From the field: Duke vs. Navy

Yes, I cover many local sporting events. All too often, friends or random people tell me I have the greatest job because I get to see games from down on the field. Well, I’m usually “seeing” them through a tiny viewfinder because I’m always shooting the games with my camera. But every once in awhile, I can observe a thing or two up close.

Here’s what I saw at the Duke-Navy game.

--Who all couldn’t help but laugh when the parachutes landed at Wallace Wade to deliver the game ball before kickoff?

*If you don’t know why that’s funny, then it’s too long to explain.

--Okay, this was my first time seeing that new Duke mascot up close.

Not a fan.

It’s a more realistic looking Blue Devil. I’ll give it that. Smaller head, sleeker suit, etc. But it’s too creepy. Give me the old school Devil with his Homer the Brave-like head size. Hopefully, Coach K can save us this basketball season by ushering the old mascot a triumphant return.

--My personal favorite moment came courtesy of the video board during halftime.

All ACC schools have to show an ad for the Orange Bowl because the conference has an automatic bid to the game, but they edit these videos specific to the home team.

So at Wallace Wade, you hear voice that proudly proclaims, “YOU can see your team in the Orange Bowl!” and there are shots of Vince Oghobasse and Michael Tauilili.

The only thing I can picture is the poor sap who had to come in to work and edit that video. How much was he (or she) hating life that day? I know you HAVE to edit it, but come on, who are you kidding?

--Oh yes, the game…The evidence of the David Cutcliffe effect lies right on the surface for a few reasons:

1) Duke is obviously in better shape. Cutcliffe wanted his players to lose 1,000 pounds as team during the offseason. That came into play in the 4th quarter. Navy wilted in the heat. Duke simply heated up. Last year, Duke squandered an 11-point 4th quarter lead to Navy. This time, they were clearly quicker on both sides of the ball down the stretch.

2) Offensive game plan. Navy has trouble stopping passing teams. See, this is Navy. The Midshipmen are used to handling opponents in water. Cutcliffe knew his receivers were faster than Navy’s secondary, so he often sent out four-WR sets. That gave more options for Lewis, and more space to find his favorite target, Eron Riley. Three Lewis-to-Riley touchdowns later, and the two players set the school record for most career TD’s for a quarterback and receiver combo (17).

3) Defensive adjustments. Navy entered the game leading the nation in rushing. Former coach Paul Johnson left this year for Georgia Tech, but the unique option attack remains. No problem for Duke. After allowing 24 points in the first half, they changed their assignments on the option and limited Navy to 36 rushing yards in the 2nd half and only seven points.

--Most surprising moment of the game: Joe Surgan nailing a 52-yard field goal at the end of the half with about five yards to spare. This is Joe Surgan, right? The same Joe Surgan whose extra point attempts used to cause the dozens of Duke fans in attendance to gnaw their fingernails nubs?

Nick Maggio will handle the shorter kicks. He nailed one from 46 yards (marking the first made Duke field goal I had ever witnessed in person) and missed one badly from 32 yards. Yeah, same old Duke on that one.

--What wasn’t the same old Duke was the attendance. The Devils drew 25,000 fans for Navy and 32,000 for the season opener. The atmosphere is far from the Rose Bowl (insert your own 1942 Rose Bowl reference…it’s too late for me), but it’s getting closer.

Okay, nowhere to go but up, right? But hey, the student section weathered the heat that knocked out the Navy quarterback whose name I’ll never be able to pronounce.

--So now, Duke is 2-1 with a loss to a decent Northwestern team that could have easily been a Blue Devil win. And heck, they could be favored to beat Virginia at home next week.

Looking at the schedule, and playing in a conference that isn’t exactly the toughest, there are some games Duke can definitely win (yes, that includes State and UNC).