The Blue Devils played their spring game Saturday at Wallace Wade Stadium — well before most FBS teams have begun practice.

“Today you saw what spring practice has been — continued momentum,” Cutcliffe said. “There were a lot of positives on both sides of the ball, on both the Blue and White units.”

Duke is coming off its first 10-win season in school history. The Blue Devils finished 10-4, strung together a six-game winning streak and reached the ACC title game for the first time. The season included wins against traditional ACC power schools Virginia Tech and Miami as well as a Coastal Division-clinching victory against rival North Carolina in the regular-season finale. That win was Duke’s second consecutive against the Tar Heels for the first time since 1989.

Cutcliffe inherited a program that was 2-33 in the three seasons prior to his arrival. But after four seasons — and an improved 15-33 record — Duke reached a bowl game in 2012 (its first since 1994). The Blue Devils took it to another level last season, finishing 10-4 with a trip to the Chick-fil-A-Bowl.

They return their top two quarterbacks in Anthony Boone and Brandon Connette. The two combined for 3,045 passing yards, 23 TDs and 17 interceptions last season. Top receiver Jamison Crowder (96 catches, 1,197 yards, seven TDs) also is back, along with two of the team’s top rushers in Josh Snead (90-547, 1 TD) and Shaquille Powell (60-337, 2 TDs). Connette ran 99 times for 333 yards and a team-best 13 scores.

For the record, Duke’s Blue squad beat the White on Saturday, 24-14, in a scrimmage marked by defensive plays.

“I’m really pleased with a lot of things we saw happening,” Cutcliffe said. “Interesting we were able to get as many plays in as we got. The White team, I think, had a few more snaps than the Blue team, but we’re going to have a bunch of great tape to grade in a lot of game situations.”

Cutcliffe sounded like a coach excited about building off the success Duke experienced in 2013.

“We have a couple more practices we can correct a few things and then I think we’re going to head off into a really good cycle for the offseason,” Cutcliffe said. “All these things go better when you win. Everything tastes better and everything goes much more smoothly when you win football games.”


BREWER TRANSFERRING TO HOKIES


Former Texas Tech quarterback Michael Brewer is transferring to Virginia Tech, he announced on Twitter on Sunday.

He told the Roanoke Times that he chose Virginia Tech over Kentucky. He’s immediately eligible because he graduates from Texas Tech in May and will have two seasons of eligibility in Blacksburg.

Brewer arrived at Texas Tech with four state titles at Lake Travis High School in Austin, Texas. But he left with just 58 pass attempts, 440 passing yards and five TD tosses.

Most of those came in 2012 as a redshirt freshman and last season, when he was expected to take over as the Red Raiders’ starter, he had a back injury that kept him out through nearly the first half of the season. By then, freshman Davis Webb and freshman walk-on Baker Mayfield were running Kliff Kingsbury’s offense, leaving few snaps for Brewer.

Texas Tech will be without Brewer and Mayfield in 2014 as Mayfield transferred to Oklahoma.

“Just didn’t’ really work out the way we thought it would,” Brewer told the Roanoke Times. “I’m looking at it as really just being a blessing in disguise.”

The Hokies are looking for Logan Thomas’ replacement at quarterback. Senior Mark Leal is considered the frontrunner to win the job, while Brenden Motley, Andrew Ford and Chris Durkin are also in the mix.

In three seasons, Leal is 27 for 47 for 332 yards, two TDs and two picks.

Contributor: Ken Bradley