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View Full Version : Hey Duke Football team, wanna see the future?



RelativeWays
10-26-2009, 09:56 PM
Look to the past, like just last year!. Our last 6 games for the 2009 season bears an uncanny resemblance to our last six last year. Don't believe me, take a look


1. 2008: The weekend before Halloween, Duke wins an ugly offensive game on a late turnover.
2009: This year, same thing, though Duke was the better team in the matchup and UMD is no 2008 Vanderbilt.

2. 2008: Heading off a big win against an SEC opponent, Duke heads to WF, a team they match up well against and a team is not as strong as it has been in the past. Early turnovers and a shanked FG resulted in heartbreak and lost momentum (I also hate WF more than UNC in football because of it)
2009: Heading to Scott stadium against a dangerous UVA team but Duke also matches up well against. I've said it before. If Duke wants a bowl bid, they have to beat UVA, those are the terms, plain and simple. Fortunately UVA is not as good as that Wake team

3. 2008 Duke feels the pressure of the dying dream hosting an NC State team that seemed to finally wake up and play to the talent level the team posessed. State gets a solid 27-17 win over the Blue Devils
2009: UNC has a lot of parallels to last years State team, though the talent here is on the defensive end. If UNC can get its o line healthy and figure out a consistant offensive scheme, they too can wake up and salvage this season. Duke will needs to play b@lls out intense to leave C_apel _ell with the win. This win is not impossible though, its entirely within Duke's capability to win, as was the State game last year. Devils just have to execute. The next games though.....

4. 2008 Duke heads to death valley and gets the crap kicked out of them by Clemson, who is just too athletic for Duke to handle (and emotional since Bowden resigned the week before). Worse, Thad hurts his ankle and we lose him for a game. This is Duke's worst loss of the season.
2009 Duke heads to Miami, a team that when they are clicking is SCARY good. I know Thad has it out for his hometown team, but it would take a supernatural effort for Duke to win this. I really dread this game.

5. 2008 Without Lewis, Duke heads to Blacksburg in a game that many though would be ugly for Duke, was just plain ugly. Duke hangs in the Asack Bowl for most of the game 7-3 before a late pick sealed the deal. While not a blowout, the miserable offensive performs caused some Duke fans to die a little inside. The bowl dream dies too.

2009: GT comes to Durham and could be overlooking Duke, or they may need to beat Duke to win the Coastal. Even though option teams can be nightmarish, Duke has experience here so I like their chances of pulling the upset if they have one in them this year. Beating GT will be a huge test and will depend on how fresh the team is, and how the offense performs (3 and outs = 4th quarter doom). Its an outside shot, but a shot nonetheless

6. 2008: Rivalry Time! UNC has faded a bit and now sits at 7-4 heading to Durham. Duke wants to put an exclamation on a season thats seen a ton of improvement and to get than cursed bell back. A back and forth battle ensues before UNC holds Duke off 28-20.

2009: Duke's last game is against the evil Wake Forest demon deacons in a game where a lot of things could hang in the balance, not to mention, many players who have suffered 3 close losses to this team. Duke appears to be the better team at the moment, but you can't count WF out. A win here either gets Duke a bowl, or a 6-6 or 5-7 finish, and the great feeling of winning the last game of the year.

So there it is. The map has already been laid out and Duke has already taken the path just 12 months ago. While the teams are different (except for the holes and weak) the similarities in scenario is striking. I'm hoping this Duke team can change some of the results from last year, any improvement would be huge!

CameronBornAndBred
10-26-2009, 10:26 PM
That's an awesome post and comparison. Underlying is that nothing is guaranteed, you have to earn. I like that this year's team is more mature, we've seen this scenario before, as you so well pointed out. Now is their chance to prove they are getting better.

RelativeWays
10-27-2009, 03:31 PM
So we're the underdogs against UVA and I suppose WFU was favored against us last year by a similar margin.