A few other position changes have been made too so it is safe to say that there could be some growing pays if those guys see a lot of action.

Many might feel that Cincinnati would struggle after they lost coach Butch Jones to Tennessee, however, their coaching staff has otherwise remained intact which means there shouldn’t be too many changes to what the Bearcats do.

Duke on the other hand has their own distraction. None of the current Duke players who are eligible to play in the game have  been in a bowl game before. This week they have been in Charlotte and enjoying all the benefits of what a bowl game brings, but with that comes the distraction of it all. It is a welcome distraction but a distraction none the less.

This isn’t Cincinnati or their players’ first rodeo. They know what to expect with all the bowl hype and will be playing with something to prove.

For Duke to win they have to be focused and they have to play exceptionally well on offense. Quarterback Sean Renfree will have to have a solid game and use his weapons including Conner Vernon, Jamison Crowder and Desmond Scott liberally. The Blue Devils are also going to have to get some production out of their running game, something that has improve this year but not been particularly consistent.

Expect Jela Duncan, Juwan Thompson and Josh Snead to get share of the carries, but it is Duncan who has been the best back and who needs to get the most carries if the Blue Devils are going to win.

Defensively Duke has to find a way to get stops or force turnovers. If they can do that then they have a chance, but if this game turns into a shoot out I don’t like the Blue Devils’ chances of winning.

Follow us on Twitter @DukeBlogMKline and visit our Facebook page-Duke Sports Blog. Got question? E-mail us at dukesportsblogmkline@gmail.com
 
This article was originally published at http://DukeSportsBlog.com. If you are interested in sharing your website's content with SCACCHoops.com, Contact Us.

 


Categories: Duke

Recent Articles from WebMaster


Recommended Articles



SCACC Hoops has no affiliation to the NCAA or the ACC
Team logos are trademarks of their respective organizations (more/credits)

Privacy Policy