Duke had a distinct division of labor at quarterback last season. Starter Anthony Boone was the dual-threat guy, passing for 2,700 yards and rushing for 375 more.

When Duke needed a change-of-pace short-yardage option, they went with backup Thomas Sirk. He was very good at his job, rushing for 238 yards and eight touchdowns, including the game-winner in overtime at Pittsburgh. He also threw a game-winning touchdown pass against Virginia.

But Sirk didn't throw the ball much, just 14 attempts; he completed 10. Boone, by contrast, attempted 453 passes.

It's easy to see that discrepancy as a reflection of Sirk's passing abilities.

Boone graduated and Sirk won the job as his replacement in spring practice. If Sirk cannot pass effectively, then Duke's resurgence can come to a screeching halt.

Head coach David Cutcliffe says not to worry. “He's not just a running back. What you saw last year was a young man who played a role he was asked to play a year ago. He could have played a different role.”

Sirk agrees. “People didn't get a chance to see me throw the ball a lot. But I go out and do that every day at practice. At practice, last season, I was running the exact same plays as Boone. I was just put into those packages, the short-yardage, goal-line. I have confidence in my ability to make any throw on the field.”

Sirk isn't one of those guys who started attending quarterback camps in elementary school. He played mainly wide receiver and safety at Baker County High School in Glen St. Mary, Fla., until his senior year, when he made the switch to quarterback, passing for 2,303 yards and rushing for 1,018 more.

At 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, Sirk looks like a quarterback from central casting. But he also ran a 4.5 40, was a superb student and perfectly matched Cutcliffe's desire for big quarterbacks who can run and pass.

Sirk sat out his first season but was in the mix to replace Sean Renfree the following season before tearing an Achilles tendon.  “Prior to him rupturing his Achilles, he was our number two quarterback,” Cutcliffe says. “He had earned that spot. He had solidified himself as number two and was competing with Anthony.”

Sirk sat out the 2013 Coastal Division championship season and backed up Boone last season. He beat out rising redshirt sophomore Parker Boehme and rising redshirt freshman Nico Pierre in the spring.

Sirk demonstrated that he could make all the throws necessary to lead a David Cutcliffe team. “Thomas Sirk is talented,” Cutcliffe says. “Period. Extremely talented. He's big, he has a big arm, he's got great aim, better range than we've had, the fastest quarterback we've had.”

Senior Max McCaffrey, Duke's most experienced wide receiver, shares Cutcliffe's confidence.

“Sirk's an incredible quarterback,” McCaffrey says. “He's ready to come out and make a huge difference this year for us… He's more of a running quarterback. He's a little taller than Boone. He's 6-4, 6-5, a big quarterback. So, he's going to be able to see over the line a little easier than Anthony was. He can definitely scramble out and make plays on the run. He has a great arm, he can throw it really far. He's worked a lot with our receivers in the last two years, just getting that accuracy down, how fast these guys are, when they come out of their routes.”

Redshirt freshman Chris Taylor adds that Sirk “can make a play out of nothing. He has this ability to extend the play.”

It isn't just spring ball that gives Duke confidence in Sirk. He guided player-led practices this summer and spent nights and weekends working with his receivers, his running backs and center Mat Skura — working on timing, on tendencies, mastering the play book, reviewing film.

If this reads like someone with a strong work ethic, it's supposed to. Here's how Sirk describes his summer vacation.

“Getting to know my guys better, getting to know my players on offense, spending more time with them in the film room, more time after practice on the field, trying to get the timing perfect with the running backs, building a relationship with the offensive line.”

Sirk says he always been a hard worker. “That's how I grew up, hard work. I feel like working hard puts you into position to be where I'm at today. I've put in a lot of hard work to become the starting quarterback.”

Skura has noticed Sirk's work ethic. “He's very athletic, a dual-threat quarterback. He has running ability, really great passing ability. I haven't really seen any weaknesses yet. He's kind of eliminated those in the offseason, attacked those, made himself better. He's definitely become a master of the offense, knowing how to control it, that sort of thing. He's come a long way.”

Sirk embraces the leadership role usually assumed by a starting quarterback. “Leaders eat last,” he notes. “I'm not going to ask anyone to do anything I'm not doing. I need to be the first to arrive and the last to leave. I try to get film work every day. I'm comfortable with the play book. I feel like I've been here long enough now. There are always things to continue learn as a quarterback. You've got to be consistent on the field and carry out what you study onto the field.”

Will lack of experience be an issue? Sirk says he doesn't fear the moment and he does have those two fourth-quarter game-winning plays to back that up. Playing on the road? “You come in and get in the zone and block out the noise and the crowd and focus on executing the offense at a high level.”

It's been said that quarterbacks get too much credit when things are going well and too much blame when they aren't. There's some truth to that. Lots of great quarterbacks have been unable to lift mediocre teams.

By the same token, not many great teams have been led by mediocre quarterbacks, certainly not in today's pass-happy college football universe.

David Cutcliffe doesn't think Duke needs to worry about mediocrity at quarterback.

“Thomas Sirk is going into his fourth year in our program. He's played well in practice. He has a great ability to make practice like a game. It's serious. So, he's prepared. Everything we've done since he walked in as a freshman is about preparing him for this moment. It's always going to be about talent…But it's also about preparation and he's ready for this moment. I like where we are.”