A little more than eight months removed from their triumph over Syracuse in the national championship game, the Duke Blue Devils appear to have the necessary components of a championship team.

They return top scorer Jordan Wolf, NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player Brendan Fowler and four other players selected in the 2014 Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft. As a result, Inside Lacrosse pegged the Blue Devils as the country’s best team in its preseason poll.

But according to head coach John Danowski, that first glance can be deceiving.

“I don’t even have us in the top 20 teams,” Danowski said bluntly. “We’re a young team with a rookie midfield. We’ve got a long way to go.”

It’s hard to question Danowski, who has built Duke into a national juggernaut since taking over the program in 2007. In addition to producing a pair of Tewaaraton Award winners, he has led the Blue Devils to championship weekend during each of his seven seasons at the helm. Two of those have resulted in national titles.

However, a lack of depth could put the team’s impressive streak in jeopardy this season.

“You lose 25 percent of your team, and you replace those guys with another 25 percent of students who’ve never played in college,” Danowski said. “So now, you’re never certain if guys are able to step up, accept new roles.”

No position was hit harder than midfielder. First-team All-Americans David Lawson, Jake Tripucka and Josh Offit accounted for 149 total points during their final seasons in Durham. Their departures are a big blow to the Blue Devils’ offensive attack and an equally important loss in their on-field leadership.

Danowski said Ethan Powley, Jack Bruckner and Thomas Zenker are three newcomers who can make immediate contributions at midfield. However, there’s still plenty of pressure on returning starters at all positions, including Fowler.

The senior set an NCAA record with 339 victories at the faceoff X last season, including 20 in the championship game against the Orange. However, he only chipped in three goals during the season. In addition to bringing the youngsters up to speed, Fowler said he’s trying to prove that there are multiple elements to his game.

“For me, I can help a little more on the offensive end, besides just the X this year,“ he said. “Some of our d-middies can contribute a little more on offense and try to help those guys.”

Meanwhile, Wolf is ready to fill in the leadership gap.

The senior attack, who finally tasted tournament victory only minutes away from his hometown of Wynnewood, Pa., said the experience of winning a championship has only motivated him to work harder. He understands that he needs to take charge on the field, and his fellow upperclassmen do as well.

“Our senior class has played a lot of lacrosse and guys have started since their freshman year,” Wolf said. “We have guys like Chris Hipps, Luke Duprey and Henry Lobb on defense. We have a lot of strength and athleticism all over the field.”

They’re going to need all of it during ACC play.

Danowski said the ACC was already the toughest conference in the country. Throw in Syracuse and Notre Dame, and the Blue Devils can feasibly go winless in conference play. He said it’s crucial to start strong during the opening weeks of the season against Denver, Stony Brook and other nonconference opponents.

“If you go 0-5 in the conference and you play in the five-six game, the toilet bowl game, then you better have a couple of good wins somewhere,” Danowski said. “It’s really hard to make it (to the postseason). Only 16 teams do, so you better be ready.”

But if the Blue Devils have proven one thing the last seven seasons, it’s their resilient nature. A prime example was the 2013 national title game, as they overcame an early five-goal deficit and cruised to victory against the Orange.

That’s why Fowler and Wolf aren’t too worried about the team this year. Even on a second or third glance, they still see a championship-caliber bunch.

“We’ll be young in spots, but we’re just working hard and trying to listen to our coaches as much as possible,” Wolf said. “It’s a process and a long journey, and we’re just trying to get better every day.

Published on February 13, 2014 at 1:35 am

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