2012 Belk Bowl: Duke Blue Devils reaching journey's end

The Duke Blue Devils 'D' will adorn the field at the 2012 Belk Bowl - Peter Koutroumpis, PKS Consulting LLC

 ---

No one following the Duke Blue Devils (6-6) this season could ask for a better set-up to finish the 100th year of Blue Devils football - watching the team play its final game in the state of North Carolina at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte and competing in the Belk Bowl against the Big East co-champion Cincinnati Bearcats (9-3) on Thursday.

All the ingredients of a perfect ending are in place for Duke football fans who have endured 18 years to see their team compete in a postseason bowl game and to finish the season with a winning record.

Both of those things have not happened since the team played in the Hall of Fame Bowl game on Jan. 2, 1995, suffering a 34-20 loss to the Wisconsin Badgders, and finishing the season with an 8-4 record.  

A pivotal game

The Belk Bowl match-up with the Bearcats holds much significance for Duke as it represents both an ending and a beginning of sorts.

A win for Duke will provide the seniors recruited by head coach David Cutcliffe with their first winning season and a bowl victory to cap it all off.

Though that scenario will bring to an end a four-plus year process to resurrect Duke football from the dormant stage it has been in at the bottom of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) for so long, it places the program in a place to go to a higher level. 

Coach believes in you

Cutcliffe recently signed a significant contract extension that will allow him to continue the work he has started in putting Duke football back on the map, and a bowl win will provide the star to place on the grid for future recruits to know exactly where the football program stands.

The belief that the Duke coach has in his players' abilities and talents has brought them very far and he uses that to his advantage.

He is a leader of athletes who possess character and that is what he will continue to look for with his recruiting efforts.

His players' individual and collective talents have helped them establish new school, conference, and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) records throughout the season - reason for him to call this team is a 'special' one.

Cutcliffe continues to tell all who will listen that he has 'special people doing special things' all the time at Duke. 

A team of destiny?

Team captains Sean Renfree, Connor Vernon Walt Canty, and Ross Cockrell have all set examples playing their respective positions throughout the season to establish their individual legacies at Duke.

There is no doubt that these players hold the Blue Devils' destiny in their hands when they take to the field against Cincinnati.

They will try to do what many believe they can't do - win.

Even after clinching a bowl bid with a final-seconds 33-30 finish against cross-Triangle rival the North Carolina Tar Heels, many were content to say that Duke's season had reached its peak.

Four consecutive losses to end the regular season lent support to that thinking.

The prototypical heart break and aching that has been a part of following Duke football for a long time has presented that smidgen of doubt for non-believers to hold on to.

However, for those who have watched the surprisingly exciting plays and exhilarating moments that this team has executed and experienced, one can only assume that the best is still yet to come.


---

A look back: 100th season of Duke Football on Examiner.com:

Duke football has a new attitude

The Duke Blue Devils were reeling after a 52-45 loss to the Miami Hurricanes at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C. on Saturday.Coach David..

 

 

Duke comes up short in 52-45 loss to Miami

The Duke Blue Devils did not have enough left in the tank to overtake the Miami Hurricanes in a 52-45 loss at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C...

 

 

Duke football players earn ACC awards and more

Following a 33-30 victory over the North Carolina Tar Heels on Saturday, four Duke Blue Devils football players were recognized with awards for..

 

 

Blue Devils beat Tar Heels 33-30 for Victory Bell

The Duke Blue Devils accomplished so many things with a 33-30 win over the visiting North Carolina Tar Heels at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C..

 

Vernon stays focused, becomes ACC all-time receiver

A dominating 42-17 win for the Duke Blue Devils over the visiting Virginia Cavaliers put the team at 5-1, its best six-game start since 1994...

 

Duke outmuscles Virginia 42-17

The Duke Blue Devils football team did it again.After falling behind at halftime, a dominating second half of play shut down the Virginia offense..

 

 

Blue Devils battered and bruised, top Demon Deacons 34-27

The Duke Blue Devils football team broke a 12-game losing streak against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons with a 34-27 victory over their hosts at BB..

 

Duke Blue Devils establishing their identity in ACC football

The Duke Blue Devils know who they are and now they want everyone else in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) to know it too.“We want to show..

 

 

Duke beats Memphis 38-14

The Duke Blue Devils gave a homecoming crowd of 23,658 many reasons to cheer loudly as they beat the Memphis Tigers 38-14 at Wallace Wade Stadium..

 

 

Blue Devils’ Cockrell earns ACC honor

Duke Blue Devils cornerback Ross Cockrell earned Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Defensive Back of the Week honors as announced by the conference..

