Spring Football 2010

[watzone]

http://bluedevilnation.net/2010/02/cutcliffe-duke-football-to-start-spring-practice-early/ I just got finished chatting with Coach Cutcliffe about position changes and spring football goals. Here what he has to say in the link above. Man, are they starting early this season.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Thanks for this update, watzone. It's exciting that spring practice begins Sunday. March has become even more exiting with the Spring Scrimmage set for March 27!

[Bob Green]

Wow! Discussing Duke football in February. The times they are a changing...

Thanks Watzone! I enjoyed listening to Coach Cutcliffe.

[jv001]

Thanks Mark for the Duke Football link. Good to see Duke Football on the rise. Go Coach Cut and Go Duke....Beat the twerps!!!!!!!

[-bdbd]

Thanks Mark. I too am really tickled to be talking football at Duke during the month of February. Look out ACC, Duke is coming up!!

Looking forward to the Spring Practice reports....


:D

[CameronBornAndBred]

I wish they hadn't done this so early. I do plan to be watching Duke basketball that day, and even if they play at night, I might be back to the beach in time to catch tip off. Also, expecially this winter, it would not suprise me if it is still cold and snowing then.

(Granted, we might not be playing that day...but it is a possibility)

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

I wish they hadn't done this so early. I do plan to be watching Duke basketball that day, and even if they play at night, I might be back to the beach in time to catch tip off. Also, expecially this winter, it would not suprise me if it is still cold and snowing then.

(Granted, we might not be playing that day...but it is a possibility)

Coach Cutcliffe makes a good case for starting spring practice earlier. This step is part of being serious about improving in football.... and as he said, make it to a bowl game and spring practice won't be so early.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Coach Cutcliffe makes a good case for starting spring practice earlier. This step is part of being serious about improving in football.... and as he said, make it to a bowl game and spring practice won't be so early.
I understand his reasoning..I just don't think the date was a good choice given the potential conflict.

[watzone]

He did hint that the dates are not etched in stone, which I take it means, if the men's team is playing, we'll make a switch.

[watzone]

http://bluedevilnation.net/2010/02/duke-football-spring-practice-report-linebacker-abraham-kromah/

I figured a thread was needed for spring football updates -

[watzone]

http://bluedevilnation.net/2010/02/duke-football-spring-practice-report-brian-moore-talks-the-ol/

Duke OL Brian Moore says Duke wants to run the ball better next season.

[OldPhiKap]

Good for Cut. If you are going to build a championship program, you cannot take a back seat. While I recognize that the hoops team is what it is (and obviously understand its hold on the student body and fans), no one will take you seriously until you act seriously.

"Duke Football. Not taking $#!% from anyone, anymore."

[gvtucker]

Good for Cut. If you are going to build a championship program, you cannot take a back seat. While I recognize that the hoops team is what it is (and obviously understand its hold on the student body and fans), no one will take you seriously until you act seriously.

"Duke Football. Not taking $#!% from anyone, anymore."

Reminds me of the Big Ten preseason luncheon the year that Northwestern broke through and went to the Rose Bowl (I think it was '96).

Gary Barnett gets up to do his speech for his team, and he tells everyone that the motto for Northwestern football that year was going to be "Expect Victory". He expected to win every game, and wanted his players to have that same expectation. One of the people in audience asked, "Does that include your game against Notre Dame?" Several people laughed a bit.

Gary turned red; unlike most everyone else, he didn't even crack a smile at this comment. I am paraphrasing, but just a bit. "Screw you. Screw all you guys. You're damn straight we expect to beat Notre Dame, and that's because we're a better team than Notre Dame." At our table, we just looked at each other and said, "This guy's nuts." Note that this was back when Notre Dame still had one of the top programs.

They did beat Notre Dame that year. And they won many more games. But to win a lot of games, you have to first change the attitude. I think that this is exactly what Cutcliffe is doing at Duke. It doesn't ensure a big winning season, but winning a lot of games is impossible without that attitude.

[OldPhiKap]

Reminds me of the Big Ten preseason luncheon the year that Northwestern broke through and went to the Rose Bowl (I think it was '96).

Gary Barnett gets up to do his speech for his team, and he tells everyone that the motto for Northwestern football that year was going to be "Expect Victory". He expected to win every game, and wanted his players to have that same expectation. One of the people in audience asked, "Does that include your game against Notre Dame?" Several people laughed a bit.

Gary turned red; unlike most everyone else, he didn't even crack a smile at this comment. I am paraphrasing, but just a bit. "Screw you. Screw all you guys. You're damn straight we expect to beat Notre Dame, and that's because we're a better team than Notre Dame." At our table, we just looked at each other and said, "This guy's nuts." Note that this was back when Notre Dame still had one of the top programs.

They did beat Notre Dame that year. And they won many more games. But to win a lot of games, you have to first change the attitude. I think that this is exactly what Cutcliffe is doing at Duke. It doesn't ensure a big winning season, but winning a lot of games is impossible without that attitude.

