Duke
Duke’s quarterback battle heating up as season opener against Notre Dame approaches
By Madeline Coleman Correspondent
August 29, 2020 02:19 PM
Duke's Jake Bobo on playing without fans in the stands
Duke football wide receiver Jake Bobo talks about the decision by the Blue Devils to play games without fans. Bobo spoke during a zoom availability Tuesday, August 25, 2020. By via ZoomUp Next×
Duke's Jake Bobo on playing without fans in the stands
all wide receiver Jake Bobo talks about the decision by the Blue Devils to play games without fans. Bobo spoke during a zoom availability Tuesday, August 25, 2020. By via Zoom
With the season opener against Notre Dame around the corner, Duke’s starting quarterback position is still up for grabs.
Chris Katrenick, a redshirt junior, has the most experience with Duke’s offense. After enrolling in 2017, the 6-3, 230-pounder played in seven games and tallied 114 career snaps. Katrenick has completed 8 of 25 passes for 103 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. He’s rushed seven times for 50 yards.
The second player in the mix is redshirt sophomore Gunnar Holmberg. The Wake Forest native suffered a knee injury during fall camp last year and missed the entire season. He’s only played one game for three plays. However, he’s stood out during camp so far. Cutcliffe said “he’s a threat to pull it down and run.”
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Lastly, there’s transfer Chase Brice, a redshirt junior who helped Clemson reach the 2018 national championship. For two of his three seasons, Brice played backup for Trevor Lawrence. In his 25-games at Clemson, Brice went 82 of 136 and passed for 1,023 yards, tallying nine touchdowns and four interceptions.
There’s two things coach David Cutcliffe is looking for from his starting quarterback: a playmaker and someone to take care of the ball. Not only does he need to make the most plays, the starting quarterback needs to be able to read the defense easily and “get the best runs possible.”
“I told them a long time ago when we started, it’s no different than on the playground when you first go to school,” Cutcliffe said. “If you want to be the all-time quarterback, you better throw it better than everybody else. You better make the plays or they’re gonna replace you with somebody else. So it sounds cold blooded, but that’s about the way it works.”
Going into Saturday’s scrimmage, he was looking for accuracy with “every little detail, every little throw” because there are “different definitions of open,” chemistry with the team and the ability to finish drives.
“We’re going to put a lot of different situations in the game, whether you’re backed up or whether you’re red zone or third downs,” Cutcliffe said. “And I want to see how they respond to each one of those situations that do win and lose games.”
Depth chart clearer but still fluid
Up until this week, the depth chart has been unknown, as several players and coaches have noted. During media availability on Aug. 21 before the team’s first Saturday scrimmage, Cutcliffe said the 75-play game would give them clarity.
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While it’s still fluid and he expects that to continue throughout the season because of the pandemic, Cutcliffe confirms a week later that he expects to have a depth chart developed “some point midweek.”
“Different combinations of lines with somebody different at center or somebody different as a guard or a tackle,” Cutcliffe said. “And then certainly every position is just fluid. You got to maintain competition, but obviously you’re gonna play more people than you would in most years.”
The head coach did give a handful of updates on different positions and statuses of players. Offensive tackles Casey Holman and Jacob Monk have rotated on the inside and taken snaps “for the what ifs” but they have also practiced at guard, according to Cutcliffe.
“They give us some punch and strength in there,” Cutcliffe said. “Where everybody ends up has not been completely decided yet… And I’m anxious to see as we unfold what that starting five is going to look like.”
Currently, ten people are looking at playing or starting time on the offensive side, Cutcliffe said, and the program is “better than we were there a year ago.” Defensively, the expected people and veterans are stepping up.
There are a few notable injuries. Kicker Charlie Ham is battling tight muscles, and they’ve “been careful with him.” Cornerback Mark Gilbert, who suffered two season-ending injuries over the last two years, is “banged up.” However, it’s only upper body and he hasn’t missed practice. Safety Lummie Young IV is another player who is dealing with an upper body injury but has not missed practice.
“We’ve just held them out of any live contact to this point,” Cutcliffe said. “There’s nothing out there, knock on wood, right now that I’m concerned about for any length of time as far as injury.”
