Duke decks NC Central with variety – Shelby Star

Adam Smith Times-News @adam_smithTN

DURHAM Duke filled up the bingo card in a hurry Saturday night.

The Blue Devils didnt dawdle, producing a bunch of points in a number of ways while overwhelming North Carolina Central 60-7 in a football season opener at Wallace Wade Stadium.

By midway through the second quarter, with the outcome decided and the margin ballooning, Duke had scored on touchdown runs, a touchdown pass, a field goal, an interception return for touchdown and a safety.

We wanted to show everybody, even all the ACC teams, what weve got, Duke running back Brittain Brown said. We came out strong. We just wanted to break their back, break their soul, just get this thing going.

The Blue Devils piled up 524 total yards on offense, with quarterback Daniel Jones passing for 213 yards and two touchdowns and Brown, a redshirt freshman, rushing for 120 yards and a score in his college debut.

Duke entered averaging more than 50 points per game against N.C. Central and this matchup of Durham schools, in whats known as the Bull City Gridiron Classic, quickly became another Duke blowout of the Eagles, the three-time reigning Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champions on the Football Championship Subdivision level.

Theres an excitement and an energy about us, Jones said. I think we have all the pieces, all the talent. There are definitely improvements to be made and progress to be made, but overall I think were in a good spot and weve got what we need.

After Shaun Wilson capped Dukes first possession of the season by plowing into the end zone from 1 yard out, cornerback Byron Fields Jr. picked off Eagles quarterback Micah Zanders and returned the interception 28 yards for a touchdown.

Just like that, just more than 3 minutes into the night, Duke led 14-0.

Browns 38-yard touchdown run he used some nice moves in the secondary to lose two N.C. Central defensive backs made it 21-0. And the rout effectively was on at that juncture, with more than five minutes remaining in the first quarter.

On the touchdown, I was kind of just weaving around defenders, Brown said. A lot of space out there to run in the open field.

By halftime, Duke led 47-7 and had given Quentin Harris, who backs up Jones, a series of his own at quarterback. Harris responded by directing a 10-play drive that he capped with a 3-yard scoring run.

That meant Duke had delivered six touchdowns on its seven possessions in the first half.

Jones, who finished last year on a streak of 173 passes without an interception, had a clean start to this season. He went 19-for-25 while connecting with Aaron Young and Johnathan Lloyd for scores.

The 54-yard touchdown bomb over the top to Young essentially was an easy pitch and catch, because Young was running so open down the field. Youngs five catches for 89 yards topped Dukes receivers, 13 of whom had at least one reception.

Moments later, with the Blue Devils now ahead 40-0, a shot of Duke basketball star Grayson Allen grinning his approval appeared on the massive videoboard that towers over one end zone here.

Lloyd, the former Southern Alamance High School standout, zipped in from 24 yards out on a swing pass in the third quarter, increasing Dukes lead to 53-7.

N.C. Centrals touchdown came on Isaiah Tottens 81-yard breakaway in the second quarter. Otherwise, the Eagles managed only three plays that gain 10 yards or more.

We learned a lot from this game, N.C. Central coach Jerry Mack said. We learned exactly what not to do and what to do. Some guys got exposed. We found out a lot about the character of our football team.

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Duke decks NC Central with variety - Shelby Star