I’m going to have to circle back to the Tar Heels for the beat writer Q&A portion. So up today is the blog’s first look at Duke.

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Coach: David Cutcliffe (15-33, 6-26 in four seasons at Duke; 59-62 in 10 seasons at Ole Miss and Duke; was also offensive coordinator at Tennessee)

2011 record: 3-9 (1-7 ACC, 6th Coastal)

Looking back: Like several recent seasons under Cutcliffe, the Blue Devils’ season started out with some hope. Yes, they lost to FCS Richmond before a 30-point blowout to Andrew Luck and Stanford, but Duke reeled off three straight wins against Boston College, Tulane and Florida International to briefly get above .500 and trigger talk that this group might be able to go to a bowl game for the first time since 1994. It didn’t happen. Duke would lose its final seven games, stumbling to another last-place finish in the Coastal Division. But the Blue Devils had some close calls. They lost 24-23 to Wake Forest after rallying from a 17-point deficit to take the lead. They played Virginia Tech close but could never quite get over the hump in a 14-10 loss. And they nearly pulled out a shootout with Georgia Tech, eventually losing 38-31. Yes, it was another last place finish, but the Blue Devils at least showed some fight for most of the year.

2011 stats/rankings: 

• Rushing offense: 94.08 ypg (115th nationally, 12th ACC)
• Passing offense: 272.17 ypg (28th nationally, 2nd ACC)
• Total offense: 366.25 ypg (79th nationally, 10th ACC)
• Scoring offense: 22.50 ppg (93rd nationally, 11th ACC)
• Rushing defense: 180.67 ypg (85th nationally, 11th ACC)
• Passing defense: 244.75 ypg (84th nationally, 12th ACC)
• Total defense: 425.42 ypg (92nd nationally, 11th ACC)
• Scoring defense: 31.17 ppg (90th nationally, 11th ACC)
• Turnover margin: -.75 (108th nationally, 12th ACC)

Offensive starters returning/lost: 7/4

Defensive starters returning/lost: 7/4

Losses: WR Donovan Varner (61 catches, 713 yards, 3 TD), TE Cooper Helfet (43 catches, 395 yards, 4 TD), OT Kyle Hill (46 starts), NG Charlie Hatcher (30 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 2 sacks), DE Dezmond Johnson (20 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 sack), LB Kelby Brown (ACL tear in February, 65 tackles, 7 TFL, 1.5 sacks), S Matt Daniels (1st ACC, 126 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 INT), CB Johnny Williams (23 tackles), PK Will Snyderwine (8-17 FG), P Alex King (42.1 avg.)

Returnees: QB Sean Renfree (2,891 yards, 14 TD, 11 INT), QB Anthony Boone (298 passing, 1 TD, 129 rushing, 4 TD) RB Juwan Thompson (457 yards, 7 TD), RB Desmond Scott (367 yards, 2 TD), WR Conner Vernon (2nd ACC, 70 catches, 956 yards, 6 TD), OG John Coleman (9 starts), C/OG Dave Harding (15 starts), C Brian Moore (27 starts), OT Perry Simmons (24 starts), OG Laken Tomlinson (12 starts), OT Takoby Cofield, DE Kenny Anunike (13 tackles, 5 TFL, 4 sacks), DE Jamal Wallace (15 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 sack), DE Justin Foxx (30 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 2 sacks), DT Sydney Sarmiento (32 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1 sack), LB David Helton (25 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks), LB Austin Gamble (43 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 2 sacks), S Walt Canty (87 tackles, 4 TFL, INT), S Brandon Braxton (switched from WR, 40 catches, 352 yards), S Jordon Byas (40 tackles, 2 TFL), S August Campbell (31 tackles, 3.5 TFL, INT), CB Tony Foster (31 tackles), CB Ross Cockrell (56 tackles, INT), KR/PR Jamison Crowder (21.4 KR avg., 9.4 PR avg.)

2012 schedule: 

• Sept.1: vs. Florida International
• Sept. 8: at Stanford
• Sept. 15: vs. North Carolina Central
• Sept. 22: vs. Memphis
• Sept. 29: at Wake Forest
• Oct. 6: vs. Virginia
• Oct. 13: at Virginia Tech
• Oct. 20: vs. North Carolina
• Oct. 27: at Florida State
• Nov. 3: vs. Clemson
• Nov. 17: at Georgia Tech
• Nov. 24: vs. Miami

Strengths: Duke might have ranked near the bottom of the conference in a lot of categories, but passing wasn’t one of them. Cutcliffe has tried to neutralize some of the physical disadvantages his team has by spreading things out and throwing the ball at will. Renfree, who nearly threw for 3,000 yards, showed some promise in the scheme. Vernon might just break Peter Warrick‘s ACC receiving yards record. Given how often they throw the ball, the fact that Duke only allowed 19 sacks last year is somewhat impressive.

Weaknesses: Where to start? The Blue Devils aren’t particularly big, strong or deep. So there’s that. They had a rough go of it in pretty much all phases last year, something that doesn’t figure to change too much this year. Duke was near the bottom of the FBS in rushing offense, with no back standing out. Defensively, it was a struggle, and will be more so without the All-ACC safety Daniels. Duke wasn’t very good at generating a pass rush or forcing turnovers last year. For a team that also gives up plenty of yardage, that isn’t good. Punting was a strength, but with King gone, it’s now a question mark.

Fun fact: (Via the team’s media guide) “The 1942 Rose Bowl game is like no other in the history of this famous contest. Large crowds had been banned on the West Coast due to the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, and bowl officials accepted an offer from Duke to host the game in Durham, making this the only time the game has ever been played outside of Pasadena.”

No. 2 Duke would lose to No. 20 Oregon State 20-16.

Series with VT: Virginia Tech leads 12-7

In the last 10 years:

• 2011: No. 15 Virginia Tech 14, Duke 10, in Durham
• 2010: No. 23 Virginia Tech 44, Duke 7, in Blacksburg
• 2009: No. 6 Virginia Tech 34, Duke 26, in Durham
• 2008: Virginia Tech 14, Duke 3, in Blacksburg
• 2007: No. 12 Virginia Tech 43, Duke 14, in Durham
• 2006: No. 14 Virginia Tech 36, Duke 0, in Blacksburg
• 2005: No. 7 Virginia Tech 45, Duke 0, in Durham
• 2004: Virginia Tech 41, Duke 17, in Blacksburg