Valparaiso University quarterback Chris Duncan went home over the weekend.
At least it was as close to home as the 6-foot-4 redshirt junior can be while playing college football.
The native of Woodland Hills, California — just outside of Los Angeles — was under center for the Crusaders on the road at San Diego on Saturday, close enough to have a cheering section of friends, family and former coaches in the crowd.
“It’s always nice to get back to California,” Duncan said.
The result wasn’t as nice as the California weather, however, as VU lost 42-17 to San Diego, the preseason favorite in the Pioneer Football League coaches poll. VU fell to 0-7.
“We were slow getting started,” Duncan said of the loss. “We have to come out firing more in the first half. It was nice to see us compete with that high-level team in the second half.”
VU’s offense sputtered in the first two quarters, totaling 55 yards in the first half as the Toreros built a 28-3 halftime lead. But the Crusaders put together back-to-back 75-yard scoring drives in the third quarter that each ended with a touchdown run by Duncan.
He finished with 182 passing yards, but those two TD runs are part of the continuing trend of Duncan using his legs to generate offense — something that Duncan said didn’t happen often in high school.
Coach Landon Fox said they’re navigating the thin line between following the play design and not sacrificing Duncan’s improvisation skills.
“The thing you appreciate with Chris is that he tries to do it like it’s drawn up all the time,” Fox said. “But, at the same time, he has the freedom to know that we’re confident in him. If he makes the decision to pull the ball down and make a play, we’re OK with that.”
Duncan will need to improve upon the two interceptions he threw against San Diego, among the four turnovers VU committed. Those offensive mistakes combined with some blown coverage assignments spelled the Crusaders’ demise against San Diego, according to Fox.
“A lot of it was self-inflicted,” Fox said. “We turned the ball over on offense and busted a few coverages against one of the best receivers in the league. You’re not going to win when you’re making mistakes like that.”
Reese’s piece: Sophomore Ollie Reese continues to emerge as a playmaker for VU on offense and special teams. The 6-2 wide receiver led the team with 78 yards on six receptions, adding to his team-leading season totals. That comes one week after Reese sparked his teammates with a 95-yard TD return on a kickoff against Dayton.
“We’ve known that Ollie is a playmaker for us,” Fox said. “And we knew he could be more of a factor than he was in the first four or five games. We’ve been trying to find ways to get him the ball because he can make plays when his number is called.”
Looking ahead: After facing the top three teams in the PFL preseason coaches poll, VU has a lighter schedule for the remainder of the season. Up next is Stetson (5-1, 2-1 PFL), which boasts skill position standouts on offense and an aggressive defense, according to Fox.
“Our ability to tackle in space is going to dictate a lot of our success on defense,” Fox said. “Offensively, they play man coverage and bring extra guys, so we’ll have to handle that pressure and get open in man coverage.”
Dave Melton is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.