Transfers and dismissals, certainly dismissals, have reflected negatively on Roof. Many are much closer than I to the circumstances of these too often occurring matters. Lose a player, yeah, that frees up a scholarship, but maybe you lose a game without that starter. Lose a game, and maybe you lose a recruit, lose that recruit, your recruiting class is weakened, your talent level is lessened, you lose some more.
I have to think that players who are seeing or who will likely see lots of playing time and who are thinking about transferring can be talked into staying. If they are dissatisfied by Duke from an academic or social perspective (too stringent alcohol policy), and yet they are cutting the mustard in the classroom, maybe Duke administrators need to do more to support the team or support reasonable student life at Duke. Delle Donne transferred after being pulled over on the way back to campus. He was under the legal limit. But he had some beers at an off campus party - BFD.
I am concerned about Roof blowing up players (dismissals, transfers) and coaches. I am also concerned about the Duke admin.'s ongoing assault on student life at Duke. The Rolling Stone article was positive in its own way. However, with the incoming 2008 class, I understand Duke placed less weight on extra-curriculars in high school, such as playing sports (impliedly, such students are bigger sports fans in college), and admitted more students solely on the basis of SAT scores. Tone down Duke too much, enroll more and more students who never played sports and who may or may not know that Duke has a Football or Basketball team, and you lose more recruits, you lengthen the cycle of losing.
Re this season, virtually all of the teams, except Navy, has equal or better talent levels than Duke. UNC has more talent. Wake has at least equal talent. Connecticut has at least equal talent. It will take luck and coaching success. If we lose all this season, then I think we have to bring in another coach. I'd say Roof is a nice enough guy. Let him stay on as defensive coordinator at the same salary for a year while he looks for another job. Bring Paul Johnson in from Navy. On the other hand, perhaps Zach Asack surprises; VO stays healthy; and some of the 05 incoming class turn it on and we win 5 games.
Then, as long as the Trustees intervene to endeavor to stop the complete geekification of Duke and Duke stays a somewhat fun place to attend school, we begin to build a football program. Fixing or replacing Wade is part, parcel of this, in order for success to be sustainable.