 

 

Duke reclaims Gridiron Classic title with 54-17 win over NC Central

The Duke Blue Devils football team claimed its second win of the season and the Bull City Gridiron Classic title with a decisive 54-17 win over the..

 

 

Duke’s Vernon earns ACC honor

Duke Blue Devils senior Conner Vernon was named the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Receiver of the Week on Tuesday following his 10-catch, 180..

 

 

Blue Devils impress in 46-26 win over FIU

The Duke Blue Devils football team kicked off its 100th season of play with a dominating 46-26 victory over the visiting Florida International...

 

---

 

2012 Duke home game highlights: PK Sport - Raleigh Sports Examiner

ACC Football Live: Duke Blue Devils vs. Miami Hurricanes

ACC Football Live: Duke Blue Devils vs. #10 Clemson Tigers

ACC Football Live: Duke Blue Devils vs. North Carolina Tar Heels

ACC Football Live: Duke Blue Devils vs. Virginia Cavaliers

ACC Football Live: Duke Blue Devils vs Memphis Tigers

---

 

Raleigh Sports Examiner on Facebook

Raleigh Sports Examiner on Twitter @pksport

Carolina Women's Basketball Network

Raleigh Sport Examiner - You Tube channel

Carolina Hurricanes Examiner

Duke Blue Devils Fleece Hoodie (Google Affiliate Ad)

 

Cincinnati Bearcats Fleece Hoodie (Google Affiliate Ad) 

ACC Football Live: Duke Blue Devils vs. Miami Hurricanes

Duke Blue Devils vs. Miami Hurricanes pregame - Peter Koutroumpis, PKS Consulting LLC

 ---

Duke comes up short in 52-45 loss to Miami

The Duke Blue Devils did not have enough left in the tank to overtake the Miami Hurricanes in a 52-45 loss at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C. on Saturday.Quarterback Sean Renfree (36-59, 432 yards, 4..

 

---

 

Game Notes

 It's Senior Day as the Duke Blue Devils (6-5, 3-4) host the Miami Hurricanes (6-5, 4-3) in the final game of the regular season at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C. on Saturday.

The Blue Devils look to extend their 5-1 home record this season, having matched the school single-season record for home wins already and becoming bowl-eligible for the first time since 1994.

Miami is looking to secure a share of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Coastal Division title with a win over the Blue Devils.

The Hurricanes lead the all-time series between both teams, holding an 8-1 advantage with Duke's lone win coming back in October, 1976.

Kickoff coming up in 10 minutes.

---

1st Quarter:

• Miami kicks off and Duke will start on their 25-yard line
• Renfree finds an open Crowder but he can't hang onto it - incomplete pass
• Duke runs it and also gets a face mask call to advance the ball to the 42-yard line
• Swing pass to Conner Vernon - extends his reception streak by one more game - 47 games in ACC play and longest active streak in NCAA
• Duke has to punt it away - Miami returns it to the 25-yard line
• First pass is a long one for a 17-yard gain
• Quarterback Stephen Morris is contained by the Duke defense for a moderate gain on the ground
• Miami runs it again but is penalized for a shift on the line - 2nd and 13 yards to go - still no score with 11:40 to play
• Big defensive stop by Blue Devils' Walt Canty to break up a long pass attempt
• Duke gets the ball back after Miami punts it away
• A complete pass up the side gains Duke 13 yards before starting on the ground with the next downs
• Duke penalized for clipping - big yardage loss back to its own 14-yard line - a lot of hard work diminished there
• After that loss, Blue Devils having trouble gaining big yards as Miami forces them to punt with Will Monday coming in
• Miami will start on its own 42-yard line - still no score with 8:50 to play
• The Hurricanes gain 18 yards on a swing pass and some great blocks to lead the way
• Duke secondary is caught off-guard with a huge gap that the Hurricanes fill with a big reception from running back Dallas Crawford after getting the pitch from Morris
• Another few plays and Morris finds Clive Walford for an 11-yard pass and touchdown - 7-0 Miami leads Duke with 6:59 to play
• Miami's drive - 4 plays - 59 yards - 1:51 TOP 
• Duke receives the kickoff in their end zone and will start on its own 25-yard line
• Renfree tries to air one out to the left but it sails over Juwan Thompson's head
• Snead takes the handoff for small yards on the next down
• Renfree throws another one high and out-of-bounds and Duke is penalized again for an illegal block - forced to punt it away
• Morris finds Walford for a 35-yard gain as Canty stumbles in the middle of the secondary before helping to make the tackle
• Miami runs it on the next play and threatening to score - now inside the red zone
• A handoff to Duke Johnson who jukes right and then left to run past the Duke defender and it into the left side of the end zone - touchdown puts the Hurricanes ahead 14-0 with 5:19 to play 
• Jamison Crowder returns the kickoff for Duke from the goal line to the 18-yard line
• Miami was showing blitz but force another incomplete pass wide and to the left
• Hand off to Jela Duncan gains the Blue Devils nine yards on the play
• Third and one and Brandon Connette gains the first down on the Wildcat set-up
• Renfree fakes the handoff and keeps it to gain four yards on his own
• On second down with six yards to go, Renfree throws it out on the right side
• Duke stuck on its 35-yard line - Vernon makes the catch to earn the first down for a seven-yard gain
• Blue Devils keep the Miami defense honest and Renfree finds Corey Gattis for 27 yards in the open space in the secondary
• Duke ball on the Miami 31-yard line - trailing by 14 points still and 2:28 to play
• Duncan gains six yards and Duke has another third down to convert
• Renfree keeps it but doesn't gain any yards and the field goal unit comes out for Duke
• A successful kick and Ross Martin converts it - Miami lead is not 14-3 with 1:17 to play
• Duke scoring drive - 11 plays, 57 yards - 3:57 TOP
• The Blue Devils attempt the onside kick but Miami gets the ball from the scramble on the play - starting on the Duke 48-yard line
• Morris tries to get a quick strike for Miami downfield, but it is incomplete
• Justin Foxx comes up with a big sac on Morris and Miami is getting ready to punt with fourth down and nine yards to go as first quarter ends

