Duke’s football fortunes rose and fell last year on the arm of quarterback Thaddeus Lewis. The senior helped the Blue Devils rank No. 9 nationally as they averaged 305 yards per game.

But the Devils were dogged by an ineffective ground game. They ranked at the other end of the national rankings — No. 120 — by averaging just 63.5 rushing yards per game.

This season, with Lewis gone, coach David Cutcliffe and the Devils aim for more balance to their offense.

Cutcliffe and senior center Bryan Morgan both say last year’s offense was so one-dimensional because they were playing to Lewis’ strengths. But if Duke is to match or exceed last year’s 5-win total, Duke will need Renfree to be a highly productive passer while getting strong contributions from running backs Jay Hollingsworth and Desmond Scott.

What we don’t know is if Duke’s offensive line can handle that much run blocking. Pass-blocking is a different skill because, if a quarterback has a quick release, he doesn’t need his linemen to hold their blocks very long.

Run-blockers must pile-drive the defenders to clear holes that allow the running backs to get into the secondary for big gains.

This is an important season for Duke since they enter the start of practice with a lot of momentum. Cutcliffe’s decision to say no to Tennessee was a boost to the Devils fortunes. Strong play from their offensive line, in both run and pass blocking, would be an even bigger boost.

In watching America’s Most Wanted last night, I noticed that one accused criminal was pictured wearing an N.C. State Wolfpack sweatshirt and another was pictured wearing a Duke hat. What’s up with that? Do criminals like ACC teams or something?

The one wearing the Duke hat was a gang leader from South Carolina who was captured recently at a public library in Greensboro on charges of robbery, kidnapping and assault with intent to kill. Turns out that Duke apparel is used by the “Folks” gang whose colors are Black and Blue. For them, “DUKE” stands for “Disciples Utilizing Knowledge Everyday.”

Here’s the rub – and proof that gang members don’t get it – Tar Heels apparel is also used by the “Folks” gang. Could you imagine a modern-day “West Side Story” with Duke and Carolina gangstas fighting on the same side?

N.C. State isn’t listed on gang knowledge Web sites as being represented so the criminal wearing the Wolfpack sweatshirt might have been a run-of-the-mill criminal. Or maybe he was a member of the “Spanish Vice Lords” who wear red clothing.

By the way, the 10 most gang-affiliated hats in sports, according to complex.com, are No. 10: Oakland A’s, No. 9: Georgetown Hoyas, No. 8: Minnesota Twins, No. 7: Detroit Tigers, No. 6: Houston Astros, No. 5: Los Angeles Kings, No. 4: Chicago Bulls, No. 3: LA/Oakland Raiders, No. 2: Cincinnati Reds and No. 1: Los Angeles Dodgers. It is strange, however, that the Web site doesn’t say how they came to those conclusions plus they offer an advertising link to buy each of those hats.

Even though the Devils and the Heels aren’t in the Top 10, I imagine if you are a Duke or Carolina fan, after reading this, you might worry about wearing the colors in the wrong place at the wrong time. But according to corrections.com, there is more to it than that. Below is a description of how to identify gang-related clothing and styles.

“Shaved, bald head or extremely short hair, White oversized T-shirt creased in the middle White athletic type undershirt Polo type knit shirts (oversized) and usually worn buttoned to the top and not tucked in. Oversized Dickie, Ben Davis or Solos pants, Pants worn low, or ‘sagging’ and cuffed inside at the bottom or dragging on the ground. Baseball caps worn backwards (usually black and sometimes with the initials of the gang). Cut off under-the-knee, short pants worn with knee-high socks, a predominance of dark or dull clothing, or clothing of one particular color. Black oversized jackets, sweatshirts, jerseys, etc. Black stretch belt with chrome or silver gang initial belt buckle, oversized shirts, Clothing a mixture of gang colors, black and silver or white.”

ESPN just grabbed the rights to ACC coverage for 12 years, in a deal that starts next year, but the cable behemoth will continue to work in conjunction with Raycom out of Charlotte.

Raycom has essentially been the broker for ACC games – that is, Raycom has controlled the rights and then sells the games to different networks. There was some concern at Raycom, as the ACC was working out its deal, that the company would be shut out of negotiations if the ACC went with ESPN.

