Stewart Mandel of SI.com has an article on the improved competitiveness of Duke, Vandy, Stanford, and Northwestern in football. A good read on the challenges of running a successful football program while maintaining academic standards.
Revenge of the Nerds: How the 'smart schools' got good at football
Duke coach David Cutcliffe spent 25 seasons in the SEC. He knew he'd arrived in a different world upon boarding the bus for the Blue Devils' first road game in 2008. "I'd never seen a kid on a road trip carrying books," Cutcliffe said. "Guys were carrying laptops, working on papers. That was brand new to me."...
With Cutcliffe, 58, Duke got a veteran SEC head coach (Ole Miss) and offensive coordinator (Tennessee) with instant credibility for coaching both Peyton and Eli Manning. He seems no risk to flee, especially after turning down the Vols in 2010.
"Joe Paterno once told me, 'David, find a job that really fits your personality,'" Cutcliffe said. "I don't know what my personality is, but I like the job I've got and I feel we're doing things that are important."
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/col...r_a1&eref=sihp