Redshirt Junior cornerback Mark Gilbert likely wouldn't be with the Duke Football team during Fall Camp had he not gotten injured last year. He'd probably be competing in an NFL training camp. But after suffering a freak dislocated hip injury, Gilbert has been working his way back in to game shape. He missed Spring Camp, and after undergoing a second surgery to do "clean up", according to Duke head coach David Cutcliffe, the former All-American cornerback is in danger of missing Fall Camp as well. He was not on the practice field when Duke opened camp on Friday.

In July at ACC Kickoff, Cutcliffe was optimistic that Gilbert would be back on the field sometime this year.

"He has been so dedicated to this, as you might imagine," Cutcliffe said. "He had an injury to the hip that -- this is difficult for athletes, the focus is to get well before you start worrying about getting back. Rehab and therapy is a part of getting well, but it's like having to take a thoroughbred, we're having to rope that guy right now saying, Let's make sure we don't want a setback. But his spirit, he told me yesterday, his exact words, I went up and hugged his neck, he said, Coach, I'm so blessed. That was the exact words out of his mouth. It made me smile. He looks good physically. He's strong. We're just waiting on the go from our medical people. Praying that happens sooner than later here."

However, Cutcliffe seemed a little more demure at Gilbert's recovery on Friday, the first day of Fall Camp, after revealing the occurrence of the second surgery.

"We don't know long-term outcomes to this point," Cutcliffe said about Gilbert and running back Marvin Hubbard's follow up surgeries. "Some circumstances in both of their cases, you knew there were things that were likely going to have to be addressed due to the significance of the injuries. These were not as major of surgeries as an Achilles or an ACL, that Marvin's had. The first surgery for the hip (in Gilbert's case) was extensive. This is more of a clean up circumstance, but they're not out here. That's the bottom line."

In Gilbert's place last year, Duke got creative, moving Michael Carter over from Strike Safety and slotting in a rotating cast of Josh Blackwell, Brandon Feamster, Antone Williams and Myles Hudzick. This year, Carter is back at safety and Leonard Johnson has taken over at cornerback opposite Blackwell in the starting lineup. With a litany of future NFL wide receivers dotting the starting lineup for Duke's Week One opponent this year in Alabama, the Blue Devils' coaching staff has decided that Johnson's athleticism and physicality is one of the best options for slowing down Jerry Jeudy, Devonta Taylor, Henry Ruggs and crew. It will be a tall task for even the most talented secondaries in the SEC, but the Duke defensive backs feel they're up for the challenge.

Even with their All-American "island" corner Mark Gilbert likely sitting this one out.