Breaking Down Duke

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Darius Jennings and UVa hope to start 3-0 in ACC play. ~ Mike Ingalls

After a bye week on the schedule, Virginia’s football team returns to action this Saturday with a trip to Duke. The defending Coastal Division champs are 5-1 this season. The Blue Devils have won back-to-back meetings against the Cavaliers despite trailing at halftime the last two seasons.

Alone atop the division standings in 2014, UVa will try to build on its 2-0 start in ACC play, but what can are some things to expect from this match-up? Let’s break down the Devils.

Attacking Linebackers Vertically

Duke coach David Cutcliffe and his offensive staff know how to create favorable match-ups in the passing game. Last season, for example, the Blue Devils tried numerous times to attack UVa cornerback Tim Harris in coverage against receiver Jamison Crowder. In the first half, QB Anthony Boone was unable to connect on a couple of sideline throws in that direction, but late in the third quarter the plan worked. Boone hit Crowder for 42 yards to move the ball to the Virginia 11-yard line and set up a touchdown.

With players like Josh Snead and Shaun Wilson at running back in addition to Crowder and Johnell Barnes at receiver, the Blue Devils are able to create situations in the passing game this season where opposing linebackers are forced into coverage against speedy options. Virginia can and likely will neutralize some of this strategy with its nickel package bringing an additional corner into the game, but this is the first match-up of the season where an opponent will can try to test Daquan Romero and Henry Coley with vertical routes more often.

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