Duke-UNC football

[Olympic Fan]

I wanted to get this thread going early, because there is an issue that may come up today that will impact the game Saturday.

The ACC will rule today on whether UNC linebacker Kevin Reddick was fighting in yesterday's loss to State or not ... he was ejected, along with State's Jarvis Williams, after N.C. State's miraculous fourth-down touchdown play.

You can check out the video here:

http://www.wralsportsfan.com/ncsu/video/8661470/#/vid8661470

It shows that Reddick twice knees Owen Spencer in the head ... Jarvis comes over to confront him and Reddick first shoves him away, then (at the 25 second mark of the video) very clearly throws a punch at Williams.

That punch calls for a one-game suspension ... it will be interesting to see if the ACC takes the actions outlined in the rules or do what they frequently do -- cover up for the Heels (they've already overlooked a Paige-Moss punch earlier this season).

[Kimist]

Pretty much looks like (perhaps) an extra knee in the back, followed by a shove, followed by a left punch.

Of course, some folks see things differently...........

k

[Bob Green]

I watched the video clip earlier this morning and to me there is no question the Carolina player threw a punch. He will most likely be suspended for the Duke game.

[4decadedukie]

If UNC's coaching next Saturday is credited for creating a victory, the Tarheel establishment will -- evidently, based on their perception of accountability and leadership in their multiple ethics debacles -- declare Davis a genius; however, if UNC should lose due to coaching incompetence, obviously it will be the fault of anyone but "Teflon Butch."

[Cell-R]

I wanted to get this thread going early, because there is an issue that may come up today that will impact the game Saturday.

The ACC will rule today on whether UNC linebacker Kevin Reddick was fighting in yesterday's loss to State or not ... he was ejected, along with State's Jarvis Williams, after N.C. State's miraculous fourth-down touchdown play.

You can check out the video here:

http://www.wralsportsfan.com/ncsu/video/8661470/#/vid8661470

It shows that Reddick twice knees Owen Spencer in the head ... Jarvis comes over to confront him and Reddick first shoves him away, then (at the 25 second mark of the video) very clearly throws a punch at Williams.

That punch calls for a one-game suspension ... it will be interesting to see if the ACC takes the actions outlined in the rules or do what they frequently do -- cover up for the Heels (they've already overlooked a Paige-Moss punch earlier this season).

That's disappointing. I went to high school with Kevin - he was our star. Led us to a State championship against Independence. I've played basketball with him on a few occasions in gym class and he seems like a pretty nice guy. Wish he didn't let his emotions get in the way of his game, but I guess it might make next weeks game against UNC a little easier...

[Duvall]

I watched the video clip earlier this morning and to me there is no question the Carolina player threw a punch. He will most likely be suspended for the Duke game.

Pretty optimistic. As Olympic Fan noted, Donte Paige-Moss' punch against Miami was almost as blatant.

[Bob Green]

Pretty optimistic. As Olympic Fan noted, Donte Paige-Moss' punch against Miami was almost as blatant.

You and OF have a valid point as one never knows when dealing with the ACC and UNC.

[Kimist]

I'm certain the pale blue folks will have their own perspective as to what is "appropriate."

BTW: Should we remind them of the Henderson/HansTravel sequence of events? :rolleyes:

[Devilsfan]

Butch's players continue to disgrace their school. He sure recruited some fine young men.

[Devilsfan]

"Dump on the Hump". That's a little harsh. We'll maybe not after Butch gets through recruiting those thug-a-lugs and disavowing any relationship with their handlers (agents) just like he's playing a part in a Mission Impossible episode. Maybe his program will self destruct in 5 seasons if he's allowed too return.

[Newton_14]

I was watching it live when it happened and agree it was blatant. The knee to the back of the head was clearly intentional which should factor into the decision as well.

It will be interesting to see if the ACC does the right thing here or once again caves in to the pressure of UNC.

Our guys can win this game, but the O-Line is going to have to man up and keep our QB's safe. Dealing with Paige-Moss will be an issue. He dominated State's line much of yesterday.

[DU82]

Rumor has it Carrie Underwood will be there performing her hit, "Before He Cheats" as the Smurfs leave Durham with their horns between their legs, leaving the Victory Bell behind, where it belongs.

[Reilly]

oh, man, they *have* to play that song in the stadium Saturday and tie it to Butch some way ... would be perfect ...

[OZZIE4DUKE]

It's unseasonably warm in Charlotte, and the sky is cloudless but definitely NOT Carolina blue. The local University of Notorious Cheaters fanbase is unusually quiet and somber ever since the Big Bad Wolf came to Chapa Heeya and devoured the naked sheep. Right now the poor fools are thinking this unseasonable heat is blowing all the way from Raleigh, but we know it's coming from a source much, much closer to the Dump on the Hump...
On the contrary, the sky is carolina blue so the rest of us don't have to step in it! And I'm thinking of having ram chops for dinner this week. Every night!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!