Duke quarterbacks Chris Katrenick (15) and Gunnar Holmberg (12) work out in drills as the Blue Devils hold their first football practice of the season Friday, August 2, 2019. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
Duke’s quarterback battle heating up as season opener against Notre Dame approaches
By Madeline Coleman Correspondent
August 29, 2020 02:19 PM
Duke's Jake Bobo on playing without fans in the stands
Duke football wide receiver Jake Bobo talks about the decision by the Blue Devils to play games without fans. Bobo spoke during a zoom availability Tuesday, August 25, 2020. By via ZoomUp Next×
Duke's Jake Bobo on playing without fans in the stands
all wide receiver Jake Bobo talks about the decision by the Blue Devils to play games without fans. Bobo spoke during a zoom availability Tuesday, August 25, 2020. By via Zoom
With the season opener against Notre Dame around the corner, Duke’s starting quarterback position is still up for grabs.
Chris Katrenick, a redshirt junior, has the most experience with Duke’s offense. After enrolling in 2017, the 6-3, 230-pounder played in seven games and tallied 114 career snaps. Katrenick has completed 8 of 25 passes for 103 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. He’s rushed seven times for 50 yards.
The second player in the mix is redshirt sophomore Gunnar Holmberg. The Wake Forest native suffered a knee injury during fall camp last year and missed the entire season. He’s only played one game for three plays. However, he’s stood out during camp so far. Cutcliffe said “he’s a threat to pull it down and run.”
TOP ARTICLES PLAYTop ArticlesDuke football players, coaches participated in Thursday’s protest on campus Video SettingsFull ScreenAbout ConnatixV49445Read MoreRead MoreRead MoreRead MoreRead More1 min. storySPONSORED00:57/00:15
Coming Next Top Articles: Duke football players, coaches participated in Thursday’s protest on campus1/1Skip Ad Skip
Duke football players, coaches participated in Thursday’s protest on campus
Lastly, there’s transfer Chase Brice, a redshirt junior who helped Clemson reach the 2018 national championship. For two of his three seasons, Brice played backup for Trevor Lawrence. In his 25-games at Clemson, Brice went 82 of 136 and passed for 1,023 yards, tallying nine touchdowns and four interceptions.
There’s two things coach David Cutcliffe is looking for from his starting quarterback: a playmaker and someone to take care of the ball. Not only does he need to make the most plays, the starting quarterback needs to be able to read the defense easily and “get the best runs possible.”
“I told them a long time ago when we started, it’s no different than on the playground when you first go to school,” Cutcliffe said. “If you want to be the all-time quarterback, you better throw it better than everybody else. You better make the plays or they’re gonna replace you with somebody else. So it sounds cold blooded, but that’s about the way it works.”
Going into Saturday’s scrimmage, he was looking for accuracy with “every little detail, every little throw” because there are “different definitions of open,” chemistry with the team and the ability to finish drives.
“We’re going to put a lot of different situations in the game, whether you’re backed up or whether you’re red zone or third downs,” Cutcliffe said. “And I want to see how they respond to each one of those situations that do win and lose games.”
Depth chart clearer but still fluid
Up until this week, the depth chart has been unknown, as several players and coaches have noted. During media availability on Aug. 21 before the team’s first Saturday scrimmage, Cutcliffe said the 75-play game would give them clarity.
Local news has never been more important
Subscribe for unlimited digital access to the news that matters to your community.
#readlocal
While it’s still fluid and he expects that to continue throughout the season because of the pandemic, Cutcliffe confirms a week later that he expects to have a depth chart developed “some point midweek.”
“Different combinations of lines with somebody different at center or somebody different as a guard or a tackle,” Cutcliffe said. “And then certainly every position is just fluid. You got to maintain competition, but obviously you’re gonna play more people than you would in most years.”
The head coach did give a handful of updates on different positions and statuses of players. Offensive tackles Casey Holman and Jacob Monk have rotated on the inside and taken snaps “for the what ifs” but they have also practiced at guard, according to Cutcliffe.
“They give us some punch and strength in there,” Cutcliffe said. “Where everybody ends up has not been completely decided yet… And I’m anxious to see as we unfold what that starting five is going to look like.”
Currently, ten people are looking at playing or starting time on the offensive side, Cutcliffe said, and the program is “better than we were there a year ago.” Defensively, the expected people and veterans are stepping up.
There are a few notable injuries. Kicker Charlie Ham is battling tight muscles, and they’ve “been careful with him.” Cornerback Mark Gilbert, who suffered two season-ending injuries over the last two years, is “banged up.” However, it’s only upper body and he hasn’t missed practice. Safety Lummie Young IV is another player who is dealing with an upper body injury but has not missed practice.
“We’ve just held them out of any live contact to this point,” Cutcliffe said. “There’s nothing out there, knock on wood, right now that I’m concerned about for any length of time as far as injury.”
Duke quarterbacks Chris Katrenick (15) and Gunnar Holmberg (12) work out in drills as the Blue Devils hold their first football practice of the season Friday, August 2, 2019. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
