Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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return to full health this year. Top Storyline: For the first time since the 1960 season, the Blue Devils won a bowl game, a 44-41 overtime vic- tory versus Indiana in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl. In the 51 seasons from 1961-2011, Duke received only two bowl invita- tions (1989 and 1994), but it has now gone to four straight under ninth- year head coach Cutcliffe. Only five starters are back on offense and six on defense. Summary: Duke is a non-triple-option version of Navy: well coached, com- petitive and Cutcliffe's teams can put up points. However, it probably doesn't have quite enough on defense to slow down Notre Dame (barring a plethora of turnovers by the Irish). Cutcliffe singled out the Blue Dev- ils secondary as the standout posi- tion group this spring, led by rover/ safety DeVon Edwards, a third-team All-ACC pick on defense but also an All-American, game-breaking kick returner who has scored six times on kickoffs (three of them last season). VS. SYRACUSE • OCT. 1 AT EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. QB Situation: First-year head coach Dino Babers instituted the up-tempo offense he utilized at Bowling Green (fourth nationally with 546.8 yards per contest last year) in the spring game, and said the tempo was only "okay." Syracuse ran 155 total plays in the two-hour scrimmage, and the offense scored 13 touchdowns. Eight starters return on offense, led by dual-threat quarterback Eric Dungey (1,298 passing yards and 351 rushing yards while missing four games with an injury), but Syracuse was 118th in total offense last year with a 319.9 average. Top Storyline: The Orange might have to lean on the new offense because it finished 90th in scoring defense at 31.0 points per game and lost its top player, defensive end Ron Thomp- son, who skipped his senior year to enter the NFL Draft. Two rookie de- fensive ends, Amir Ealey and Qaadir Sheppard, were also kicked off the team for a violation of team rules. Summary: Scott Shafer was fired after only three seasons, following 3-9 and 4-8 finishes. Notre Dame defeated Syracuse 31-15 in 2014 despite com- mitting five turnovers to the Orange's one. If Syracuse could have another such turnover advantage, then it is capable of giving the Irish the kind of battle Boston College did last season in a 19-16 Notre Dame win. AT NORTH CAROLINA STATE OCT. 8 QB Situation: Replacing Jacoby Bris- sett is a top issue for the Wolfpack after a 33.2 scoring average in 2015 was the third highest in school his- tory. The top candidate is 6-5 junior Jalan McClendon, a four-star pro- style recruit three years ago, while redshirt freshman Jakobi Meyers is a 6-2, 181-pound dual threat. Hired as the new offensive coordina- tor/quarterbacks coach is Eliah Drink- witz, who coached with Notre Dame's Mike Sanford at Boise State. Also new to the staff is offensive line coach/run game coordinator Dwayne Ledford, who comes from Appalachian State.