Head To Head Matchup: Wide Receiver

It is pretty safe to say that the Blue Devils in 2007 are Air Duke. Most of their scores have come through the air. The Blue Devils have four times more TDs through the air than on the ground. Duke wide receiver Eron Riley is the leading receiver for the Blue Devils. The 6'3" junior receiver from Savannah,Georgia has 28 receptions for 581 yards and 7 TDs. His longest TD of the year was for 76 yards. In the last game against Virginia Tech, Riley only had 3 catches for 37 yards and 0 TDs.

Earlier in the season Riley won the ACC Player of the Week honors following an outstanding performance in the Blue Devils' 46-43 loss at Navy in September. Against the Midshipmen, Riley caught six passes for a career-high 235 yards and four touchdowns. The four touchdown receptions covering 76, 35, nine and 69 yards matched Duke's single-game school record set by Corey Thomas against Georgia Tech in 1997.

He is a big-play threat receiver and his career yards per reception of 20.8 is tops among active wide receivers in the ACC with a minimum 40 career catches. He also holds the Duke record for wide receivers with a 319-pound power clean lift. In 2006, Riley started all 12 games, caught 32 passes for 643 yards and three touchdowns . He led Duke in receiving yards and paced the ACC in yards per catch at 20.1. Last season, he also caught a career-high six passes for 110 yards and one touchdown versus Florida State. Duke has a total of 16 TDs through the air and utilizes its tight end in pass plays. Duke tight end Brandon King has 3 TDs for the year. The other Duke wide receiver to watch is 6'1" senior Jomar Wright who has 349 yards and 3 TDs.

With the announcement that Greg Carr has a wrist sprain, will he be ok or will someone else have to step up for the Duke game? Preston Parker had a good game against Miami while Greg Carr was almost invisible. Parker is a six foot sophomore that brings game breaking speed and agility to the offense. The Delray Beach native is quickly making a name for himself as a standout punt returner as well as a receiver. "Preston Parker is kind of doing like he did last spring," FSU coach Bobby Bowden has said. He's beginning to show that he is one of our most dangerous and productive players." Wide receiver De'Cody Fagg can't be forgotten but he has underperformed up to this point in the season. He does have 2 TDs but only had two catches for 43 yards against Miami.

Carr still is probably the go to guy. It will be interesting to see how the dynamics change with Weatherford now being the starting QB. Carr leads all receivers with 549 yards and 3 TDs. He is averaging almost 20 yards a catch. Preston Parker is second with 427 yards and 1 TD. In the Miami game, Parker led all receivers with 5 catches and 83 yards. Carr had 3 catches for 41 yards and 0 Tds. It will be interesting to see if Parker will continue to impress.Nole tight end Charlie Graham has 1 TD scored in the UAB game. The Noles have 9 TDs through the air for the year. In the Miami game, there were no TDs scored through the air.