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wolfpackdevil
07-09-2008, 11:00 PM
I am a huge Duke Football fan living in Durham. I've gone to basically every home game, and a lot of away games for the past 6 or 7 years. It has been tough staying with it, especially after the OT loss to UNC this past season.

So this year we renewed the season tickets and have already got tailgating plans for the first game, August 30th at 7pm vs. James Madison

With a new coach in David Cutcliffe who is one of the most experienced coaches duke has had since Steve Spurrier

Also, and All-American QB in Thaddieus Lewis, WR Eron Riley, LB Mike Tauilili and DT Vince Oghobaase, all capable of great years

And many winable games with home games vs. JMU, Northwestern, Navy, NCSU, UNC and Virginia, and away games with Vandy and WFU........




What should are expectations be for this year??



Because I am expecting 4-5 wins

whats your take?

Bob Green
07-10-2008, 12:00 AM
Last summer I was extremely optimistic and predicting 4-5 wins. Football season arrived and with it reality and disappointment. This summer I am once again extremely optimistic and predicting 4-5 wins. Hopefully, reality is nice to us.

Edouble
07-10-2008, 12:54 AM
I would say expectations should be 3 wins... 4-5 wins is gravy.

Uncle Drew
07-10-2008, 02:12 AM
Nobody and I mean NOBODY wants to be a bigger optimist than me when it comes to Duke football. I was raised going to every bloody game home and away until I graduated highschool. It's very hard for so called experts to guage the difference Cut will make over the long haul, much the less in his first season. I must say there have been Duke coaches take over and have instant success, but I think that was due to the fact they were playing the previous coaches seniors. The following is Dukes schedule. I have no idea how to predict or what to predict. But instead of saying 3-5 wins 1 win or undefeated (leave me alone I'm allowed to dream!) which games do you people think duke SHOULD win, which games do you think they will have a decent chance in and which games are they most likely to lose.

Duke -- 2008 Football Schedule

August
30 -- JAMES MADISON -- DURHAM, N.C.
September
6 -- NORTHWESTERN -- DURHAM, N.C.
13 -- NAVY -- DURHAM, N.C.
20 -- OPEN DATE
27 -- VIRGINIA -- DURHAM, N.C.
October
4 -- at Georgia Tech -- Atlanta, Ga.
11 -- OPEN DATE
18 -- MIAMI -- DURHAM, N.C.
25 -- at Vanderbilt -- Nashville, Tenn. November
1 -- at Wake Forest -- Winston-Salem, N.C.
8 -- N.C. STATE -- DURHAM, N.C.
15 -- at Clemson -- Clemson, S.C.
22 -- at Virginia Tech -- Blacksburg, Va.
29 -- NORTH CAROLINA -- DURHAM, N.C.

This is one preseason poll from one of the magazines, looks like a down year in the ACC but I have seen Wake ranked in the 20-25 range.

1. Georgia
2. Missouri
3. Florida
4. Oklahoma
5. Texas
6. Kansas
7. Southern California
8. Virginia Tech
9. Arizona St.
10. Alabama
11. Texas Tech
12. Ohio State
13. Clemson
14. West Virginia
15. Wisconsin
16. Penn State
17. California
18. Auburn
19. Brigham Young
20. LSU
21. Illinois
22. Tennessee
23. Pittsburgh
24. Oregon
25. Cincinnati

PumpkinFunk
07-10-2008, 08:48 AM
But instead of saying 3-5 wins 1 win or undefeated (leave me alone I'm allowed to dream!) which games do you people think duke SHOULD win, which games do you think they will have a decent chance in and which games are they most likely to lose.

I'm saying 6 or 7 wins on an extremely optimistic guess. I see 4 should-wins, 4 with a decent chance, and 4 will-lose games against way better teams. We should be able to win 2 or 3 of the should-wins, and people are saying we may have a shot at Vandy even though it's their homecoming - Cut does have a nice feel for them from his time at UT. So, should be a way up season. If we are bowl-eligible, Cut is a contender for coach of the year. Honestly, we win 3 of the should-wins, beat Carolina at home, and get another ACC win, that's a good season for us.

Should win:
James Madison - They're a tough I-AA game, but they are still a I-AA, and we're the favorites.
Northwestern - See last year. We'll finish better than them this year.
Navy - Without Johnson, this'll be a rough game with a new coach for them. We should've won last year.
UVA - A way down year for them, and a home game for us.

