DURHAM - Thaddeus Lewis and the rest of the Duke Blue Devils will don a slightly different-looking uniform this fall, one that resembles the kind worn by the Indianapolis Colts.

That doesn't mean Lewis, a 6-2, 200-pound junior, will suddenly turn into a Peyton Manning -- though new head coach David Cutcliffe has placed greater demands and higher expectations on his quarterbacks.

To begin with, he set scoring 30 points or more per game as the offensive goal, a lofty increase over the 17.9 average the Devils posted in 2007.

Cutcliffe also is prodding Lewis to sharpen his accuracy on intermediate passes, boost the completion percentage from 55.3 of last season to more than 60 percent and take care of the football.

"[Thad] has a great sense of timing throwing the ball into seams,'' Cutcliffe observed. "He has a great sense of timing about where to put the ball in anticipation. Most disappointing thing was the inconsistency in fundamentals and in accuracy. There are three or four throws he's got to make better on a consistent basis to fit into our system."

Cutcliffe has coached both Peyton Manning and Eli Manning, and when the Super Bowl heroes came down for an offseason visit, Lewis chatted with them. The Mannings' message to him?

"Do everything [Cutcliffe] says do,'' Lewis answered.

Lewis possesses the arm strength, mobility and attitude to do more. Not that he hasn't already recorded nifty numbers.

His passing yardage for the first two years totaled 4,565. Only N.C. State's Philip Rivers (5,640), Florida State's Drew Weatherford (5,362) and Clemson's Charlie Whitehurst (5,115) have logged more air mileage in their first two ACC seasons.

Last fall Lewis also tossed 21 touchdown passes, third most in the league behind Boston College's Matt Ryan (31) and Clemson's Cullen Harper (27).

But Duke is 1-23 the past two seasons, not the kind of legacy Lewis wanted to create coming out of Opa-Locka, Fla.

"Sometimes I feel time is running out," he said, his voice riveting with a do-or-die urgency.

To get ready for what he hopes will be a change in Duke football, Lewis trimmed his body fat from 17.6 percent to 12 percent in arduous offseason workouts and has become "faster and stronger." He also spent hours studying Cutcliffe's playbook, digesting terminology that was "like learning a new language."

"I've never worked this hard, preparing, making sure I know what's going on, watching film, asking questions,'' he said, though not begrudgingly. "It's a blessing having [coach] here."

The offense is different, and Duke's staff is striving to place Lewis and No. 2 quarterback Zack Asack into the most productive scheme situations.

Finding secure pass protection ploys is a high priority, says offensive coordinator Curt Roper. Last season, Duke's QBs suffered 25 sacks, second most in the league.

To enhance that completion percentage, Lewis likely will throw more passes to backs and tight ends in addition to spiraling tosses to standout wide receiver Eron Riley.

Roper pointed out that Tennessee's tailback had 39 receptions and that four tight ends caught TD passes last year.

Lewis also adds another dimension, the ability to run, which he has done 195 times.

But in preseason camp, he is focusing on refining fundamentals that fit the new scheme and trying to become an even more accurate passer -- preferably like a Colt.

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