Duke Game Analysis: Hokies Coming Together

Once again, the Hokie Nation descended upon the heart of ACC country and took
over Tobacco Road. They were not disappointed, as the Hokie football team took
care of business on the gridiron, easily defeating Duke 43-14 in Durham. It was
a convincing victory against an improved Duke program, but this was more than a
just another win against a lower-tier opponent. It started at Clemson and
continued on Saturday — this team is starting to come together and get things
in order. There are still some key issues to resolve (and some injuries and
illnesses to overcome), but it looks like these Hokies are ready to make some
noise just in time for the ACC stretch run.

Yes, this was “just Duke,” but in analyzing the game, I liked how
fast and focused the Hokies played on both sides of the ball. They were loose
and relaxed; a far different posture from the pressing, tight bunch that we saw
so often earlier in the year.

For this game analysis, I’m going to try something a little different. I’m
going to start with some impressions and trends on both sides of the ball and
then take a closer look at the game based on how the game unfolded. I’ll wrap it
up with some general observations and then take a quick look at the upcoming
game with Boston College.

It’s a different approach, but what the heck. Let’s give it a shot.

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