Duke center Matt Craycraft: 'We want to run the ball'
· Yahoo Sports
While Manny Diaz and the Duke coaching staff try to figure out who will be the starting quarterback for the Blue Devils once the season-opening matchup against Tulane arrives on Sept. 5, starting center Matt Craycraft is already positive about what the identity of this year’s offense is going to be.
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"I think, at the end of the day, we want to run the ball a lot more this year," Craycraft said.
While the running game was there for the Blue Devils last season, especially in the form of true freshman Nate Sheppard, a majority of Duke’s offense depended on Darian Mensah and the passing game. The Blue Devils finished 11th in the FBS in passing offense, putting up 285.4 yards per game, while ranking 88th in rushing offense (138.14 yards per game).
With Mensah now playing quarterback for ACC rival Miami and the competition to replace him between Walker Eget and Dan Mahan taking place this fall camp, it makes sense that offensive coordinator Jonathan Brewer would focus on pounding the ball on the ground, especially to start the season.
It also helps to have a back in Sheppard, who finished off his historic freshman season with 22 carries for 170 yards and a score in the bowl win against Arizona State.
Craycraft, who has started 28 straight games for Duke at the center position, knows what his teammate is capable of.
"What doesn't impress you?" Craycraft said about Sheppard. "He's a really fast kid. Obviously, he can hit the long ball, but he's a physical player. He runs really hard."
This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Duke center Matt Craycraft: 'We want to run the ball'