Penalties doomed Duke against UNC. But we learned a lot about Blue Devils in the loss
Duke passed the halfway point of its season in a dour mood Saturday night, letting what could have been a season-changing win slip away.
North Carolina’s touchdown with 16 seconds left, on quarterback Drake Maye’s escape of a play to complete an 8-yard touchdown pass to Antoine Green, delivered Duke a gut punch of a 38-35 loss at Wallace Wade Stadium.
On one hand, the Blue Devils (4-3, 1-2 ACC) saw an 11-point, first-half lead and a four-point lead in the final seconds disappear.
On the other hand, they were down 10 points entering the fourth quarter and, for the second week in a row, erased a double-digit deficit in the final period to have a chance to win.
That they didn’t leave Wallace Wade Stadium with a win leaves lingering pain.
“We knew it was going to be that kind of game,” Duke coach Mike Elko said, “where we were just going to have to keep trying to make plays to keep up with them. I thought for the most part we did. And then the final sequence of plays on offense just was a killer.”
That was Duke’s inability, while leading 35-31 and inside the UNC 20 in the final three minutes, to add points. Two crucial penalties ruined that drive, which ended when Charlie Ham missed a 43-yard field goal.
That’s one of the things we learned, again, about the Blue Devils. Their eight penalties for 85 yards were nightmarish.
We also learned, once again, that the Blue Devils have an abundance of heart this season. Elko wants to say it again and say it loud for all those in the back who may not be aware. This team, though fielding many of the same players who went 1-17 in ACC play the last two seasons, isn’t that same team that got run over far too often.
“I don’t think it can be lost on anyone how far this program has come in a very short period of time,” Elko said. “I don’t think it can be lost on anyone.”
We also learned the Blue Devils continue to run the ball at high level, which allows them to play competitively week after week. Gaining 297 rushing yards with an offensive line thinned by injury and without leading rusher Jaylen Coleman makes it all the more impressive.
Costly penalties
For the second week in a row, Duke suffered an ACC loss when crucial penalties in key, late situations crippled its offense.
Jontavis Robertson’s offensive pass interference penalty in overtime, a call Elko said he’d not seen on a screen pass such as that in his 23 years of coaching, doomed Duke to a 23-20 loss at Georgia Tech on Oct. 8.
Late in the fourth quarter against UNC, with Duke on the verge of going up by at least eight points with a field goal and 11 points with a touchdown, two penalties cost the Blue Devils dearly.
The first was an illegal shift penalty on a third-down play from the UNC 11 where Jordan Waters ran for a first down inside the Tar Heels 10.
Quarterback Riley Leonard took blame for that penalty by not waiting for everyone to be set before he signaled for the snap.
“We didn’t get set,” Elko said. “We didn’t. We should have given the kid a second to get set. And we didn’t.”
The next play, a third-down play from the UNC 16, resulted in a touchdown pass from Leonard to Jalon Calhoun. But the score was wiped out by an illegal chop block, called on Duke right tackle Andre Harris.
Elko agreed with the call, saying the timing of the play, and the movement by UNC’s defenders attempting to get to Leonard, left Harris vulnerable to being called for a chop block.
“I think it was a post chop. I do,” Elko said. “It was just one of those things that happened. I don’t know that anyone did something we didn’t coach. It just kind of happened and obviously happened at the worst time.”
Duke committed just one penalty in the first half while going up 21-10 and taking a 21-17 lead to intermission. The Blue Devils were called for seven second-half penalties for 75 yards.
One was a roughing the passer call on defensive tackle DeWayne Carter when he sacked UNC Maye, tossing him to the ground harder than the officials liked.
“We have to be able to tackle him,” Elko said. “He’s not a little kid. You’re seeing it. You see it in the NFL. You see it in college. It’s just getting really hard with the way they’re protecting the quarterbacks on some of these plays.”
Duke linebacker Shaka Heyward gave UNC a boost on its game-winning touchdown drive, being called for grabbing Caleb Hood’s facemask. That personal foul added 15 yards to a 10-yard gain and put the Tar Heels at the Duke 25 in the final minute.
Duke’s run game is legit
The Blue Devils’ 297 rushing yards are their second most against an ACC team over the last five seasons. Only the 363 yards Duke gained in beating Syracuse, 38-24, on Oct. 10, 2020, surpasses it.
Duke did so while playing without Maurice McIntyre, its starting left guard over the season’s first six games who had surgery to repair a knee injury on Friday and is lost for the season. The Blue Devils also were without Coleman, who was their leading rusher for the season entering Saturday’s game with UNC.
Duke’s usual strategy of rotating seven offensive linemen and shuffling Jacob Monk between guard and center while inserting Jack Burns at center to help with some alignments, is no longer possible.
The linemen played more snaps than they are accustomed to.
“It forced guys to maybe play a few more snaps without Maurice, because we didn’t have the rotation that we’ve been able to have,” Elko said.
Leonard led Duke with 130 rushing yards, including his 74-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Jordan Waters added 91 yards on 15 carries. Terry Moore (five rushes, 42 yards) and Jaquez Moore (seven carries, 36 yards) also contributed.
That solid rushing game helps Duke stay out of third-and-long plays. It also limits turnovers. Duke has yet to lose a fumble this season. A strong running game means Leonard doesn’t feel the need to force as many throws.
As Duke seeks two more wins over its last five games to attain bowl eligibility, that running game could get the Blue Devils there.
Elko sees progress
Disappointment and hurt filled Duke’s locker room. The Blue Devils played in front of an energized crowd that, albeit boosted by hordes of UNC fans, included a packed Duke student section.
They desperately wanted to beat their rival and win over enough fans by convincing them to return when Duke next plays at home on Nov. 12 against Virginia Tech.
Alas, they came up short.
But the first-year Blue Devils coach believes his team still has success in front of it this year.
Duke trailed Georgia Tech 20-6 in the fourth quarter a week earlier only to tie the game before losing in overtime.
UNC led 31-21 and had the ball at the Duke 28 late in the third quarter only to see Duke’s defense get a stop, with a Brandon Johnson sack that forced a 52-yard field goal try that was missed.
From there, the Blue Devils eventually took the lead only to see the game slip away in the final seconds.
“I thought it was everything that we hope Duke football can become,” Elko said. “Obviously we didn’t get the result that we wanted. But I think hopefully people enjoyed the experience. I think they got glimpses of what we’re capable of becoming. We’re gonna continue to work to make sure that we get the results that we want. We’re just going to keep going and that’s what this program is going to be about.”
This story was originally published October 16, 2022 at 9:20 AM.