DURHAM, N.C. – Duke head football coach David Cutcliffe announced Tuesday the naming of Jeremy Cash and Matt Skura as team captains for the 2015 season. The two redshirt seniors were elected by their teammates.
Elected as a team captain for the second straight season, Cash recorded 111 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 quarterback sacks, two interceptions, seven pass breakups, five quarterback pressures, four caused fumbles and one fumble recovery as Duke went 9-4 with an appearance in the Hyundai Sun Bowl in 2014. He finished last season as the only defensive back in the nation to record 100-plus tackles, 10.0-plus tackles for loss and 5.0-plus sacks.
Cash, a 6-2, 210-pound native of Miami, Fla., also became Duke's first All-American in consecutive campaigns since Clarkston Hines in 1988-89. Cash was a 2014 Walter Camp Foundation, Football Writers Association of America and Phil Steele second team selection and a 2013 USA Today second team honoree.
Skura, a 6-4, 305-pound Columbus, Ohio, product, earned third team All-ACC honors in 2014. He has been placed on the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association, Athlon, ESPN, Lindy's Sports, Phil Steele Magazine and Sporting News preseason All-ACC first teams for 2015. Skura also appears on the preseason watch lists for the Lombardi Award, Outland Trophy and Rimington Trophy. He has started 27 consecutive games and played 2,030 career snaps.
Last year, Skura was part of Duke's offensive front that led the nation in fewest tackles for loss allowed (41.0) and fewest TFL allowed per game (3.15). He anchored a Duke offensive line that topped the ACC in fewest sacks allowed per passing attempt (36.23) as the Blue Devil offensive unit became the first in school history to average 180-plus rushing yards and 210-plus passing yards per game.
Duke opens the 2015 campaign at Tulane on Thursday. To order Duke season tickets, call (919) 681-BLUE or visit www.GoDuke.com/footballtix.