College Sports
Email
Print
Wolfpack will be using a new secondary against Blue Devils' sharp passing attack
AP Photo
Duke's Thaddeus Lewis is averaging 228.4 passing yards per game.
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: October 10, 2009
Old foes Duke and N.C. State will rumble across the turf of Raleigh's Carter-Finley Stadium for the first time in seven years today and try to get their seasons back in order.
Both teams still harbor hopes of finishing with winning records and bowl berths, even after losses last week in their ACC openers. Today's game (4 p.m., ESPNU Ch. 143) will help determine how realistic those hopes are for the winner and what work lies ahead for the loser.
Receiver Owen Spencer is confident that N.C. State can still win the Atlantic Division title and play in the ACC championship game, if it can win its remaining games.
"I don't know the history (against Duke) that well, but last year's game was close," Spencer said of State's 10-point win. "They gave us a test. They gave us a big fight.
"We've got to say that we can't lose this game. I'm pretty sure that they're going to come in with the same attitude as last year and try to beat us this year, but we have to instill our will again."
N.C. State (3-2, 0-1 ACC) has had the better of the rivalry in the recent past, winning the past 11 games and 14 of the past 15. Duke (2-3, 0-1) will be trying to snap a 20-game losing streak in ACC road games.
Because of scheduling rotations created by ACC expansion, the teams last played in Raleigh in 2002. The rivalry was interrupted for four seasons, starting in 2004, but resuming last season in Durham.
Tight end Brandon King of Duke said that winning an ACC game, not ending the losing streak, is the main issue for his team.
"Obviously you need to remember the past and think about what happened so you can light a fire under yourself and remember where you came from," King said.
"At the same time, we've got to look forward to this weekend. We've got to do what we need to do to move forward."
Each team has one major concern. N.C. State will put a revamped secondary against the ACC's top passing attack. Duke has to keep State's pass rush off quarterback Thaddeus Lewis.
N.C. State will most likely have three new starters in the secondary and could have four after breakdowns in last week's loss at Wake Forest. Duke is averaging 285.6 passing yards a game.
Lewis, a four-year starter, is averaging 228.4 passing yards and is completing 57.7 percent of his attempts. Backup Sean Renfree has contributed 95.3 yards a game and has completed 67.4 percent of his passes.
In last week's 34-26 loss to Virginia Tech, Lewis completed 22 of 40 passes for 359 yards and two touchdowns. In last season's N.C. State-Duke game, he completed 37 of 52 for 317 yards but didn't throw a touchdown pass.
"We played a pretty good quarterback last week, and we've got another four-year starter we've got to play against this week," Coach Tom O'Brien of N.C. State said. "Here we go again."
A Wolfpack defense led by senior end Willie Young sacked Wake Forest's Riley Skinner six times last week. O'Brien is hoping that the pass rush will limit Lewis' time to find receivers and offset any problems in the secondary. "When the quarterback's on his back, he can't throw the football," O'Brien said.
Duke has allowed 10 sacks in five games. King said that State's sacks of Skinner got the attention of Duke's offensive linemen. Lewis said he'll have to get rid of the ball quickly, even just to throw it away.
"Those front four guys are going to cause havoc, regardless of who's playing in their secondary," Lewis said. "If we can get rid of the ball and take those guys, we can have some success."
Receiver Austin Kelly of Duke sees at least one advantage against the rush -- Lewis and Renfree have completions to 14 receivers, counting running backs.
"When you're a defense, you can't really guard it all," Kelly said. "You've got to give up something."
ACC today
• Noon: Boston College at Virginia Tech (WXLV Ch. 7/ABC)
• 3:30: Georgia Southern at North Carolina (WTHZ 94.1)
• 3:30: Indiana at Virginia
• 4 p.m.: Duke at N.C. State, 4 p.m. (ESPNU Ch. 143; WIST 98.3; WIFM 100.9; WSJS 600)
• 6:30: Maryland at Wake Forest (WBRF 98.1; WZTK 101.1)
• 7 p.m.: Florida A&M at Miami
• 8 p.m.: Georgia Tech at Florida State (ESPN2 Ch. 32)
Email
Print