2nd Quarter:

• Miami punts it away and Duke will start on its own 19-yard line
• Josh Snead gains six yards on the ground and is followed up with a reception by Crowder for the first down
• Duke continues to make gains - up to its own 32-yard line which is then increased by a big gain and pass to Vernon - 14 yards on the play
• The Blue Devils start on the Miami 49-yard line with an incomplete pass and a small gain of four yards
• Renfree looks and finds Desmond Scott in the middle and Blue Devils are facing fourth down and two - they go for it
• Vernon makes the catch for the first down - a seven-yard catch
• Thompson continues to make gains on the drive with four more yards before Renfree finds Vernon cutting through the middle from the left side - he takes a hard hit but gains nine yards on the play - he's shaken up but walks off
• Starting from the Miami 21-yard line, Snead takes the hand off and gains four yards
• In the red zone Renfree looks for Gattis and he gets six more yards - first and goal
• Thompson gets the pass and Duke has four yards to go on second down
• Connette takes the snap, fumbles it and has enough time to pick it up and run it in for the touchdown - Martin's PAT is good - Miami lead is only four points - 14-10 with 8:57 to go
• Duke worked off of 15 plays for 81 yards over 5:55 of possession time during that last scoring drive
• After the kickoff, Miami will start on its own 25-yard line
• Johnson carries it for the Hurricanes with lots of speed but is cut short by Duke's Ross Cockrell - a five-yard gain
• Crawford takes the snap and runs it for the first down
• Miami continues to gain yards on the ground with Johnson picking up five more yards
• Crawford is on the run again and beats the Duke front line for eight yards
• After successful gains, Miami is now at the Duke 45-yard line and makes a big gain as Morris passes to Walford - 38 yards - Canty couldn't bat the pass down which allowed Walford to tip-toe down the right sideline - play being reviewed - two yards shorter than original end of run
• Miami starts on the Duke seven-yard line and elects to run it for three yards
• The Hurricanes still can't score with an incomplete pass into the end zone - 3rd and six to go
• Duke defense doesn't have an answer for Johnson running it into the right corner after getting the pitch from Morris - Miami lead is back up to 10 points - 20-10 with 5:41 to go in the half
• Miami scoring drive - 9 plays, 75 yard - 3:16 TOP
• Off the kickoff, Blue Devils' Crowder returns it from his three-yard line to the 19-yard line
• Renfree hands off to Duncan who speeds up and gains a first down with an 11-yard run
• Duke stays on the ground with Duncan - another gain - three yards this time
• No-huddle offense continues to Duncan again for another small gain of four yards this time
• Renfree then finds a cutting Vernon who goes left for seven yards and its Duke first down at the its own 43-yard line
• A swing pass to Crowder on the right side gains six more yards for the Blue Devils
• Another pass to Crowder - a bigger gain down the right side line for another first down, but Duke is called for holding on the play
• Starting back on the 40-yard line, Renfree finds Scott open for six yards on the left side line, but it's not enough and Duke is forced to punt 
• The Blue Devils fake the punt but the Miami defense doesn't fall for it - Connette only gains a yard and the Hurricanes get the ball on the Duke 47-yard line - still leading 20-10 with 2:36 to play 
• Johnson continues to penetratet the Duke defense and gains 12 yards before James makes a catch for seven more yards
• A pitch back to Johnson has the Duke defense ready for it - a loss of one yard on the play
• Morris finds Phillip Dorsett for 19 yards down the right side line and threatening to score again with a handoff to Johnson
• Miami with second and goal to go after the run  - on the Duke four-yard line now
• Johnson gets it again for a three-yard run and the ball is sitting on the one-yard line on third down
• An incomplete pass in the end zone has Duke flagged for pass interference for first and goal
• James runs it in for the Hurricanes as the lead extends to 18 points - 28-10 with eight seconds to go