Excellent post. Spot on.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Reminds me of the Big Ten preseason luncheon the year that Northwestern broke through and went to the Rose Bowl (I think it was '96).

Gary Barnett gets up to do his speech for his team, and he tells everyone that the motto for Northwestern football that year was going to be "Expect Victory". He expected to win every game, and wanted his players to have that same expectation. One of the people in audience asked, "Does that include your game against Notre Dame?" Several people laughed a bit.

Gary turned red; unlike most everyone else, he didn't even crack a smile at this comment. I am paraphrasing, but just a bit. "Screw you. Screw all you guys. You're damn straight we expect to beat Notre Dame, and that's because we're a better team than Notre Dame." At our table, we just looked at each other and said, "This guy's nuts." Note that this was back when Notre Dame still had one of the top programs.

They did beat Notre Dame that year. And they won many more games. But to win a lot of games, you have to first change the attitude. I think that this is exactly what Cutcliffe is doing at Duke. It doesn't ensure a big winning season, but winning a lot of games is impossible without that attitude.

This discussion about attitude and expectations reminds me of another matter related to football: the schedule. I've seen some fans almost blanch in response to Alabama on the 2010 schedule. Others talk about the futility of such a game and wonder why it's on the Duke schedule.

If you really want a better football program, you start by hiring the best coach you find and and then recruit the best players you can find. But it's playing with the big boys that will raise the quality of play.

[davekay1971]

Don't know if it's possible to get a transcript of the interview, but David Cutcliffe appeared on the Mac Attack on AM 610 here in Charlotte this morning. It was well worth listening to the painful show to get to the interview (Chris McClain, the host, is a huge Tarhole and spent most of the time leading up to Cutcliffe's appearance trying to make a big deal about "Conchgate"...forgetting, I guess, that his coach threw a Presbyterian fan out of the Dean Dome and then let the SID lie like a rug to cover for him).

Coach Cut has a great sense of humor, and talked very openly and passionately about loyalty and doing the right thing, both regarding his decision to turn down Tennessee to stay at Duke and the incident involving the 3 football players who he removed from the team.

You don't have to listen to him for long to realize that this is a man for whom you'd want your son playing football.

[Highlander]

I heard it as well. Cutcliffe was asked why he spurned Tennessee to stay at Duke. After giving Tennessee props for being a great program, Cutcliffe said something to the effect of..
I was right in the middle of recruiting. We had 18 kids who had signed. We had three more who had just enrolled at Duke. I spoke to my mother who is 88 and not in good health, and she said 'A lot of times people will say things that they want to make sound true, but the one thing that never rings hollow is the truth.'

He went on to say that he's not a fan at all of what happened with Kiffin's decision, and reiterated that he's not at Duke to just build a winning team, but to build a winning program.

He spoke as well about the dismissals of three players from the Duke team, and said essentially that they weren't honest with him in telling him what they had done and tried to cover it up. That was one of the main reasons that they were dismissed. He runs a tight ship discipline-wise, and felt like he couldn't maintain that if they were allowed to remain after failing to be honest with him.

Overall very good interview. The show itself isn't the same since Gary Williams (the announcer) left.

[watzone]

Here is a preview of the teams on the 2010 football schedule - http://bluedevilnation.net/2010/02/duke-blue-devils-2010-football-schedulepart-1/

[roywhite]

Freshman Josh Snead (an early enrollee) is turning heads already, with an excellent performance in an early scrimmage.

http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=27943&SPID=2182&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=204896069

[DukeUsul]

Heather Dinich's blog article on Duke is the headline story on ESPN's College Football page tonight:
http://espn.go.com/blog/acc/post/_/id/9668/dukes-next-step-remains-a-question

[OldPhiKap]

Go Duke, Go Cut!!!

[SharkD]

Anyone know the start time for the Spring Game?

[DukeSince'77]

I have seen 1pm as the start time....

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Anyone know the start time for the Spring Game?

As DukeSince'77 said the start time is 1P and it's FREE! Come on out!

[94duke]

The Blue Devils will practice on Monday and Wednesday next week before hosting the annual Spring Game on Saturday, March 27 at 1 p.m. in Wallace Wade Stadium.

3rd to last paragraph:
http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=108638&SPID=1843&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=204912394

[watzone]

If I weren't in Houston, I'd go to the spring football game on Saturday. Here is a pretty solid preview and recap from the spring written by Patrick Cacchio.

http://bluedevilnation.net/2010/03/bdn-spring-football-game-preview/

[-bdbd]

Good write-up on Spring practice. Thanks Watz.

Anyone else been around the team and have some impressions of how we're looking and what to expect for next season?


:confused:

[jimsumner]

From Duke press release

"Duke head football coach David Cutcliffe announced on Friday the rosters for the upcoming Spring Game slated for Saturday at 1 p.m. at Wallace Wade Stadium.

