Duke vs. ranked teams

[Olympic Fan]

Just saw something interesting.

Fred Goldsmith's first Duke team beat No. 13 Virginia in 1994. Between that win and lost season's victory over No. 16 Virginia Tech, the Devils lost 47 straight games to ranked opponents over a 19-year period.

But Cut has now beaten three ranked teams in Duke's last 13 games -- No. 16 VPI and No. 24 Miami last season and No. 22 Georgia Tech last week.

We've lost to two ranked opponents in that span -- No. 1 FSU in Charlotte and No. 20 Texas A&M in Atlanta.

Looking at our schedule, I doubt we play another ranked team until we see FSU again in the ACC title game.

[Bluegrassdevil1]

Just saw something interesting.

Fred Goldsmith's first Duke team beat No. 13 Virginia in 1994. Between that win and lost season's victory over No. 16 Virginia Tech, the Devils lost 47 straight games to ranked opponents over a 19-year period.

47 straight losses is virtually unimaginable, and it is likely difficult to compartmentalize collectively 47 of any one thing or occurrence, which makes Cut's reign as coach the most enjoyable aspect of Duke athletics of my lifetime.

Duke football does not have the baggage of men's basketball, the "almost had it" nature of women's basketball, or the success but not nationally recognized personas of lacrosse or soccer. Watching Duke football is a blast, and the purest, most thrilling Duke "event" I can imagine.

When the football team wins, it is wonderful, because it is not like the decades of struggle before, and the team's games are always a blast to get "lost in". Even when the team loses, it always feels like the effort and determination is there, and the team's defeats never feel hollow or lacking, the team simply loses with a sense of "learn and improve" permeating throughout.

When I go to Duke basketball games, everyone looks anxious and tense, because the weight of the world is on the program, but football games illicit smiles and genuine glee from Duke fans. Everyone at the football games seems like a little kid on Christmas morning.

Last year's Texas A&M and FSU games had crushing endings, but the Duke fans leaving the stadium(s) seemed like big game hunters that just missed clipping the lion, but were too thrilled to be on the safari, marveling at the atmosphere, to get overly caught up in the defeat(s).

Cut may never reach the stratospheres of other Duke coaches, but for my money, his time as coach is the most fun I have ever had as a Duke fan.

[uh_no]

Looking at our schedule, I doubt we play another ranked team until we see FSU again in the ACC title game.

well, wake and UNC have been regular members of the bottom 10...so not ENTIRELY true

[OldPhiKap]

Cut may never reach the stratospheres of other Duke coaches, but for my money, his time as coach is the most fun I have ever had as a Duke fan.

As someone who was at Duke when K first started making noise, I gotta say that Cut's program is very similar to me. Even Spurrier (who was also there when I was) seemed like a flash in the pan; Cut is BUILDING a program. Duke football represents.

[Bluegrassdevil1]

As someone who was at Duke when K first started making noise, I gotta say that Cut's program is very similar to me. Even Spurrier (who was also there when I was) seemed like a flash in the pan; Cut is BUILDING a program. Duke football represents.

My main contention about Cut's "ceiling" is obviously his age, and the fact that Foster created a stronger path for Coach K than the man close to my heart did for Cutcliffe.

[CameronBornAndBred]

As someone who was at Duke when K first started making noise, I gotta say that Cut's program is very similar to me. Even Spurrier (who was also there when I was) seemed like a flash in the pan; Cut is BUILDING a program. Duke football represents.

I've said before and I'll say it again!!
The day that Cutcliffe turned down Tennessee is as important to Duke sports as the day that Tom Butters spurned the masses to not fire Coach K. (Not that Butters actually had one day that he did that, same principle, though.)

[dpslaw]

I've said before and I'll say it again!!
The day that Cutcliffe turned down Tennessee is as important to Duke sports as the day that Tom Butters spurned the masses to not fire Coach K. (Not that Butters actually had one day that he did that, same principle, though.)

Well, there was the day Butters gave Coach K an extension.

[Mike Corey]

I've said before and I'll say it again!!
The day that Cutcliffe turned down Tennessee is as important to Duke sports as the day that Tom Butters spurned the masses to not fire Coach K. (Not that Butters actually had one day that he did that, same principle, though.)

When Duke set out to hire its next head coach, it was seeking a program builder. And it had some talented young players--Thad Lewis chief among them--to pitch.

And Duke received interest from some exceedingly accomplished coaches. But it was very clear that those coaches were not interested in building a program for the next 25 years at Duke. They were interested in riding out Thad Lewis and moving on to the next challenge. So they brought in a coach with tremendous accomplishments, and with a plan for Duke that lasted well beyond Thad Lewis.

Coach Cut was adamant from the start: He was coming to build Duke into a force in football. And that's precisely what he's doing.

I echo the unadulterated glee from above. It is just incredibly fun watching the Blue Devils play football right now.

[OldPhiKap]

I've said before and I'll say it again!!
The day that Cutcliffe turned down Tennessee is as important to Duke sports as the day that Tom Butters spurned the masses to not fire Coach K. (Not that Butters actually had one day that he did that, same principle, though.)

When Duke set out to hire its next head coach, it was seeking a program builder. And it had some talented young players--Thad Lewis chief among them--to pitch.

And Duke received interest from some exceedingly accomplished coaches. But it was very clear that those coaches were not interested in building a program for the next 25 years at Duke. They were interested in riding out Thad Lewis and moving on to the next challenge. So they brought in a coach with tremendous accomplishments, and with a plan for Duke that lasted well beyond Thad Lewis.

Coach Cut was adamant from the start: He was coming to build Duke into a force in football. And that's precisely what he's doing.

I echo the unadulterated glee from above. It is just incredibly fun watching the Blue Devils play football right now.

I am truly thankful that GTech "stole" Paul Johnson and we got Cut. Hard to think of a better fit, and a better representative than David.