[OZZIE4DUKE]

It's unseasonably warm in Charlotte, and the sky is cloudless but definitely NOT Carolina blue. The local University of Notorious Cheaters fanbase is unusually quiet and somber ever since the Big Bad Wolf came to Chapa Heeya and devoured the naked sheep. Right now the poor fools are thinking this unseasonable heat is blowing all the way from Raleigh, but we know it's coming from a source much, much closer to the Dump on the Hump...
On the contrary, the sky is carolina blue so the rest of us don't have to step in it! And I'm thinking of having ram chops for dinner this week. Every night!

http://www.crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/devil9f.gifhttp://www.crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/devil9f.gifhttp://www.crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/devil9f.gifhttp://www.crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/devil9f.gif
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!

[chrishoke]

Can't say it enough.


Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!

[dpslaw]

Field hockey too!

[Devilsfan]

Maybe that team could learn from the Zoubs effect.

[Olympic Fan]

Just announced -- Kevin Reddick will not face any additional penalties from the ACC.

For the second time this season, the ACC has refused to penalize a UNC player for throwing a punch (just check the video that starts this thread).

I guess the ACC has brought in the OJ jury to rule on UNC infractions.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Just announced -- Kevin Reddick will not face any additional penalties from the ACC.

Swafford loves his boys in baby blue.

[Bob Green]

Just announced -- Kevin Reddick will not face any additional penalties from the ACC.

Unbelievable! He was obviously guilty of fighting. Lady Justice is not blind in the ACC.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Unbelievable! He was obviously guilty of fighting. Lady Justice is not blind in the ACC.
No she's got on pale blue shades. The only Justice was Choo Choo.

[devildeac]

Just announced -- Kevin Reddick will not face any additional penalties from the ACC.

For the second time this season, the ACC has refused to penalize a UNC player for throwing a punch (just check the video that starts this thread).

I guess the ACC has brought in the OJ jury to rule on UNC infractions.

Truly unfathomable. I thought the "rule" was indiputable based on Henderson's punch, err, blocked shot several years ago. You throw a punch/engage in fighting and you have an automatic 1 game suspension not subject to appeal.(shakes head in utter disgust)

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Truly unfathomable. I thought the "rule" was indiputable based on Henderson's punch, err, blocked shot several years ago. You throw a punch/engage in fighting and you have an automatic 1 game suspension not subject to appeal.(shakes head in utter disgust)

They have different rules, don't they? (They = Carolina) :confused:

[PDDuke85]

I'm glad Reddick is playing. One less thing for the Tar Whiners to complain about when they're sent packing sans bell Saturday.

[jipops]

Something else for the wall...

[devildeac]

Something else for the wall...

Send that to swofford and the acc office. I guess no suspension because he didn't bloody anyone's nose:rolleyes:.

[Acymetric]

Rumor has it Carrie Underwood will be there performing her hit, "Before He Cheats" as the Smurfs leave Durham with their horns between their legs, leaving the Victory Bell behind, where it belongs.

How awesome would it be if the band arranged that and played it, or if someone played it over the loudspeakers? Ah, a boy can dream....

[pbc2]

This rivalry has really deteriorated lately, as there is very little respect left on both sides. For UNC, they've beaten us 19 out of 20 times. For Duke, UNC is certainly not a program that we want to model ourselves after, given their problems on (punches, etc) and off (NCAA investigation) the field.

UNC's offense is much improved, and I think they will put up points on us, especially in the second half, which means the pressure will be on the Duke offense to keep up. We will have to be aggressive on offense and execute in the red zone. The one thing I think that is in Duke's favor is that this game might mean a little bit more to Duke than UNC.

As for "Before He Cheats" etc, I dream of the day where we could have that kind of creativity and atmosphere in Wallace Wade. It certainly isn't going to happen with most of the students out of town for Thanksgiving.

[Acymetric]

So who's going to this game? I was originally 1 of 3, but with my dad and sister out I'm down to just myself, so if anyone is looking for tickets I've got 3 GA tickets (already had 1 extra) that I'm willing to give away for free to a Duke fan.

I just really hope we end the season on the right note, it has been far too long since we beat unc, and we absolutely need to have some positivity going into the offseason...if we lose I think TDD might implode ;)

[CameronBornAndBred]

So who's going to this game? I was originally 1 of 3, but with my dad and sister out I'm down to just myself, so if anyone is looking for tickets I've got 3 GA tickets (already had 1 extra) that I'm willing to give away for free to a Duke fan.

I just really hope we end the season on the right note, it has been far too long since we beat unc, and we absolutely need to have some positivity going into the offseason...if we lose I think TDD might implode ;)
My dad and stepmom need 2 tix. Come join us on Devil's Alley for the last great tailgate of the season, gonna be an awesome menu. Steak (sliced for sandwiches), ribs, oysters, chili, chicken wings, tons of other stuff.
So looking forward to this game. There is going to be an insane amount of baby blue there, once again thanks to the 'Bama fans. If you can, come out and show your true colors. GO TO HELL CAROLINA!!!

[CameronBornAndBred]

Woooohoooo! Good news on the injury report!

