Phil Steele’s 2021 Duke football forecast calls for cleaner offense
Phil Steele ranks Duke football the No. 7 team in the ACC Coastal division in his 2021 forecast. After going 2-9 in 2020, the Blue Devils will look to cut down on the turnovers that kept them out of games last season. Steele projects the 2021 Duke forecast could be an undersell based on coach David Cutcliffe’s track record.
“New offensive coordinator Jeff Farris should have them cutting down turnovers and Duke almost always finished higher than I picked them as Cutcliffe has them playing greater than the sum of their parts,” Steele wrote.
Offense
Duke returns six starters on offense this season. Steele’s 2021 Duke forecast calls for junior Gunnar Holmberg to claim the starting quarterback spot ahead of Riley Leonard. Holmberg has just 161 career passing yards with two interceptions in his career. Mataeo Durant returns to the backfield as the primary ballhandler after picking up 837 yards and eight touchdowns in split duty last season. The Blue Devils return their top three wide receivers to give Holmberg a consistent group of targets. Duke’s high turnover numbers cost them in 2020 but Steele projects improvement from 2020’s 24.8 points per game.
Defense
The Duke defense also returns six starters in 2021 but loses key pass rushers Chris Rumph II and Victor Dimukeje. Michael Carter II and Mark Gilbert also left the secondary for the NFL draft. Duke’s biggest returning player is Shaka Heyward, who led the team in tackles last year with 80. The defense adds Notre Dame transfer Jamion Franklin on the defensive line and Michigan transfer J’Marick Woods in the secondary.
Special Teams
Special teams has been a bright spot for the Blue Devils in recent years, following a bad spell of sub-100 performances. Duke finished No. 20 in the country last season and returns both starters. Charlie Ham went 13-15 as at kicker and punter Porter Wilson’s net average was 41.2.
Coaches
Cutcliffe is entering his 14th season at Duke and his 20th as a head coach. He is 74-88 with the Blue Devils and 118-117 overall in his career. Cutcliffe remains one of the most well-respected coaches in college football for his ability to develop players and get the most out of his roster. He brings in a pair of first-year co-offensive coordinators for 2021 with Farris and Re’Quan Boyette. Ben Albert and Matt Guerrieri serve as co-defensive coordinators. In addition, special teams coordinator Kirk Benedict enters his third season.
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