Decent chance:
Georgia Tech - If Cut does what he needs to, we have a shot here.
Miami - Miami's way down since their championships. Last year, we played pretty well against them until a 4th quarter interception. Better coach for us, they have a bit more experience, but are still... not gonna be so great.
Carolina - We've always got a shot here.
State - They're an odd team that always gets a weird win here and there, but they're predicted 6th in their division.

Loss:
Vandy - they're just better. SEC > ACC
Clemson
Wake
VTech

EarlJam
07-10-2008, 09:33 AM
Two wins.

Son of Mojo
07-10-2008, 10:24 AM
Looking at the schedule, I'd say there are about 9 games that are win-able, but given our track record I'd predict to win about 3 or 4 with hopes of winning between 5 and 7. We've had a lot of games in recent years that should have been wins (games we were showing with play to be the better team but lost) and I'm hoping against hope that Cut will be a difference maker.

Bluedog
07-10-2008, 11:34 AM
Last summer I was extremely optimistic and predicting 4-5 wins. Football season arrived and with it reality and disappointment. This summer I am once again extremely optimistic and predicting 4-5 wins. Hopefully, reality is nice to us.

You were even more optimistic than predicting 4-5 wins. You predicted a 6-6 record ;) http://www.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/showpost.php?p=39872&postcount=3 Yes, I am being stalker-ish....

I think most people predicted 3-5 wins last season and we got nowhere near that. I don't think Northwestern is a "should" win. It's a decent chance - Northwestern did qualify for a bowl last season. I'm predicting 3 wins this season. But could easily see (and am hoping for) up to 5.

DukeDude
07-10-2008, 11:34 AM
I'll say 4 wins, and I consider that optimistic. If Duke wins 7 (bowling!), we need to start working on a statue of Cutcliffe.

Classof06
07-10-2008, 01:00 PM
I would say expectations should be 3 wins... 4-5 wins is gravy.

Co-sign. If they get 5 wins, I'll be ecstatic.

Bluedawg
07-10-2008, 01:18 PM
...which games do you people think duke SHOULD win, which games do you think they will have a decent chance in and which games are they most likely to lose.

Wins next year:
Northwestern
Navy
James Madison
North Carolina
@ Wake Forest
North Carolina State

Long shots:
@ Clemson
@ Virginia Tech
Virginia

Too Close to call:
@Georgia Tech
Miami
@Vanderbilt

Bluedawg
07-10-2008, 01:35 PM
Interesting write-up on Duke position battles (http://myespn.go.com/blogs/acc)

Any thoughts? I noticed with interest he didn't list Quarterback.

he ranks Duke 6th in the division


6. Duke -- Well, here we are again. Still at the bottom, but things are looking up. David Cutcliffe is the right man for the job, the administration is behind him and he's got an experienced quarterback

wolfpackdevil
07-10-2008, 01:40 PM
Nobody and I mean NOBODY wants to be a bigger optimist than me when it comes to Duke football. I was raised going to every bloody game home and away until I graduated highschool. It's very hard for so called experts to guage the difference Cut will make over the long haul, much the less in his first season. I must say there have been Duke coaches take over and have instant success, but I think that was due to the fact they were playing the previous coaches seniors. The following is Dukes schedule. I have no idea how to predict or what to predict. But instead of saying 3-5 wins 1 win or undefeated (leave me alone I'm allowed to dream!) which games do you people think duke SHOULD win, which games do you think they will have a decent chance in and which games are they most likely to lose.

Duke -- 2008 Football Schedule

August
30 -- JAMES MADISON -- DURHAM, N.C.
September
6 -- NORTHWESTERN -- DURHAM, N.C.
13 -- NAVY -- DURHAM, N.C.
20 -- OPEN DATE
27 -- VIRGINIA -- DURHAM, N.C.
October
4 -- at Georgia Tech -- Atlanta, Ga.
11 -- OPEN DATE
18 -- MIAMI -- DURHAM, N.C.
25 -- at Vanderbilt -- Nashville, Tenn. November
1 -- at Wake Forest -- Winston-Salem, N.C.
8 -- N.C. STATE -- DURHAM, N.C.
15 -- at Clemson -- Clemson, S.C.
22 -- at Virginia Tech -- Blacksburg, Va.
29 -- NORTH CAROLINA -- DURHAM, N.C.

