Thaddeus Lewis sees the day coming when Duke knocks off one of the ACC's best football teams.
He is confident that can happen this season, his last in the program and his fourth as the starting quarterback.
"We actually have the talent," Lewis said. "We can do it. Talk is cheap. We actually have to go out there and perform."
Whether the breakthrough can come today is anyone's guess. Powerful Virginia Tech will visit Wallace Wade Stadium for a noon game.
No one in the Duke program doubts the difficulty of playing Tech, the defending ACC champion, but there's no shortage of confidence. That's the result of last year's Duke-Virginia Tech game in Blacksburg. Tech won 14-3, but Lewis was sidelined by an ankle injury, and his replacement, Zack Asack, completed only two passes.
"It lets guys know, ‘Don't let the name of the school fool you,' " Lewis said. "We know we can go out there and play against anybody. We had a successful day against them last year, and who's to say we can't have the same success against them this year?"
Duke is 2-2 overall and playing its ACC opener. Tech is 3-1 and 1-0 and has dominated the series, winning eight straight.
The key for Duke will be whether it can run the ball. Backs Re'quan Boyette and Jay Hollingsworth are listed as probable by team trainers after making some progress in recovering from injuries.
Boyette (leg) didn't play in last week's win over N.C. Central, and Hollingsworth (ankle) was limited to spot action and had no carries.
Freshman Desmond Scott started at running back last week and gained 100 yards on 16 carries, but he's considered questionable after straining a hamstring Tuesday in practice.
A consistent running game would take some pressure off Lewis. He missed practice time during camp in August because of injuries but said he is regaining his rhythm.
"I'm feeling real good," Lewis said. "It couldn't come at a better time to feel the way that I feel now going into ACC play. I'm going to have to be at the top of my game week in and week out, especially (today)."
Virginia Tech is 16-4 in ACC road games since joining the conference in 2004. It lost running back Darren Evans to season-ending knee injury during training camp in August, but Ryan Williams, a redshirt freshman, has stepped in.
Williams has rushed for 492 yards (123 ypg, six ypc) and has scored eight touchdowns. He was a workhorse last week against Miami, carrying 34 times in Tech's 31-7 win and breaking 11 tackles.
Williams said he had never carried more than 19 times in high school because of injuries and because he shared his position.
"I know what I'm capable of doing," Williams said. "A lot of people may question my toughness because I've been hurt. Or my size: ‘He can't carry the ball that many times between the tackles.' I don't pay no mind to it."
bcole@wsjournal.com
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