Duke injury report vs UNC
TE Brett Huffman (lower body) – PROBABLE
OG Brandon Harper (lower body) – QUESTIONABLE
TE Brandon King (hand) – QUESTIONABLE
LB Kelby Brown (lower body) – OUT FOR SEASON (Surgery pending)
S Quan Stevenson (lower body) – OUT FOR SEASON (Surgery)

To see Huffman as probable is really good news, especially since this is his last game in a Duke jersey. I would love to see Brandon King be able to be in the game as well. On the whole, that's a great looking report for the end of the year, even though Brown will be sorely missed.

[davekay1971]

It's getting closer! Just over 28 hours until our boys start to bring down the law on Butch and the Boys in Baby Blue! Holden Thorpe won't do it - he's a willing co-conspirator. John Swofford won't do it. The NCAA may do it...sometime next year. For now, it's up to Dave Cutcliffe and the might Blue Devils to follow State's example and lay some justice smackdown on those Dirty Holes.

[Bob Green]

Rob Daniels, over at the ACC Sports Journal, is predicting a 25-23 Duke victory:

http://www.accsports.com/articles/201011259178/weekend-preview-nov-26.php

[Acymetric]

My dad and stepmom need 2 tix. Come join us on Devil's Alley for the last great tailgate of the season, gonna be an awesome menu. Steak (sliced for sandwiches), ribs, oysters, chili, chicken wings, tons of other stuff.
So looking forward to this game. There is going to be an insane amount of baby blue there, once again thanks to the 'Bama fans. If you can, come out and show your true colors. GO TO HELL CAROLINA!!!

Sounds great, I'll be there (with the tickets)!


Woooohoooo! Good news on the injury report!

Duke injury report vs UNC
TE Brett Huffman (lower body) – PROBABLE
OG Brandon Harper (lower body) – QUESTIONABLE
TE Brandon King (hand) – QUESTIONABLE
LB Kelby Brown (lower body) – OUT FOR SEASON (Surgery pending)
S Quan Stevenson (lower body) – OUT FOR SEASON (Surgery)

To see Huffman as probable is really good news, especially since this is his last game in a Duke jersey. I would love to see Brandon King be able to be in the game as well. On the whole, that's a great looking report for the end of the year, even though Brown will be sorely missed.

Man I really hope Huffman and King can get in for some snaps...I've hated watching both guys have their seasons derailed by injuries, both were good players for us the past several years (although I do feel we really underutilized King as a lead blocker...a discussion for another time I suppose, and a moot point now).


Rob Daniels, over at the ACC Sports Journal, is predicting a 25-23 Duke victory:

http://www.accsports.com/articles/201011259178/weekend-preview-nov-26.php

What a crazy score...guess he's expecting some missed extra points, 2 point conversions, or safeties in this game. Of course, none of that would surprise me, so why not?

[watzone]

Here is Patrick Cacchio's Duke-Carolina game preview - http://bluedevilnation.net/2010/11/bdn-previews-north-carolina-at-duke-and-picks-the-blue-devils-in-an-upset/

[johnb]

What a crazy score...guess he's expecting some missed extra points, 2 point conversions, or safeties in this game. Of course, none of that would surprise me, so why not?

His scores for all acc games:
30, 23, 18, 7, 17, 6, 27, 21, 31, 28, 22, 17, 13, 7, 24, 3.

7 of those scores seem unlikely without a weird mishmash of safeties and missed extra points.

[Olympic Fan]

A couple of Duke players are within reach of some significant milestones in the UNC game:

-- Perhaps the most significant is Connor Vernon's assault of Wes Chesson's 40-year-old record for total receptions in a single season. Wes had 74 catches in 1970 ... Connor has had 68 going into the UNC game. He needs seven catches to break the record (a total he's matched or bettered five times this season).

PS I realize that Chesson recorded his 74 catches in a 10-game season, while Connor has 12 games to beat him Still, the record is for total catches ...

-- Vernon also needs 82 receiving yards to reach 1,000 on the season (a total he's bettered six times this year). He would be the sixth receiver in Duke history to reach that milestone (Donovan Varner did it a year ago).

-- Vernon is also battling to be the ACC's leading receiver in both catches per game and receiving yards per game. He currently leads in receptions per game (his 6.18 per game is a full catch per game ahead of No. 2 Leonard Hankerson of Miami at 5.18). Connor's 83.5 yards per game is No. 2 in the ACC, behind Hankerson's 87.1 yards per game.

-- Sean Renfree needs 111 yards passing (a total he's topped in every game this year) to reach 3,000 for the season. He would be just the fourth QB in Duke history to reach that milestone (Bennett did it twice). With 197 yards (a total he's topped eight times this year) Renfree could finish with the third-best single season passing total in Duke history. He would need 442 yards to catch Thad Lewis for second place on the list.

-- Renfree, despite his interception problem at midseason, has now thrown 157 straight passes without an interception. That's the third-longest streak in Duke history. He needs 13 passes without an INT to pass Ben Bennett for second place ... Thad Lewis holds the record with 206 straight passes without an INT.

Just some interesting sidelights to match in addition to the outcome of the game.