This is one preseason poll from one of the magazines, looks like a down year in the ACC but I have seen Wake ranked in the 20-25 range.

1. Georgia
2. Missouri
3. Florida
4. Oklahoma
5. Texas
6. Kansas
7. Southern California
8. Virginia Tech
9. Arizona St.
10. Alabama
11. Texas Tech
12. Ohio State
13. Clemson
14. West Virginia
15. Wisconsin
16. Penn State
17. California
18. Auburn
19. Brigham Young
20. LSU
21. Illinois
22. Tennessee
23. Pittsburgh
24. Oregon
25. Cincinnati


Everyone is saying the @WF is an automatic loss, but in the past Duke has played very well at Wake.

2 years ago Wake Forest went to the Orange Bowl, and we only loss to them on a blocked 30 yard field goal as time expired.
So I think that game is very winnable

Bluedawg
07-10-2008, 02:01 PM
Everyone is saying the @WF is an automatic loss, but in the past Duke has played very well at Wake.

2 years ago Wake Forest went to the Orange Bowl, and we only loss to them on a blocked 30 yard field goal as time expired.
So I think that game is very winnable

Not everybody:


Wins next year:
Northwestern
Navy
James Madison
North Carolina
@ Wake Forest
North Carolina State

Long shots:
@ Clemson
@ Virginia Tech
Virginia

Too Close to call:
@Georgia Tech
Miami
@Vanderbilt

Classof06
07-10-2008, 02:02 PM
This is one preseason poll from one of the magazines, looks like a down year in the ACC but I have seen Wake ranked in the 20-25 range.

1. Georgia
2. Missouri
3. Florida
4. Oklahoma
5. Texas
6. Kansas
7. Southern California
8. Virginia Tech
9. Arizona St.
10. Alabama
11. Texas Tech
12. Ohio State
13. Clemson
14. West Virginia
15. Wisconsin
16. Penn State
17. California
18. Auburn
19. Brigham Young
20. LSU
21. Illinois
22. Tennessee
23. Pittsburgh
24. Oregon
25. Cincinnati

Whichever magazine made this top 25 should be shut down. This preseason poll is waaaaay off.

rockymtn devil
07-10-2008, 02:05 PM
This is one preseason poll from one of the magazines, looks like a down year in the ACC but I have seen Wake ranked in the 20-25 range.

1. Georgia
2. Missouri
3. Florida
4. Oklahoma
5. Texas
6. Kansas
7. Southern California
8. Virginia Tech
9. Arizona St.
10. Alabama
11. Texas Tech
12. Ohio State
13. Clemson
14. West Virginia
15. Wisconsin
16. Penn State
17. California
18. Auburn
19. Brigham Young
20. LSU
21. Illinois
22. Tennessee
23. Pittsburgh
24. Oregon
25. Cincinnati

Not to hijack this thread, but what magazine is this from? Tuscaloosa Monthly? Alabama at #10? This is the same Crimson Tide team that barely beat Colorado in its bowl game and lost, at home, to Louisiana-Monroe. I'll say that last part again: they lost at home to Louisiana-Monroe.

VT at #8? Although they may be the best team in the ACC (Wake has something to say about that) the Hokies are in rebuilding mode. Ohio State at #12? Buckeyes return 18 of 22 starters, and 39 of their top 44 from a year ago.

To answer the question about Duke, reasonably expectations are improvement. Now, not just improvement in quality of play (the standard under Ted Roof) but improvement in wins. It's reasonable to expect Duke to win the games it should (JMU, NW) and to win a couple more that should be competitive (UVA, Navy, GT). IMO, 3-4 wins is a very good season for the Devils and is a reasonable expectation.

rockymtn devil
07-10-2008, 02:08 PM
Whichever magazine made this top 25 should be shut down. This preseason poll is waaaaay off.

You beat me to the punch.

Bob Green
07-10-2008, 04:23 PM
You were even more optimistic than predicting 4-5 wins. You predicted a 6-6 record ;) http://www.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/showpost.php?p=39872&postcount=3 Yes, I am being stalker-ish....