At the Half: Miami 28, Duke 10

---

Duke: Sean Renfree (18-28, 138 yards), Brandon Connette (3 rushes, 9 yards, 1 touchdown)

Miami: Stephen Morris (8-11, 155 yards), Duke Johnson (9 rushes, 55 yards, 2 touchdowns)

---

3rd Quarter:

• Miami starts with the ball after Martin kicks it off for Duke
• Morris begins the drive on the ground with Johnson leading the way up the field for a few plays
• Big gain as Dorsett makes a 23-yard catch and the Hurricanes continue the march to the end zone
• Ball on the Duke seven-yard line now and Morris tries in the air but isn't as successful as handing off to Johnson again
• Fourth down and six to go - field goal team is out for he Hurricanes - a 23-yard attempt is good - 31-10 Miami leads with 11:10 to play
• Duke starts with the ball on its own 35-yard line
• A complete pass, a rush and an incomplete pass
• After a complete pass, fumble, and recovery, Duke is facing first down after an illegal substitution called on Miami
• Crowder gains some yards after catching a pass from Renfree
• A big gain as Renfree finds an open Crowder for 24 yards
• Renfree stays in the air with a complete pass to Thompson
• Next play to the left end zone corner and Vernon catches it for the touchdown - PAT is good
• Duke scoring drive - 10 plays, 65 yards - 3:52 TOP - Miami lead is now 31-17 with 7:18 to play
• Miami can't gain much as the Duke defense ratchets up its play and Duke will get the ball back with 5:48 to play
• The Hurricanes show blitz and Renfree hands it off to Thompson for a huge 37-yard run - first down coming up at the Miami 23-yard line
• Renfree looks up and down the middle on a breaking Crowder who is wide open for the touchdown reception PAT is good - Duke now trails Miami 31-24 with 5:17 to go
• That scoring drive only took Duke two plays for 60 yards in 31 seconds
•  Miami starts on its 25-yard line and they start with a run play by James - two yard gain
• The Hurricanes match Duke's last touchdown with a 65-yard rush by Johnson and the PAT is good - Miami lead is back up to 14 points - now 38-24 with 4:08 to play
• Duncan on the return but he fumbles it - Miami ball, but an offside call will cause a re-kick - player down on the field - it's Duncan - he walks off the field with help
• On the ensuing re-kick, Vernon returns it for Duke
• The Blue Devils start with the ball on their own 19-yard line - an incomplete pass starts the series
• Snead carries on the next play followed by an incomplete pass
• Duke punts on the next play and Dorsett brings it up to the Miami 28-yard line after a 58-yard punt
• On Miami's first play, James makes a catch, breaks a few tackles and runs down the right side line all the way into the end zone - one play in 14 seconds to extend the score to 21 points - 45-24 with 2:34 to play
• Duke started its series with a run and a pass and then a nice reception by Scott who was hit hard and fumbled it
• Miami coach Al Golden loved the possession call so much he was basically right beside the officials signalling first down
• However, it was ruled incomplete - Duke ball still
• Renfree tries to get a long pass to Crowder who's interfered with on the catch - first down Blue Devils on their own 38-yard line
• Snead gains some yards on the handoff
• Duke continues to work the ball up the field and have entered Hurricanes territory
• Renfree working the ball in the air with three incomplete passes as Miami defense is clamping down on Duke's receivers
• Duke going for it on fourth and seven on the Miami 42-yard line as third quarter is winding down
• Miami defensive line collapses all around Renfree who was looking long - a loss of eight yards and Miami gets the ball back
• The Hurricanes gain 11 yards from a Dorsett reception and the quarter ends - still leading 45-24