[pbc2]

A couple of Duke players are within reach of some significant milestones in the UNC game:

-- Perhaps the most significant is Connor Vernon's assault of Wes Chesson's 40-year-old record for total receptions in a single season. Wes had 74 catches in 1970 ... Connor has had 68 going into the UNC game. He needs seven catches to break the record (a total he's matched or bettered five times this season).

PS I realize that Chesson recorded his 74 catches in a 10-game season, while Connor has 12 games to beat him Still, the record is for total catches ...

-- Vernon also needs 82 receiving yards to reach 1,000 on the season (a total he's bettered six times this year). He would be the sixth receiver in Duke history to reach that milestone (Donovan Varner did it a year ago).

-- Vernon is also battling to be the ACC's leading receiver in both catches per game and receiving yards per game. He currently leads in receptions per game (his 6.18 per game is a full catch per game ahead of No. 2 Leonard Hankerson of Miami at 5.18). Connor's 83.5 yards per game is No. 2 in the ACC, behind Hankerson's 87.1 yards per game.

-- Sean Renfree needs 111 yards passing (a total he's topped in every game this year) to reach 3,000 for the season. He would be just the fourth QB in Duke history to reach that milestone (Bennett did it twice). With 197 yards (a total he's topped eight times this year) Renfree could finish with the third-best single season passing total in Duke history. He would need 442 yards to catch Thad Lewis for second place on the list.

-- Renfree, despite his interception problem at midseason, has now thrown 157 straight passes without an interception. That's the third-longest streak in Duke history. He needs 13 passes without an INT to pass Ben Bennett for second place ... Thad Lewis holds the record with 206 straight passes without an INT.

Just some interesting sidelights to match in addition to the outcome of the game.

Great stuff, and exciting to think that we have two more seasons of Sean and Conner. The record I'm most looking forward to is seeing Coach Cutcliffe ring the Victory Bell for the 1st time!

[Newton_14]

My dad and stepmom need 2 tix. Come join us on Devil's Alley for the last great tailgate of the season, gonna be an awesome menu. Steak (sliced for sandwiches), ribs, oysters, chili, chicken wings, tons of other stuff.
So looking forward to this game. There is going to be an insane amount of baby blue there, once again thanks to the 'Bama fans. If you can, come out and show your true colors. GO TO HELL CAROLINA!!!

Will see you guys tomorrow, and I found 2 tickets for you, but Acy came through first so you were double covered! Looking forward to it. Our guys just have to win this game. We are long overdue in handing the heels their due.

Let's go Duke!!

[duke98]

How awesome would it be if the band arranged that and played it, or if someone played it over the loudspeakers? Ah, a boy can dream....

Apparently, at Alabama's Bryant-Denny Stadium, they played "Take the Money and Run" over the loudspeakers when the Auburn team took the field. Stroke of genius...if only they'd managed to win the game.

[Acymetric]

Apparently, at Alabama's Bryant-Denny Stadium, they played "Take the Money and Run" over the loudspeakers when the Auburn team took the field. Stroke of genius...if only they'd managed to win the game.

That's fantastic...I only caught the end of that game but what a finish! I'd take a game like that if Duke came out on top, but I'd really just like to see us win by 30 or 40 points. I'll admit I wasn't really pumped for the game most of the week, but now that kickoff is a few hours away I'm ready for some football! Go Duke, GTHC!

[davekay1971]

Our D has been working hard, doing a credible job keeping Kerlina out of the end zone. Giving up yards but not points so far. Hope they can keep it up!

Beat the cheats!

[pbc2]

3rd down defense, or lack of it, was the difference today. We just couldn't get the Tar Heels off the field.

My only significant criticism would be the lack of aggressive playcalling. I thought it was telling that on our final possession, two of our passes were short routes when we needed to move the ball 70 yards with under a minute to play. Tough way to lose for our seniors, who were really a group of blue collar guys - not many stars, but hard workers who made some plays.

Anyway, it's been a long season, but I'm excited for 2011. Our defense will be bolstered by a bevy of talented redshirts and our offense returns most of our playmakers. We have winnable games against Tulane, Richmond, FIU, UVA, WF, BC, GT, and UNC.

[arnie]

3rd down defense, or lack of it, was the difference today. We just couldn't get the Tar Heels off the field.

My only significant criticism would be the lack of aggressive playcalling. I thought it was telling that on our final possession, two of our passes were short routes when we needed to move the ball 70 yards with under a minute to play. Tough way to lose for our seniors, who were really a group of blue collar guys - not many stars, but hard workers who made some plays.

Anyway, it's been a long season, but I'm excited for 2011. Our defense will be bolstered by a bevy of talented redshirts and our offense returns most of our playmakers. We have winnable games against Tulane, Richmond, FIU, UVA, WF, BC, GT, and UNC.

I guess any game is "winnable", but putting the Heels on that list doesn't fit. I was at the game and they essentially ran all over us - we can't run the ball and can't pressure the qbs. Simply don't have the talent they have. GAT will be a lot better next year, and I doubt we have the personnel to stay with them. UVA and hopefully WF will be tossups; so I see 4 or 5 wins if we don't screw up and loose one of the "easy" games. With the current state of recruiting, that's about as good as its gonna get (which is an upgrade from the past 20 years).

