The season ended with a dismal loss to Miami and no bowl appearance. Duke quarterback Daniel Jones wanted no more of that. He sat his receivers down and explained the plan.
“He was like, ‘Hey, this offseason, we’re going to take it really seriously,’” receiver Chris Taylor recalled in a recent phone interview. “We’re going to go in on Saturdays, and work on timing and route definition and things of that nature.’ That’s really what we did, and it showed in spring ball.”
Those inside the Duke football building took notice as soon as spring practice opened.