Blue Devils cherish offensive continuity

DURHAM – Think of last spring as the time that Duke’s offense was going through introductory, 100-level classes.

The Blue Devils had to learn offensive coordinator Kevin Johns’ system and terminology. They didn’t know if Riley Leonard or Jordan Moore would be the quarterback. All while trying to impress the new staff.

Twelve months later, the Blue Devils have graduated into a deeper understanding.

“I think last year as far as the offense, we were working on the ‘what,’” tight end Nicky Dalmolin said last week. “This offseason we’re working on the how and what tweaks we can make and how to make our offense better.”

Every significant contributor for Duke’s offense last season is in spring practices. You’ve got to go down to the fifth-leading rusher to find someone who isn’t returning, and that’s just because Terry Moore (128 rushing yards) has moved from running back to safety.

All nine of Duke’s top pass-catchers from last season have returned.

It’d be one thing if the Blue Devils returned so much talent and experience from a mediocre offense; Duke was fifth in the ACC in scoring (32.8 points per game) and fourth in total yards (415.7) last year.

“It’s a great thing that we’re getting a lot of guys back,” Dalmolin said. “And at the same time, though, we feel like we haven’t earned anything yet. We are still pushing to get to Charlotte.

“With all of those guys back, it’s just a matter of everyone getting better … than they were last year.”

The only significant losses for Duke’s offense from last year to this one are on the offensive line, with Chance Lytle, Andre Harris, Jack Burns and John Gelotte all having departed. Given the Blue Devils have a solid foundation up front with Graham Barton, Jacob Monk and Maurice McIntyre — and the unit was deep last season — you can figure they’ll have plenty of questions answered by the Sep. 4 opener against Clemson.

There’s no uncertainty at quarterback. Leonard will enter this season as one of the top QBs in the ACC, coming off a year in which he passed for 2,967 yards and 20 touchdowns and was Duke’s leading rusher in both yards (699) and touchdowns (13).

Instead of alternating first-team reps with him, Moore is running routes for him after transitioning to receiver last fall camp. He took to the position well, finishing second on the team in receptions (60) and yards (656).

And now he gets a full spring to continue honing his craft as a receiver.

“I feel like spring ball is really meant for us to try things and get better and learn,” Moore said last week. “I feel like out there, I’m learning a lot. Going against the ones every day in practice is great, I think that’s going to be the best thing for me.”

Which brings up an interesting point specific to Moore: Most of his time last year spent going against the first-team defense was as a quarterback. His transition to receiver only took shape in the last couple of weeks of fall camp.

Once the season begins, reps between the first-team offense and first-team defense are rare (if they happen at all). That makes this the first extended time Moore has gotten to work against the first-team defense.

Moore said there’s value in going up against anybody on Duke’s first-team defense, but his favorite battles come against cornerback Chandler Rivers.

“I go against him literally every day, almost every rep,” Moore said, “so he knows what I’m going to do, I know what he’s going to do and it’s a battle every single day. He’s a really good player, he’s young, he’s like the future.”