[Devilsfan]

Even Butch seemed to pick on a certain freshman D back of ours. You would think Coach Cut's D coordinator would have noticed that trend by now. Seem very strange to me.

[pbc2]

GT loses a lot this year, most notably Nesbitt and Allen. They may be better, but I'm not chalking that up as an unwinnable game yet, if our offense can become more consistent.

UNC has a lot of uncertainty around their program - it's tough to predict what next year's team will look like, so I'm not saying that's not a winnable game, either.

I was not suggesting that Duke will win all 8 of those games, but to your point, a realistic scenario should be winning 4 or 5, and if a few bounces go our way and the defense is able to put up a little more resistance, then a bowl is not out of the question.

As for #6, the staff really thinks he's going to be a playmaker in the secondary, and were committed to taking their licks with him all season. It was painful to watch at times, and we can only hope he makes some drastic improvements.

Post-game thoughts from watzone: http://bluedevilnation.net/2010/11/game-recap-duke-falls-short-to-unc-24-19/ (http://bluedevilnation.net/2010/11/game-recap-duke-falls-short-to-unc-24-19/)

[verga]

i would like for someone to tell me how Duke football will be better next year? I looked at the game today and i saw men playing boys, it's hard to admit but in my eyes that's what i saw. Duke has zero pass defense and worst of all the athletes on Duke, and we have a few, are inferior to carolina or to most any team we pay. The passing game we were supposed to have, i thought would be down the field 15, 20, 30 yard chunks at a time but instead they are flare passes to backs and tight end slants. I do not expect miracles at Duke (in regards to football) but i do expect the team to win games and that they are not doing. I'm not one of these guys with the answer but i am a fan who is sick of losing. One (1) win in twenty one (21) years, if that's progress, we're using the wrong scale.

[pbc2]

The simple answer is that those "boys" will be one year closer to becoming men. There is no doubt that this was a frustrating year, and to the casual fan, it is a step back in the win column. Building a football program doesn't happen overnight when you have a long history of losing. Most winning football programs play a majority of upperclassmen. This year, Duke played a lot of underclassmen and redshirted several more, leaving them thin and inexperienced throughout the depth chart. Young players like Kelby Brown, Sean Renfree, Josh Snead, Brandon Connette, Ross Cockrell, Sydney Sarmiento, et al. should only get better as they gain experience, maturity, and strength. While we do lose several seniors, and appreciate their dedication, I wouldn't call any of them irreplaceable-type players.

We're all tired of losing, especially to UNC, but this team is getting better and fighting hard. Many of our games were decided in the 4th quarter. We have to take the next step to turn those close games into victories.

[gls6]

Yeah, I am tired of losing too, but at least we had a chance in some of the losses and they weren't all laughers. The last 3 home games were pretty exciting actually. I bought season tickets this year with high hopes, but I think I am just going to buy tickets for 5 or 10 bucks next year. I sat in the employee pass section, and it was always full of opposing fans and the sun was in my face every time. It's fun to go to the games, but the program is pretty much a joke. We are always going to get killed on recruiting and our stadium is like a high school stadium.

[Newton_14]

i would like for someone to tell me how Duke football will be better next year? I looked at the game today and i saw men playing boys, it's hard to admit but in my eyes that's what i saw. Duke has zero pass defense and worst of all the athletes on Duke, and we have a few, are inferior to carolina or to most any team we pay. The passing game we were supposed to have, i thought would be down the field 15, 20, 30 yard chunks at a time but instead they are flare passes to backs and tight end slants. I do not expect miracles at Duke (in regards to football) but i do expect the team to win games and that they are not doing. I'm not one of these guys with the answer but i am a fan who is sick of losing. One (1) win in twenty one (21) years, if that's progress, we're using the wrong scale.

I will respectfuly disagree and offer hope. We were a very young team this year, especially on the defensive side of the ball. I was at the game today and the defense I saw today was a far cry better that what it was in the 2nd game this year against Wake. They still have plenty of work to do but they did improve over the course of the year.

On offense we played a Soph QB mixed in with a true Freshman QB. Running backs, same thing.

We return a lot of players next year from both sides of the ball along with several of our wide receivers. Sean Renfree had the midseason slump but finished strong down the stretch. He had 2 picks today but 1 came on a Hail Mary pass at the end of the half, and the other one came on a 4th and 10 play near the end of the game and he was trying to hit the reciever on a deep route down the sidelines. We got the safety on the very next play so neither interception hurt us.

Next year those Freshmen and Sophomore's become Sophomore's and Juniors. We would also add in some guys that redshirted this year. I truly believe that next year is when we start reaping some of the rewards of the hard work that this coaching staff has put in. I think we breakdown that barrier and get that 6th win or beyond and go bowling.

Over the last 15 years we made our way down, not to the bottom of the barrel, but embedded in the bottom of the barrel. There is no way you turn that around in a short time period. It takes time to build a football program. It's not like basketball where one star recruiting class gets you back to the NCAA tourney. We have the right coach in place and he is building a program brick by brick.

