Duke's Boyette injured

Tailback hurts leg in scrimmage

DURHAM -- Duke's running game got thrown for a loss Saturday night.

Early in the first situational scrimmage of the season, senior starter Re'quan Boyette suffered a leg injury, the extent of which coach David Cutcliffe didn't know immediately after the closed workout.

The Blue Devils are banking on Boyette to help establish a ground attack that struggled last season, when it averaged just 64 yards per game.

Boyette's mishap was the downer on a night that otherwise had encouraging upsides, according to Cutcliffe.

The first-year coach praised the place-kicking of Nick Maggio and punting of Kevin Jones.

That doesn't mean Maggio has nailed down the job, but it was an encouraging sign for a team that sorely needs a kicker to come through.

Cutcliffe reveled in the Blue Devils' "energy" and praised the defense, saying "the tackling was far better" than he expected for a team in just its second day in pads.

Penalties were a negative. There were seven, too many to meet Cutcliffe's discipline standards.

Statistically, backup quarterback Zack Asack completed 10 of 15 passes for 88 yards and scored one of Duke's three TDs on a 29-yard scamper.

Starter Thaddeus Lewis hit on 8 of 20 for 57 yards.

Johnny Williams led all receivers with six catches, and Jay Hollingsworth scored two TDs on runs of 9 and 4 yards.

Last year's second-team All-ACC receiver Eron Riley was held out due to a leg injury but is expected back soon.