I was trying to forget about that particular prediction. :)

TwoDukeTattoos
07-10-2008, 08:46 PM
After averaging around .5 wins for the past several years, anything above 1 would appear to be gravy. But seriously, given that we competed quite well in a lot of games during the past two seasons, and now with the obvious coaching improvements, I think that 4 is reasonable. With a little luck in a down conference, maybe 5-6.

Newton_14
07-10-2008, 09:06 PM
I think 5 wins is an attainable goal. With a good coach in Cut, an experienced QB and WR's, and a decent defense, I believe 5 is realistic. One key area will be the kicking game. Please pray that Cut can find and develop a solid FG Kicker quickly... that has haunted us the last several years...

Call me crazy but I am one of those who believe any school, including Duke can have a successful football program. If Wake can do it, there is no reason Duke can't...

I am looking forward to football this year and hope to attend as many games as possible... I hope more people will join me there.. the kids deserve the support...

devildeac
07-13-2008, 04:47 PM
OZZIE, where are you?

devilirium
07-13-2008, 11:01 PM
I'd say 5-6 wins. Duke has to make hay with this schedule. Compared to any of the last 5 seasons, this schedule would be the easiest (No FSU, Maryland, or BC).

formerdukeathlete
07-14-2008, 08:29 AM
Last summer I was extremely optimistic and predicting 4-5 wins. Football season arrived and with it reality and disappointment. This summer I am once again extremely optimistic and predicting 4-5 wins. Hopefully, reality is nice to us.

Yes, Bob, I recall you being quite optimistic about Duke's chances right before the start of the 2007 season, and we all were a bit surprised about the lack of success, getting blown out by UConn, etc.

This year I think we win 4, though these will be tough wins.

From his freshman year, Thad Lewis had a tendency to try to force plays, "do it all myself" as he commented after one of the losses his freshman year, "I have to rely on my teammates more" he said in the same post game presser. Last season he put up some nice numbers throwing long to Eron often - Eron was his go to guy, but this often took a good amount of time in the backfield, and defensive lineman and backs keyed on the pass rush and plugged the line on running plays. This was not a Steve Spurrier offense to put it mildly, where drop back qbs get rid of the ball quickly.

It seems that Cut wants to throw a lot, more often, but on shorter routes, mixing it up among types of receivers, including backs. The surprise this season may be how the qb position competition plays out and with respect to who ends up playing more and even winning the outright starting position. There is a lot of hype about Lewis, that he is a shoe in.

Wake, State, UNC, UVA have more talent. Northwestern and Vandy arguably do not. I see us hopefully beating Vandy, Nortwestern, Navy and JMU. Anything above this is coaching genius.

hurleyfor3
07-14-2008, 11:11 AM
Give Steve Spurrier a reason to keep voting for us.

budwom
07-14-2008, 02:43 PM
OZZIE, where are you?

Someone mentioned seven wins and both Ozzie and I passed out.

I think the official Womble Over Under is four. Five or six and Cutcliffe is national coach of the year. Expecting seven requires the inhalation of glue.

Indeed, there are seven or eight games in which we should be competitive, but winning five or six would be quite an achievement.

Bluedog
07-14-2008, 02:48 PM
Someone mentioned seven wins and both Ozzie and I passed out.

I think the official Womble Over Under is four. Five or six and Cutcliffe is national coach of the year. Expecting seven requires the inhalation of glue.

Indeed, there are seven or eight games in which we should be competitive, but winning five or six would be quite an achievement.

Indeed. Let's remember that over the last three years, we've won two games TOTAL. I'm all for being optimistic (which I put at a more paltry 3 games, which is a 200% increase in winning over the last four years), but expecting this team to win 5-6 is setting yourself up for disappointment for sure. We've got to give Cutcliffe some time...

Kfanarmy
07-15-2008, 05:13 PM
I hope the team is walking around saying
We CAN win 12.
We will win 10.
We will accept nothing less than 7.

I hope the fans are telling the team
You CAN win 12.
We will win 10.
We will accept nothing less than your best.
We will GIVE you our best.

starting out having fans believing you can win twenty five percent of your games is probably not too terribly uplifting, no matter where you start. :eek:

Olympic Fan
07-17-2008, 10:39 AM
In response to the article linked on today's front page, I think we need to make sure we seperate our hopes for the Cutcliffe regime and our hopes for a breakthrough season in 2008.