The foundation has been poured. It will just take awhile until the house is finished.

Keep The Faith

[arnie]

Yeah, I am tired of losing too, but at least we had a chance in some of the losses and they weren't all laughers. The last 3 home games were pretty exciting actually. I bought season tickets this year with high hopes, but I think I am just going to buy tickets for 5 or 10 bucks next year. I sat in the employee pass section, and it was always full of opposing fans and the sun was in my face every time. It's fun to go to the games, but the program is pretty much a joke. We are always going to get killed on recruiting and our stadium is like a high school stadium.

Yea, thats exactly what I'm doing next year - although the free and $5 tickets will be harder to get. This year, Bama fans bought all the season tickets and then gave up the other games. Next year, there won't be many season ticket sales.

[davekay1971]

I will respectfuly disagree and offer hope. We were a very young team this year, especially on the defensive side of the ball. I was at the game today and the defense I saw today was a far cry better that what it was in the 2nd game this year against Wake. They still have plenty of work to do but they did improve over the course of the year.

On offense we played a Soph QB mixed in with a true Freshman QB. Running backs, same thing.

We return a lot of players next year from both sides of the ball along with several of our wide receivers. Sean Renfree had the midseason slump but finished strong down the stretch. He had 2 picks today but 1 came on a Hail Mary pass at the end of the half, and the other one came on a 4th and 10 play near the end of the game and he was trying to hit the reciever on a deep route down the sidelines. We got the safety on the very next play so neither interception hurt us.

Next year those Freshmen and Sophomore's become Sophomore's and Juniors. We would also add in some guys that redshirted this year. I truly believe that next year is when we start reaping some of the rewards of the hard work that this coaching staff has put in. I think we breakdown that barrier and get that 6th win or beyond and go bowling.

Over the last 15 years we made our way down, not to the bottom of the barrel, but embedded in the bottom of the barrel. There is no way you turn that around in a short time period. It takes time to build a football program. It's not like basketball where one star recruiting class gets you back to the NCAA tourney. We have the right coach in place and he is building a program brick by brick.

The foundation has been poured. It will just take awhile until the house is finished.

Keep The Faith

Excellent post. I agree that patience is the key, particularly with football. It takes a long, long time to build a winning football program. I think we're all frustrated with a step backward in on-field results this year, but that has mostly to do with the youth of the team. We have talent, but it's young talent, and that makes all the difference in football.

It takes at least 5 years, at a minimum, to build success in a college football program. You need to get 20 or so athletes every year, have them physically mature from 18 year olds to 20 and 21 year olds and learn college-level offensive and defensive schemes. Even in a program with a strong football tradition that takes time. At Duke, where the only recent tradition is futility, it takes longer and is harder to do. Cutcliffe made an immediate impact walking in the door. Taking the next step, competing for bowl bids, competitiveness for division races, and being able to score wins against football programs with a tradition of strength (Miami, FSU, Va Tech, Clemson, Ga Tech) takes time, and is difficult to maintain.

[Farlan]

Excellent post. I agree that patience is the key, particularly with football. It takes a long, long time to build a winning football program. I think we're all frustrated with a step backward in on-field results this year, but that has mostly to do with the youth of the team. We have talent, but it's young talent, and that makes all the difference in football.

It takes at least 5 years, at a minimum, to build success in a college football program. You need to get 20 or so athletes every year, have them physically mature from 18 year olds to 20 and 21 year olds and learn college-level offensive and defensive schemes. Even in a program with a strong football tradition that takes time. At Duke, where the only recent tradition is futility, it takes longer and is harder to do. Cutcliffe made an immediate impact walking in the door. Taking the next step, competing for bowl bids, competitiveness for division races, and being able to score wins against football programs with a tradition of strength (Miami, FSU, Va Tech, Clemson, Ga Tech) takes time, and is difficult to maintain.

Good points! Which ACC school is having the most consistent success? You would have to say Virginia Tech – year after year they are in the hunt for the divisional championship which puts them in the race for the ACC Championship Game. Take a look at Frank Beamer’s records his first 6 years at VT (not particularly impressive) and then look at what has happened since that time. VT has been rewarded for staying with a coach as he built a program – just like Duke has in basketball with Coach K. As low as Duke Football has been since, really, the 1960s, we have just got give David Cutcliffe time to establish a winning program.

[budwom]

i would like for someone to tell me how Duke football will be better next year? I looked at the game today and i saw men playing boys, it's hard to admit but in my eyes that's what i saw. Duke has zero pass defense and worst of all the athletes on Duke, and we have a few, are inferior to carolina or to most any team we pay. The passing game we were supposed to have, i thought would be down the field 15, 20, 30 yard chunks at a time but instead they are flare passes to backs and tight end slants. I do not expect miracles at Duke (in regards to football) but i do expect the team to win games and that they are not doing. I'm not one of these guys with the answer but i am a fan who is sick of losing. One (1) win in twenty one (21) years, if that's progress, we're using the wrong scale.

