X-Factor: Duke football’s ground attack versus North Carolina’s run defense is key in this rivalry matchup

After bouncing back with a last-second field goal to win against Wake Forest, Duke football will be looking to come out on top of a major rivalry matchup against a strong North Carolina squad. Let’s take a look at a key piece for both teams:

The senior linebacker has been a major asset for the Tar Heels throughout the season, ranking among the finest defensive players in the ACC as well as on the squad. This season, Grey has amassed an incredible 85 tackles, forced two fumbles, and recorded 4.5 sacks. A few weeks ago, Grey had an incredible 18 tackles, 11 of which were solo, against Virginia.

Grey will be crucial in containing what has been a strong Blue Devil rushing assault going into a game against a team like Duke that will be missing its leading quarterback. The linebacker will be the one to watch for running backs and fumbling quarterbacks while sitting in the gaps, even though the defensive line and play-calling will also be crucial. In contrast to the injured Riley Leonard, Duke freshman quarterback Grayson Loftis is less mobile and will be easier to bring down in the open field, thus Grey will be crucial against him.

Grey has amassed ten tackles for loss this season, demonstrating his strength against the running game. His performance against the Blue Devils will be crucial to stopping an already bruised and battered Duke offense.

Duke: Jordan Waters

This game will be centred around the Blue Devils’ running backs on the opposing side of the ball. In order to defeat the Tar Heels, Duke will unavoidably need to go to a rushing strategy with Loftis in the pocket rather than a star like Leonard. Jordan Waters, a graduate who leads the team in carries with 101 attempts for 564 yards, will be leading that attack. In addition to carrying much of the running load against Wake Forest, he had a season high of 123 yards against N.C. State. He recorded a season-high 18 attempts for 76 yards and a touchdown when the Demon Deacons visited town.

Specifically, the battle against Grey will determine the outcome of the game. Grey is among the conference’s top linebackers, but Waters is a far better back. Even though North Carolina’s rushing defence surrenders 151 yards a contest, it will be considerably simpler to focus on that aspect of the game because Duke is unlikely to be able to consistently throw the ball more than 20 yards down the field.

This game will ultimately come down to how successfully the Blue Devils can run the ball and how successfully the Tar Heels can thwart that onslaught. The visiting team will have a chance if the Duke offensive line can open up gaps and provide room to run. Should North Carolina succeed to close rank and shut down the ground game, then the Tar Heels will be in prime position to take another Victory Bell.