Under first year Duke defensive coordinator Jonathan Patke, the Blue Devils have become one of the leading defensive units in the country. Patke’s group is among the nation’s top 10 in six categories and in the top 30 in nine. Duke leads the country in fumbles recovered while standing in the top 10 in tackles for loss per game (8.50/3rd), turnovers gained (23/4th) and opponent third-down conversation percentage (0.202/10th). Patke’s group tops the ACC in his key measure of defensive success – yards per play allowed (4.77). The Blue Devils also lead the league in passing yards allowed per game (191.7) and pass efficiency defense (111.66) while yielding 149.3 rushing yards a contest. Duke’s defense also stands second in the conference in scoring defense (22.1 points/game) as the team has kept seven foes to 21 or fewer points this season. Turnovers have been a key piece of this year’s defensive squad with Duke creating 14 in its last four games and 23 total this year. Duke trails just Notre Dame (25) and Alabama (24) in turnovers gained among Power 4 programs. The Blue Devils’ 12 fumbles recovered are the most in the country. Headlining the turnover success were contests against Florida State and No. 22 SMU. Versus the Seminoles, Duke forced turnovers on three consecutive FSU offensive plays (inter¬ception, fumble and interception) to become first FBS team this season to accomplish the feat. The team nearly accomplished the same feat against the Mustangs, intercepting a pass and forcing a fumble on consecutive plays in the second quarter. One of the goals of Patke’s group is to be tough in the red zone. So far, the team has achieved success as the Blue Devils rank 17th nationally, and first in the ACC, in lowest opponent touchdown percentage in the red zone (48.48). Individually, Patke has mentored a linebacker corps with new faces excelling. Senior Cameron Bergeron has turned in his most productive season as a Blue Devil, totaling 56 tackles after entering the campaign with 17 in his career. Bergeron also has 6.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks after having zero in his first three years on campus. Graduate transfer linebackers Ozzie Nicholas and Alex Howard arrived in the summer and have made immediate impacts. Nicholas ranks sixth in tackles/game in ACC games (8.50) and is tied for fourth in forced fumbles in ACC games (2). Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranks Nicholas, the ACC October 21 Linebacker of the Week, as the ACC’s fourth-ranked run defender, seventh-ranked linebacker by defensive grade and 15th-ranked tackler. Howard stands tied for eighth in the ACC in tackles for loss (11.0) and 22nd in tackles (63). In addition, redshirt junior Tre Freeman is PFF’s No. 13 linebacker in the ACC by defensive grade.