I'm afraid I have to agree.
I do think that we have lots of talent on the field and in the pipeline on the offensive side of the ball. Good QB, running backs, and a bunch of very good OL prospects, several of whom are playing now, some being redshirted, and some coming in next year.
But on the defensive side of the ball, we're a mess, and the talent simply isn't there. No, it isn't just that our youth is a problem there, we don't have the talent pure and simple. We have a bunch of young DL players, but not much talent there at all. Our touted young LBs just aren't good football players (there's a reason why most of them weren't widely recruited) outside of the now injured Kelby Brown, who's really good.
And our defensive backs aren't very good either.
We had the worst defense in the league this year, and there's absolutely no reason to think it's going to be appreciably better next year, as much as it pains me to say so. Other teams are getting much better prospects on defense. We have zero pass rush, our LBs aren't very good, and our defensive backs aren't very good either.
Will Cutcliffe make any changes in his defensive coaching staff or recruiting approach?
Who knows...but this year he made a very big deal about switching to a 3-4 defense to use our numerous good LBs, get a much better pass rush, etc. And after a few games it became painfully obvious this was a strategy which was not bearing fruit, so back we went to the ineffective 4-3 defense. Oh well....I'll still come to the games, but my expectations next year are going to be very low.

[pbc2]

The loss of Coach MacIntyre really hurt the Duke defense. They'll regroup and reassess the players and coaches to make improvements next year. With all due respect, we did not play many young players on the defensive line this season. Egboh and Oglesby were seniors, with a junior in Charlie Hatcher. There is young talent behind them, so I think you need to just be patient. The only young players who saw any significant playing time up front were Justin Foxx and Syndey Sarmiento, both redshirt-freshmen. Tevin Hood was a true freshman walk-on. The players many of us are referring to are guys like Dez Johnson, Jordan Ondijo, Jamal Wallace, et al.

[Devilsfan]

The defensive backfield was our Achilles "Heel" all season. We all could see where every opposing coach was drooling to exploit like a fat kid at the Thanksgiving dinner table. Also we probably could have won another game or two if our talented receivers in their mid season slump would have merely caught the ball when it was delivered right into their hands. All and all I think Coach Cut did a remarkable job considering our squad's age and the competition. I can't wait to see us when we have at least one more season of recruits suited up. Go Devils.

[blazindw]

A bit offtopic...I don't know how many of you read Uni Watch, but it's a blog run by Paul Lukas of ESPN that goes in depth of the intricacies of uniforms in sports. Every week during the college football season, they have a top 5 games of the week in terms of the uniforms each team wore in the game (as well as the worst looking game of the week). They have had us in the Top 5 a few times this season including against Alabama (I recall). This week, he had Duke-UNC as their best looking game of the week!


1. North Carolina/Duke — The Yankees/Red Sox of college basketball are a refreshing sight on the football field.

http://www.uniwatchblog.com/2010/11/28/nfl-color-vs-color-part-ii-back-to-the-future/

I do like our uniforms and they have been receiving great reviews for our fresh look. While we all don't like the final score of the games, I'm glad that at least a few fans were impressed with how we looked (in more ways than one).

[verga]

my concern for next year is that of all of these supposedly good young recruits how many are 4 or 5 Stars? I think you have your answer right there. I guess all the schools who are doing well in our league (Va. Tech, Fl. St., NC State, Maryland and carolina are making their student athletes attend class on a regular basis? (that was a joke).

[budwom]

my concern for next year is that of all of these supposedly good young recruits how many are 4 or 5 Stars? I think you have your answer right there. I guess all the schools who are doing well in our league (Va. Tech, Fl. St., NC State, Maryland and carolina are making their student athletes attend class on a regular basis? (that was a joke).

The fact is there simply aren't many serious DL prospects among our young guys. People point to the number of frosh or redshirted DL guys, but the fact is many of them were hardly recruited by anybody: Hood (who sounds like a great kid, by the way) is a walk-on recruited by hardly anyone; Ingram and Bryant are on scholarship but virtually no one wanted them other than Duke. There just isn't much there when you look at our young DL prospects, and we need help there very, very badly. (Cutcliffe mentioned in his postgame press conference that we desperately need to improve our pass rush, which basically is nonexistent right now).

The OL, on the other hand, has two two prospects coming off redshirt years, Tomlinson and Cofield, both very good 300 lb guys...and we have 3-4 good frosh coming in as well. For some reason we just didn't recruit much in the way of DL prospects this year, so I just don't see any help in the near future.

When you watch the games in person, you can see our opponents have much bigger, stronger and better DL than we do. That is just an unfortunate fact right now.

[sandinmyshoes]

It seems to me that our best chance of success year in and year out will be to have a gambling style on both sides of the ball. Our consistency will have to be measured over the course of a decade rather than season to season. Meaning that some years the gambling will hurt us and we'll have a losing record. Other years, the breaks will go our way and we'll have a very nice season including pulling off some upsets.

[Indoor66]

It seems to me that our best chance of success year in and year out will be to have a gambling style on both sides of the ball. Our consistency will have to be measured over the course of a decade rather than season to season. Meaning that some years the gambling will hurt us and we'll have a losing record. Other years, the breaks will go our way and we'll have a very nice season including pulling off some upsets.