Instead, the league and Raycom found a way to work together with ESPN. ESPN will still get the biggest chunk of games and the prime contests, but Raycom, in the contract, will still be involved. In fact, Raycom will get at least five UNC or Duke basketball games a year, including at least one Duke-UNC game.

Here’s the interesting part – in the past, ESPN was shut out in local markets of one Duke-Carolina game. But now, there will be two broadcasts of the game, on both ESPN and locally. So in the Triangle, you’d be able to see the game on WRAL … and a different broadcast on ESPN.

By the way, it says something about the power of the Carolina and Duke basketball brands that it was written into the contract that Raycom had a share of those games. You can bet that didn’t happen with, say, Miami and Florida State games …

David Patten, a receiver who went undrafted out of Western Carolina yet went on to win three Super Bowl rings, suddenly and surprisingly announced his retirement this morning.

During the second day of training camp with the Patriots, Patten decided that he just wasn’t mentally into it anymore. Patten, almost 36, hadn’t even told his family yet when he told Coach Bill Belichick of his decision.

“This is a sad moment,” Belichick said. “But it’s also a very happy one and one to celebrate – a truly great career, the rags-to-riches story, coming off unloading coffee bags to the NFL career that he’s had is a tremendous story, and very deserving of the type of person and the type of player that David was for the New England Patriots and throughout his career in the league.”

Most of Patten’s success came early in his career with the Patriots. During his 12 NFL seasons, he caught 324 passes for 4,715 yards and 24 touchdowns. He also played for the Giants, Browns, Redskins and Saints.

As a follower of the Redskins, I know he unfortunately didn’t do much for the Skins. During his two years with the club, 2005 and 2006, he had knee surgery and viral meningitis.

Patten lives with his family in South Carolina and will become a minister full time.

Wake Forest was a stunning 5-7 last year, which tells you a great deal about how far the Deacons have come when a 5-7 season is considered a disappointment. Hey, it wasn’t that long ago that five wins was something to celebrate in Winston-Salem.

Coach Jim Grobe has changed those expectations, and running back Josh Adams recently gave you a sense of that when he talked about Grobe’s reaction after one game in 2009.

“You know he’s mad when his face turns red and he throws his hat down and gets the bug eyes,” running back Josh Adams said.

The Deacons actually lost five games in a row at one point last season, and three of those were close. Adams, who played at Cary High, said the team needs more “mental toughness” in those tight games. “When it comes to grinding time, you’re able to pull out the win,” he said.

The Deacons enter this season without quarterback Riley Skinner, a four-year starter. But Adams enters the year with 1,896 career rushing yards, 11th in Wake history, and Grobe plans to give him heavy carries this fall.

“We expect ourselves to win,” Adams said. “That’s why falling short last year was very disappointing.”

Oh, and they definitely don’t want a repeat performance of Grobe getting angry with the team, tossing his hat and getting “the bug eyes.”

“We saw more frustration [from the head coach] than we have seen,” Adams said. “Hopefully we can keep that to a minimum this year.”

ACC NEWS RELEASE – ACC Football is going Three-Dimensional in a big way in 2010. ESPN has announced that the first three games the cable network will televise in 3-D this fall will feature ACC teams beginning with the Virginia Tech hosting Boise State on Labor Day Monday Night at FedEx Field in Landover, Md.

The game between the nationally-ranked Hokies and Broncos, which will have an 8 p.m. (ET) Kickoff, is the first of three straight ESPN ACC contests that will be televised with the 3-D technology.

The second will be Miami’s Sept. 11 contest at Ohio State, which will have a 3:40 p.m. (ET) kickoff and will be televised by ESPN.

Clemson will then travel to Auburn on Saturday, Sept. 18 for the third straight ACC three dimensional gridiron contest featuring an ACC school on ESPN. The game will have a 7 pm (ET) kickoff.

In all, ESPN has announced that four ACC games will be televised in 3-D as the 6th Annual Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Game, which will be held this year at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium on Dec. 4 (7:45 pm, ET), is also scheduled to be televised by ESPN in 3-D.

Wow, UNC coach Roy Williams is already raving about incoming recruit Harrison Barnes from Ames, Iowa. Williams will get his first look at Barnes in August when the Tar Heels play in the Bahamas.

“Tyler is the most driven player I’ve ever coached,” Williams told Fox Sports. “I think Harrison will be No. 2. He has tremendous focus, self-discipline and is so driven.”

Oh, and Barnes knows how to use Skype, too.