Anybody with half a brain would understand that the first game for a coach at such a downtrodden program as Duke is not going to make or break his program. Cutcliffe can lose to James Madison (a very good 1-AA team) and still accomplish what we're all hoping he'll accomplsih.

However ...

There are factors which give some of us hope that 2008 can be a breakout year. The schedule is as favorable as it's ever been, the team is loaded with experience and the addition of a new coach should provide a boost (time out: it's been my experience that when a WINNING program changes coaches, that's a time of danger ... LOSING programs usually get a short-term boost from a coaching change -- as Duke did when Roof replaced Franks).

In that context, the James Madison game IS pivotal. If Duke can win that one, Cutcliffle has a chance to get off to a fast start and really accomplish something in his first season. I'm not crazy enough to suggest six or seven wins, but four or five are a reasonable goal.

That kind of immediate success would make his long-term efforts a lot easier. It would generate enthusiasm for the program (which he very badly needs) and would help convince recruits that Duke football is not a black hole and it is worth taking a shot on a rising program.

I'm not saying it can't be done without immediate success, only that it would make the job a lot easier ... and maybe faster.

And immediate success does hinge on the James Madison game. Win it and we can start arguing about getting four or five or six!! wins in 2008. Lose it and we're back hoping for two or three wins (which would be a step up).

budwom
07-17-2008, 10:53 AM
Indeed, we are very much in the running for some very, very good recruits, recruits who are openly saying they'd like to come to Duke but they want to see some positive indications on the field this fall before they commit.

As such, the favorable September schedule which features four games in which we should be competitive, is extremely important.

rockymtn devil
07-17-2008, 11:18 AM
In response to the article linked on today's front page, I think we need to make sure we seperate our hopes for the Cutcliffe regime and our hopes for a breakthrough season in 2008.

Anybody with half a brain would understand that the first game for a coach at such a downtrodden program as Duke is not going to make or break his program. Cutcliffe can lose to James Madison (a very good 1-AA team) and still accomplish what we're all hoping he'll accomplsih.

However ...

There are factors which give some of us hope that 2008 can be a breakout year. The schedule is as favorable as it's ever been, the team is loaded with experience and the addition of a new coach should provide a boost (time out: it's been my experience that when a WINNING program changes coaches, that's a time of danger ... LOSING programs usually get a short-term boost from a coaching change -- as Duke did when Roof replaced Franks).

In that context, the James Madison game IS pivotal. If Duke can win that one, Cutcliffle has a chance to get off to a fast start and really accomplish something in his first season. I'm not crazy enough to suggest six or seven wins, but four or five are a reasonable goal.

That kind of immediate success would make his long-term efforts a lot easier. It would generate enthusiasm for the program (which he very badly needs) and would help convince recruits that Duke football is not a black hole and it is worth taking a shot on a rising program.

I'm not saying it can't be done without immediate success, only that it would make the job a lot easier ... and maybe faster.

And immediate success does hinge on the James Madison game. Win it and we can start arguing about getting four or five or six!! wins in 2008. Lose it and we're back hoping for two or three wins (which would be a step up).

I agree with this. I didn't register for the HS so I couldnt read the article linked on the front page, but I see the James Madison game as very important (perhaps just below the level of "must win"). Part of Coach Cutcliffe's challenge is to change the culture of Duke football. In the last 10-15 years that culture has evolved to where Duke loses the games it should lose, loses the games it could lose, and loses the games it shouldn't lose.

A loss to James Madison will reaffirm (unfairly, no doubt) the idea that Duke loses games it should win. It will also completely deflate any excitement surrounding the new program (it isn't a perfect analogy, but look at how it took Michigan half a season to get over its loss to App. State). It's not fair, and Coach Cutcliffe should not be judged on one game or one season, but it's a reality. Duke football culture needs to be changed and that starts by beating a 1-AA team that they should beat.

Dr. Rosenrosen
07-17-2008, 04:31 PM
Wins next year:
Northwestern
Navy
James Madison
North Carolina
@ Wake Forest
North Carolina State

Long shots:
@ Clemson
@ Virginia Tech
Virginia

Too Close to call:
@Georgia Tech
Miami
@Vanderbilt

I'd love one day to see us beat Miami. As my father is a Miami alum, he assumes each year that he will get to make the same phone call to congratulate me on a "good game." But alas, Miami had the top recruiting class in the country in 2008. Here's to hoping...