While it’s possible Duke quarterback Daniel Jones is playing on Sundays in the near future — many believe he has first-round NFL potential — he has not fared so well against Virginia the past two years.
CBS Sports analyst Chris Trapasso released his latest mock draft last week, and he has Jones listed as the top quarterback in the upcoming draft, at No. 9 overall.
Of Jones’ 22 interceptions he’s thrown during his stellar Duke career, nearly a third (seven) of those have been picked off by three Cavalier defenders — former star safety Quin Blanding (2), current ACC Defensive Back of the Week Juan Thornhill (3) and Bryce Hall (2).
Yes, the ‘Hoos have had Jones’ number over the past two seasons, but Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall knows that despite the previous success, his defense will need to be on their toes in Saturday afternoon’s important Coastal Division battle.
Mendenhall said Monday that he likes Jones’ size at 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, and praised his strong arm.
“And for the most part, with the exception in our games, his decision making has been really strong,” said the coach of the redshirt junior from Charlotte. “The main difference in the two games that we’ve beaten Duke is just, for whatever reason, the ball has been thrown to us. So some of the decisions [Jones] has made and just simply through the turnovers, that really has determined the outcome.”
Mendenhall went on to explain that there was no “wild or elaborate or unique scheme” in defending Jones in those instances.
“It just has happened that in our two games [against Duke], the ball has been turned over from them to us more than maybe what it has in other games.”
The two longtime ACC rivals have squared off every year since 1962, with UVa leading the all-time series, 36-33. Virginia (4-2, 2-1 ACC) has won the last three meetings against the Blue Devils after dropping six of the previous seven.
Last season at Scott Stadium, Blanding got things rolling early with a 58-yard pick six of Jones less than three minutes into the contest as the ‘Hoos went on to win 28-21.
Jones, a candidate for the Maxwell, O’Brien and Manning Awards, is one of just three Power 5 signal callers who threw for at least 2,500 yards and rushed for 500-plus last year. He showed his toughness and determination after breaking his collarbone in the third quarter against Northwestern on Sept. 8. Many believed he would not return to the field in 2018.
However, Jones had surgery the next day, was back at practice just 10 days later, and ended up starting against Virginia Tech on Sept. 29, shocking the Duke coaches and medical staff in the process.
UVa junior defensive tackle Eli Hanback has seen what Jones can do, dating back to 2016 when the ‘Hoos left Durham with a 14-point victory.
“He was good then, he was really good last year and I know he’s doing a great job this year,” said Hanback, who secured a loose ball in the end zone to seal that win two years ago at Wallace Wade Stadium. “So he’s going to be a very experienced quarterback, he’s going to be a very skilled quarterback, and he has great coaches over at Duke helping him get better, so we have a tall task trying to stop him, trying to stop their offense.”
In four games, Jones is 69 for 101 (68.3 percent, third-best among ACC quarterbacks) for 821 yards and eight touchdowns with a pair of interceptions. He can also still get it done with his legs, with 27 carries and a rushing touchdown on the season.
UVa senior linebacker Chris Peace said the ‘Hoos will need to keep an eye on the rushing lanes this weekend when Jones drops back after watching him on film against the Yellow Jackets.
“One [GT linebacker] thought he had [Jones] and he just broke out of it,” said Peace. “He can make you miss, or he can run through you.”
Duke (390 yards per game) ranks right ahead of Virginia (386.8) in total offense at 10th in the conference. The Devils rank eighth with 215.5 pass yards per contest and 11th in rushing offense with 174.5 yards on the ground, just behind UVa’s 183.
Deon Jackson (355 rushing yards) and Brittain Brown (317) have gotten the bulk of the carries for the Blue Devils, who come in with a record of 5-1, 1-1 in conference play. Jackson rushed for 98 yards and a score over the weekend.
As for the weapons in the passing game, Duke’s T.J. Rahming leads the Devils with 24 catches for 279 yards and four touchdowns, and Monday was named ACC Wide Receiver of the Week after his 48-yard score helped seal the win at Georgia Tech Saturday.
Senior Johnathan Lloyd is another trusty target, compiling a team-best 297 yards and four touchdown receptions of his own, while senior tight end Davis Koppenhaver has also found the end zone four times this year.
This past Saturday in Atlanta, Jones connected with all three for touchdowns in a matter of three minutes as Duke turned three Georgia Tech fumbles into 21 points, in what was a 7-7 tie late in the third quarter.
Mendenhall knows that although Jones has faltered against the ‘Hoos in recent memory, he could exact a little revenge this weekend, especially considering who’s guiding him along.
“[Jones] is certainly capable of making any throw,” said Mendenhall. “Certainly has the size to handle pressure, vision, arm strength. He’s been coached exceptionally well by probably one of the best offensive minds in quarterbacks coaches, David Cutcliffe. His preparation has led to his performance, and now he is more mature and older, and so every year he plays he gets better and better.”
