FB: Coach Cutcliffe Announces Staff Changes

[Bob Green]

http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211700773&DB_OEM_ID=4200

Lanier Goethie (http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211700828) joins the staff as linebackers coach. He played for Cut at Ole Miss.

[rtnorthrup]

Coached last two season under Skip Holtz, and alongside former Duke DL coach Rick Petri.

[Avvocato]

Thanks for posting. I’ve seen co-offensive coordinators. Have you ever seen co-defensive coordinators? How does that division work? Curious why Cut didn’t want to name one as the top guy. In any case, looking forward to seeing how it plays out.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

This past season was the only one in Cut's ten that I thought the team was not particularly well coached. (and even so, I thought Knowles and the D staff did a good job). I was very happy to see the change at WR coach - and not at all sad to see the OL coach move on to another school.

These changes, and the fact that they salvaged something in the last three games, has me optimistic for 2018.

[OldPhiKap]

Thanks, Bob.

When is the Spring game? I'm ready to show off my Canadian tat.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

When is the Spring game? I'm ready to show off my Canadian tat.
Spring practice begins on March 20. The spring scrimmage will likely be April 3, but no word on the format or whether it will be open.

[duke2x]

Thanks for posting. I’ve seen co-offensive coordinators. Have you ever seen co-defensive coordinators? How does that division work? Curious why Cut didn’t want to name one as the top guy. In any case, looking forward to seeing how it plays out.

I don't know whether it's resume boosting or not. I think Duke had that in 2011 with Hobby and Knowles. Hobby ended up leaving for Clemson for a DL job that probably paid more with a lesser title.

My hunch is that Albert will be the lead. He deserves the shot.

[Bob Green]

...but no word on the format or whether it will be open.

Is stadium construction complete? The answer to that question is critical to whether or not we will have a conventional spring game open to the public.

[elvis14]

Thanks for posting. I’ve seen co-offensive coordinators. Have you ever seen co-defensive coordinators? How does that division work? Curious why Cut didn’t want to name one as the top guy. In any case, looking forward to seeing how it plays out.

Clemson has co-offensive coordinators. When Chad Kelly left to become the head coach at SMU, Dabo promoted 2 guys to co-OC. Works pretty well for the Tigers.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Clemson has co-offensive coordinators. When Chad Kelly left to become the head coach at SMU, Dabo promoted 2 guys to co-OC. Works pretty well for the Tigers.
Maybe I’ll apply for the co-OC position!

[Reilly]

So maybe Derek Jones got a title and some money but Ben Albert and Matt Guerrieri got the responsibility, as far as the D coaches are concerned?

Duke Coaching Staff
David Cutcliffe – Head Coach (Alabama, 1976)
Zac Roper – Baxter Family Deputy Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/QB (Ole Miss, 2001)
Derek Jones – Associate Head Coach/DB (Ole Miss, 1996)
Ben Albert – Co-Defensive Coordinator/DL (Massachusetts, 1995)
Matt Guerrieri – Co-Defensive Coordinator/Recruiting Coordinator [Defense]/DS (Davidson, 2011)
Jim Bridge – Assistant Coach/OL (Wittenberg, 1992)
Jeffrey Faris – Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator [Offense]/TE (Duke, 2011)
Re’quan Boyette – Assistant Coach/RB (Duke, 2009)
Lanier Goethie – Assistant Coach/LB (Ole Miss, 2003)
Gerad Parker – Assistant Coach/WR (Kentucky, 2003)
Kirk Benedict – Assistant Coach/Special Teams & Defense (Davidson, 2010)

[HereBeforeCoachK]

I think a case can be made that Jim Knowles was the best coach on the staff. I hate we lost him, but I figured it would happen.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I’m guessing that the Baxter Family has endowed the deputy head coach’s salary? Or do they want him in their living room on game day? :)

[OldPhiKap]

I’m guessing that the Baxter Family has endowed the deputy head coach’s salary? Or do they want him in their living room on game day? :)

I will be announcing the name of the new OPK Water Boy at the Elks Club luncheon in Creedmoor Thursday. Very excited.

[ehdg]

I will be announcing the name of the new OPK Water Boy at the Elks Club luncheon in Creedmoor Thursday. Very excited.

Has this position been endowed yet or are you still searching for someone to endow it for ya?