I agree.

Kinda like what the Ole Ball Coach did at Duke.

[budwom]

That had been the plan at the beginning of this year. We switched to a 3-4, and Cutcliffe said we were going to show all kinds of looks, stunts, etc to confuse the opposing offenses and finally get to the QB. It simply didn't work. If you saw some of our early season games, we tried to blitz repeatedly, and we got nothing out of it.
So back we went to the 4-3....
I'm afraid the point is that there's only so much you can do with limited physical talent. Until we see an appreciable upgrade in our defensive personnel, we're going to be talking about how young we are, how good we'd be if we could only stop the third and longs, etc.

[davekay1971]

I'm afraid the point is that there's only so much you can do with limited physical talent. Until we see an appreciable upgrade in our defensive personnel, we're going to be talking about how young we are, how good we'd be if we could only stop the third and longs, etc.

And that may be the case for the indefinite future. Duke has to recruit talent against a tremendous amount of competition in the Southeast, and Cutcliffe is waging an uphill battle against a bad football tradition, subpar facilities, a small and largely apathetic fanbase, etc. I doubt it's a problem of him not going after talent, it's talking them into coming to Duke as opposed to the plethora of good football programs in the region.

That's part of this whole process taking time. Decent performance with below-par talent leads to the ability to recruit average talent leads (hopefully) to respectability leads to above average talent. Hopefully the last 3 years have shown recruits that Cutcliffe and his staff are dedicated to Duke and capable of building a program here. But we can't blame him for not having great talent throughout the program yet...I mean, if you were a 4 or 5 star defensive end at Independence in 2007 and Cutcliffe came knocking at your door, would you have picked Duke over UNC, NC State, or Clemson?

[killerleft]

It seems to me that our best chance of success year in and year out will be to have a gambling style on both sides of the ball. Our consistency will have to be measured over the course of a decade rather than season to season. Meaning that some years the gambling will hurt us and we'll have a losing record. Other years, the breaks will go our way and we'll have a very nice season including pulling off some upsets.

This may end up being true, but we had that kind of year THIS year, only the third year for Coach Cut. I am still optimistic we'll do considerably better in years to come. Certainly the jury can wait at least three more years before rendering a verdict on Duke's Football future.

When Cut got here we all agreed success wouldn't happen overnight. After just three years many posters are already crying the blues, even though we've gone from hapless to competitive in a short time.

Patience. Coach K benefitted from it. Not one person would have predicted (after three years) that Duke basketball would even threaten the dreaded Tar Heels, let alone win four championships.

[budwom]

And that may be the case for the indefinite future. Duke has to recruit talent against a tremendous amount of competition in the Southeast, and Cutcliffe is waging an uphill battle against a bad football tradition, subpar facilities, a small and largely apathetic fanbase, etc. I doubt it's a problem of him not going after talent, it's talking them into coming to Duke as opposed to the plethora of good football programs in the region.

That's part of this whole process taking time. Decent performance with below-par talent leads to the ability to recruit average talent leads (hopefully) to respectability leads to above average talent. Hopefully the last 3 years have shown recruits that Cutcliffe and his staff are dedicated to Duke and capable of building a program here. But we can't blame him for not having great talent throughout the program yet...I mean, if you were a 4 or 5 star defensive end at Independence in 2007 and Cutcliffe came knocking at your door, would you have picked Duke over UNC, NC State, or Clemson?

Yup. However a number of people have pointed out on the Devil's Den very excellent football (free) board that we do seem to be underrecruiting some areas where we've historically had some success, such as New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Over the years we've grabbed some good prospects from those states, but Cutcliffe seems more enamored of the South. A fair number of people (myself included) feel he's not taking advantage of the fact that Duke has a lot of national appeal.

[Highlander]

Apparently, at Alabama's Bryant-Denny Stadium, they played "Take the Money and Run" over the loudspeakers when the Auburn team took the field. Stroke of genius...if only they'd managed to win the game.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5864754

Apparently, the "staffer" at Alabama was fired for that. He played "Take the Money and Run" and "Son of a Preacher Man" over the loudspeakers, but neither song was 'cleared' by Alabama.

I thought the stunt was witty, not profane, and funny, and certainly not over the line of what the Crazies would do if someone with a similar cloud of uncertainty came into CIS for a game. The fact that it went out over the public speaker system was probably what was over the line, as it implied the Alabama administration was involved.

[Acymetric]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5864754

Apparently, the "staffer" at Alabama was fired for that. He played "Take the Money and Run" and "Son of a Preacher Man" over the loudspeakers, but neither song was 'cleared' by Alabama.

I thought the stunt was witty, not profane, and funny, and certainly not over the line of what the Crazies would do if someone with a similar cloud of uncertainty came into CIS for a game. The fact that it went out over the public speaker system was probably what was over the line, as it implied the Alabama administration was involved.

No, the reason it was a problem is that it was either an employee of the university or someone they contracted with, either way as a paid representative of the university they have pretty much no leeway.

Still, I bet someone from Alabama will find him and give him another job just for having some balls and being hilarious. Thought it was a great touch.