After closing the 2013 campaign strong by winning three of their last four, capturing a share of the NEC regular season title for the second time in three years, the Duquesne Dukes are looking to build on things and put together a solid 2014 season.
The Dukes were picked to finish second in the preseason NEC poll, right behind defending champion Sacred Heart, but there is a lot of optimism surrounding Jerry Schmitt’s team entering the season.
A lot of that has to do with Schmitt, who tends to always put together a talented team.
Under Schmitt, Duquesne has won more games (both overall and in NEC play) than any conference school over the past four years.
This year the Dukes return 16 position starters from the team that won three of its last four games to finish 7-4 (4-2 in the NEC) in 2013. That talented nucleus is also not short on experience as Schmitt with have 18 seniors to lean on in 2014.
Seven of those returning starters along with five additional players who started at least once last season return on the offensive side of the ball.
That includes sophomore quarterback and Montour graduate Dillon Buechel, who will be back under center for the Dukes.
Buechel put together the best freshman season in Duquesne history and set school records for passes completed (217) and attempted (373) all while throwing for the sixth-highest yardage total in school history (2,569). Buechel completed 58.2 percent of his passes last season, throwing 14 touchdowns in the process.
He led the NEC in passing yards and yards per game a season ago and if he makes the natural progression that many expect entering his second season, the Dukes will have themselves a real weapon under center.
Of course when we talk passing, we have to talk about Duquesne’s talented and deep group of wide receivers as well, led by senior Devin Rahming.
Rahming was one of the top all-purpose threats in the conference last season and makes an impact not only as a receiver but as a returner as well. He averaged close to 100 all-purpose yards per game in 2013 and missed the first two games of the season with an ankle injury.
If Rahming is healthy in 2014 and the likes of Dave Thomas, Noel Oduho, Chris King and Reggie McKnight continue to produce, the Dukes will have a pretty potent offense on paper.
Throw in returning running back Ryan Ho, who led Duquesne with 430 yards rushing and four TDs last season and a couple of local playmakers in Monessen’s Chavis Rawlins and Chartiers Valley’s Wayne Capers and the Dukes will have no shortage of options on the offensive side of the ball.
Duquesne also returns an experienced offensive line, so putting points on the board should not be a problem in 2014.
But as good as the offense can be, any Schmitt team is built on the defensive side of the ball.
The Dukes return nine starters from the No. 2 total defense in the NEC (325.5 ypg.) in 2013.
Junior nose tackle Zach Zidian, who started 10 times as a freshman and all 11 times last season as a sophomore when he earned second team All-NEC honors in 2013 will once again anchor the Dukes’ front.
Zidian not only occupies blockers but gets to the football extremely well, recording 44 tackles last season, including 5.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.
The Dukes’ linebacking core suffered a major hit in the offseason when their only first team All-NEC selection, Chartiers Valley graduate Christian Kuntz, suffered a knee injury that kept him out of spring drills and left his status for the upcoming season up in the air.
Kuntz said the plan is for him to return to the field at some point this season. He has received preseason honors despite the injury.
He was one of 38 linebackers named to the College Performance Awards watch list headed into the season. The postseason honor is awarded to players who increase the overall effectiveness of their teams.
Kuntz led the Dukes in tackles a season ago and led the nation in tackles for loss so if he isn’t at 100 percent it is a big loss. If he can’t go, expect Purdue transfer and Gateway graduate Armstead Williams to make a big impact on the defense.
The Dukes are pretty set on the inside where both junior Sam Martello and sophomore Aaron Reed will return. Reed, out of Montour, tied Kuntz last season for the team lead in tackles with 74.
The strength of the Duquesne defense though could be in the secondary where the Dukes return one of the more inexperienced units in the NEC.
Devin Williams and Nick Floyd give the Dukes a pair of solid corners while second team All-NEC safety Rich Piekarski and University of Florida transfer Chris Johnson should be the starting safeties.
All in all 12 freshman saw considerable action last season and that should be a positive as the Dukes should be experienced at pretty much every position on the field as they look for a conference title and a playoff berth in 2014.
Duquesne opens their season on August 30 with a non-conference game at MAC opponent Buffalo. Their first home contest will be September 13 against NEC rival Dayton.
Photo Credit: Duquesne