[Bob Green]

Gerad Parker needs to make an impact as wide receivers coach. The team needs to develop a go to guy. I remain unconvinced T.J. Rahming is a legit #1 receiver at the P5 level. He is a solid #2 guy. Somebody needs to breakout and become "the man." There are lots of solid candidates on the roster starting with Chris Taylor, Johnathon Lloyd and Aaron Young. Perhaps the highly touted Scott Bracey will be healthy, in shape and ready to go as a redshirt sophomore. He has underwhelmed to date.

I'll reiterate, Parker needs to make an impact.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Gerad Parker needs to make an impact as wide receivers coach. The team needs to develop a go to guy. I remain unconvinced T.J. Rahming is a legit #1 receiver at the P5 level. He is a solid #2 guy. Somebody needs to breakout and become "the man." There are lots of solid candidates on the roster starting with Chris Taylor, Johnathon Lloyd and Aaron Young. Perhaps the highly touted Scott Bracey will be healthy, in shape and ready to go as a redshirt sophomore. He has underwhelmed to date.

I'll reiterate, Parker needs to make an impact.

They had the wrong guy in the position of WR coach last year, and I think Cut would be the first to admit that, although maybe not publicly. Dude's a great recruiter, so they kept him on the staff wisely, but the WR coaching last year was a fail. My hunch is Bracey needs to be the man, but that's just a hunch.

I think they had the wrong guy coaching OL too, and he took a job elsewhere. I was happy to see that. After losing maybe the best coach of all, Knowles, it will be interesting to see how this 2, or is it 3, lead D coaches we have work together. They have all done a nice job under Knowles.

[tteettimes]

I assume that Bracey is aware of these “expectations/needs”
Hope he’s in great shape and stays healthy......also hope he’s really really fast

[Bob Green]

They had the wrong guy in the position of WR coach last year...

Jeffrey Faris coached the wide receivers from 2014-17 so it is not like he was a one year position coach. While I'm optimistic the coaching change will yield positive results, mediocre wide receiver production the past couple of years cannot be solely attributed to the position coach.

http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=205576642

[Bob Green]

I think they had the wrong guy coaching OL too...

Mississippi State disagrees with you. Moving from OL coach at Duke to OL coach at Mississippi State is technically a lateral move but I believe few would argue that it is not a promotion. However, I am excited to see Jim Bridge as the Duke OL coach.

[Bob Green]

So maybe Derek Jones got a title and some money but Ben Albert and Matt Guerrieri got the responsibility, as far as the D coaches are concerned?

Duke Coaching Staff
David Cutcliffe – Head Coach (Alabama, 1976)
Zac Roper – Baxter Family Deputy Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/QB (Ole Miss, 2001)
Derek Jones – Associate Head Coach/DB (Ole Miss, 1996)
Ben Albert – Co-Defensive Coordinator/DL (Massachusetts, 1995)
Matt Guerrieri – Co-Defensive Coordinator/Recruiting Coordinator [Defense]/DS (Davidson, 2011)
Jim Bridge – Assistant Coach/OL (Wittenberg, 1992)
Jeffrey Faris – Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator [Offense]/TE (Duke, 2011)
Re’quan Boyette – Assistant Coach/RB (Duke, 2009)
Lanier Goethie – Assistant Coach/LB (Ole Miss, 2003)
Gerad Parker – Assistant Coach/WR (Kentucky, 2003)
Kirk Benedict – Assistant Coach/Special Teams & Defense (Davidson, 2010)

One thing I noticed with all the new coaching position descriptions, the terms "running game coordinator" and "passing game coordinator" have disappeared. Perhaps that is insignificant or perhaps Head Coach David Cutcliffe is going to coordinate the running and passing game.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Mississippi State disagrees with you. Moving from OL coach at Duke to OL coach at Mississippi State is technically a lateral move but I believe few would argue that it is not a promotion. However, I am excited to see Jim Bridge as the Duke OL coach.

I know Miss State would disagree...and I'm thrilled Mississippi State disagreed and hired him. And yes, it would probably be an upward move, no worse than lateral for him, and I'm glad he has a fresh start. I am glad he's gone, too, because I thought OL along with WR was our worst performing groups last season, and they never seemed to improve. Glad both groups have new coaching in place.

BTW I think I was right about Scottie Montgomery too - and ECU was wrong. I'm sure they'd love to ship him back to us. I think Montgomery peaked as WR coach, and was very good at it. Didn't buy him as OC and certainly not QB Coach nor Head Coach.

[CameronBornAndBred]

How does having two DCs work? Play calling by committee in crunch time sounds like a recipe for trouble.