The White squad features six returning offensive starters from a season ago in tackle Kyle Hill, tight end Brett Huffman, wide receiver Austin Kelly, guard Brian Moore, center Bryan Morgan and wide receiver Conner Vernon. Hill, Moore and Morgan each started all 12 games for the Blue Devils on the line last year as Duke ranked third in the ACC in sacks allowed per pass attempt. Huffman (18 receptions, 167 yards, 3 TDs in 2009), Kelly (54 receptions, 625 yards, 4 TDs in 2009) and Vernon (55 receptions, 746 yards, 3 TDs in 2009) were part of a passing attack that led the conference in yards per game. Receiver Donovan Varner, an All-ACC choice after catching 65 passes for 1,047 yards and eight touchdowns last fall, is a member of the White team but will not play in the game due to injury.

Sean Schroeder, who redshirted as a freshman last fall, will quarterback the White unit. Defensively, linebacker Damian Thornton, who registered 60 tackles in 2009, spearheads the White team which will be coached by assistants Ron Middleton, Kurt Roper, Jim Knowles, Jim Collins and Matt Lubick.

Under the direction of Blue Devil aides Marion Hobby, Matt Luke, Derek Jones and Zac Roper, the Blue team is led by five returning defensive starters in safety Matt Daniels, end Patrick Egboh, nose guard Charlie Hatcher, linebacker Abraham Kromah and cornerback Chris Rwabukamba. Daniels finished third on the 2009 squad with 83 total tackles while Kromah finished with 40 stops despite missing five games due to injury. Along the line, Egboh (34 tackles in 2009) and Hatcher (39 tackles in 2009) will be joined by seasoned end Wesley Oglesby (68 career tackles). Rwabukamba carded 46 tackles and seven pass breakups last year.

On offense, the Blue squad will be led by freshman quarterback Brandon Connette along with returning running backs Patrick Kurunwune (149 yards in 2009) and Desmond Scott (team-high 262 yards in 2009) and tight end Danny Parker (6 receptions, 42 yards, 2 TDs in 2009).

Spring Game festivities begin on Saturday with the Blue Devil Team Walk starting at the Duke Chapel at 11 a.m. The Coca-Cola Kids Zone will be open on the stadium concourse beginning at 11:30 a.m., while concessions stands featuring $1 hot dogs, Chick-fil-A and Domino’s Pizza will be open. In addition, Duke Stores will have a tent set up on the concourse selling officially licensed Blue Devil merchandise.

Admission to the game is free of charge.

The game will be broadcast live on GoDuke.com with veteran announcer Dave Nathan providing the call of the action."

[Acymetric]

Really interesting to see that Josh Snead is on the White team...wish I could be there because it sounds like he's been tearing it up...someone who goes be sure and give us a good report when you get back!

[SharkD]

White (1st Offense, 2nd Defense) 3 - Blue (2nd Offense, 1st Defense) 24

True freshman Brandon Connette led the Blue squad to a thorough thrashing of the White squad, led by rising red-shirt sophomore Sean Schroeder. Connette was the difference-maker, as he looked confident and agile, running the ball for grains nearly as often as he threw both short- and medium- yardage passes to a variety of receivers, including Desmond Scott; Patrick Kurunwune had an outstanding series that culminated in an 8-yard carry for a touchdown. The only truly blown play, for blue, was a trick play that had Brett Huffman taking the snap, throwing to Connette; Huffman slipped as he dropped back, nearly going down for a loss, before throwing the ball away.

Schroeder, by comparison, looked uneasy, throwing mostly from the pocket and unable to get into a rhythm with his receivers until the end of the third quarter. After an 80-yard pass to 2010 recruit Josh Snead, to set up 1st and goal on the 10 yard line, Schroeder was unable to capitalize on position, with a bad handoff on second down and a incomplete pass that rocketed through Conner Vernon's hands in the endzone. Schroeder racked up at least one intentional grounding penalty, as a number of his short yardage passes fell shorter than intended.

Josh Snead looked quite athletic and very promising, despite the white squad's woes. Squadmate Jay Hollingsworth, by comparison, had a much rougher day, with only a few short carries and a number of incomplete passes for short yardage.

Place kickers Nick Maggio and Paul Asack both looked strong, with consistent kicks, including one field goal each. The only missed field goal was a 53-yard attempt, but I can't recall if it was Maggio (white) or Asack (blue).

Punter Kevin Jones (white) was able to nearly-consistently place the ball downfield, with one single exception. Of concern, however, is the high number of unintentional delay-of-game penalties, many of which called-back otherwise impressive kicks by Jones. Alex King (blue) looked solid, though lacked the consistently long yardage by Jones.

The offensive line looked better, but with the Blue squad dominating time of possession, it is hard to gauge just how improved.

Defensively, Matt Daniels, Charlie Hatcher, Abraham Kromah and Chris Rwabukamba all made consistent, impressive plays, as did Damian Thornton on White.

Crowd was decent, probably 3,000-5,000.