4th Quarter:

•  Miami continues where it left off and is threatening to score again
• After a rush from James and a 29-yard reception from Dryon Dye, Miami has trouble running it in from the Duke three-yard line - now fourth and goal on the one-yard line
• Johnson gets the handoff from Morris and then throws it soccer throw-in style over the defense to Walford who has to dive for the floundering ball - touchdown Miami - it is being reviewed
• Pass is ruled incomplete and Duke will get the ball back on its one-yard line
• Starting deep in his zone, Renfree finds a wide-open Crowder who runs it all the way - 99 yards for the touchdown - Miami lead shortens to 14 points again - 45-31 with 11:45 to pla
• Miami has trouble on their ensuing possession and its forced to punt after a penalty and three plays
• Vernon returns the punt to the Duke 36-yard line
• First few plays for Duke include a gain on the ground and an incomplete pass
• Renfree fakes a handoff and finds Crowder on the right sideline with a 34-yard strike followed by a rush by Snead
• Duke in the red zone on the Miami seven-yard line with first and goal to go
• Connette takes the snaps and tries to push it to Reaves - incomplete pass
• Renfree back in and he takes the snap and tries to fire one to Reaves just outside of the goal line 
• Anthony Boone comes in and hands off to Snead - gain of three yards 
• Renfree comes back in, takes the snap, steps and almost falls, but throws it into the left corner of the end zone where Vernon catches it - the deficit is only seven points now - 45-38 with 7:56 to play
• Miami returns the kickoff 29-yards to its own 35-yard line
• One pass, one catch and 65-yards and Miami scores another touchdown to extend the lead back to 14 points - 52-38 with 7:37 to play
• Renfree starts the Duke offense with a pass to Crowder on the right side but is blocked on the second pass attempt
• Handoff to Duncan loses two yards as Miami's defense swarms around the ball carrier
• An incomplete pass and Duke has to turn it over to Miami on the 36-yard line
• Morris starts with an incomplete and complete pass on the drive
• Miami misses on a field goal attempt from Jake Wieclaw - Duke will get the ball back on its own 30-yard line
• Renfree finds Vernon cutting through the middle, left to right, and he gains 30 yards on the play
• Same route, shorter though, and Scott gains more yards for Duke
• Reaves makes a catch along the right side line and Renfree continues to move the chains until an incomplete pass to Reaves stops the no-huddle offense
• Scott snags the pass cutting across for a 10-yard reception and Renfree has the ball on the Miami 25-yard line
• That is accompanied by an incomplete pass and he tries another one in the air - a pass interference flag on the play
• Duke first down on the Miami on the 10-yard line as a result of the penalty
• A swing pass to the left finds Duncan open and he gains four yards on the play
• False start call on the Blue Devils brings the ball back to the 11-yard line
• Renfree continues to throw into the end zone - pass to Vernon is batted away
• Thompson receives a pass on the left side and gets it down to the five-yard line
• Renfree is hit after the next pass attempt and the ball is spotted on the three-yard line - roughing the passer call gets Duke to first and goal
• Renfree with an incomplete pass and Connette comes in to try to run it in - face mask call on the play
• Duke still working for the touchdown and they get it as Connette scores on the draw play - Duke trails by a touchdown again - 52-45 - after the PAT with 2:32 to play
• With the PAT complete the excitement heightens at Wallace Wade
• After scoring the touchdown, Connette lay on the ground for a while - has had a shoulder injury previously and looked like he landed on it - slow to get up, but he walks off the field
• On the ensuing kickoff, Miami starts with the ball on its 48-yard line and gains five yards with the run by Johnson
• Johnson continues to make gains on the ground for the Hurricanes - 12 more yards for the first down at the Duke 35-yard line now with 1:56 on the clock 
• Miami continues to keep the ball on the ground and the clock keeps counting down as Duke has no timeouts left
• James gains another yard to the Duke 31-yard line - under 30 seconds left
• Duke takes the last snap with the handoff to James and that will end it

 Final: Miami 52, Duke 45

Raleigh Sports Examiner on Facebook

Raleigh Sports Examiner on Twitter @pksport

Carolina Women's Basketball Network

Raleigh Sport Examiner - You Tube channel

Carolina Hurricanes Examiner

Duke Blue Devils Fleece Hoodie (Google Affiliate Ad) 

Colosseum Miami Hurricanes Straight Logo Fleece Hoodie (Google Affiliate Ad)