I’m more optimistic. Except for Bama and ND, not a believer in the other teams. I expect our D and running game to be strong and reasonably expect 7 wins (5-3 in ACC).
Printable View
I'm (kind of) with you there, so yeah...pour me a frosty glass of that optimisim also. It's not real hoppy though is it?
Seriously though, I'm always (and have always been) overly optimistic about Duke football - this season will be no different. I have a sneaking suspicion we might be better than advertised though. I also think Mr. Bobo will continue to impress, but I want to see someone else challenge him in regard to effectiveness.
We only won, what, three conference games last year, and this year we have a new QB and all new receivers (which could be, in some respects, good). UVA and VT beat us pretty handily, Wake humiliated us...unc couldn't be worse than they were last year...Syracuse is clearly on the rise. Seriously, if we win five ACC games this year, Cut deserves a major parade...
That is the fun of the non-Clemson ACC. Just about every game not involving Clemson is a tossup, and this year is no different with the possible exception of GT and Louisville. I would break it down this way:
60%. GT. There's major retooling ahead back to a normal team. I think Duke scores 35-40 here.
50% +/-. UNC is the same analysis as GT but on the road. Wake will finish 2nd in the Atlantic but is no more talented. Like UNC 2016, we should expect a game down to the wire if we are anywhere near healthy and play with a solid effort. Syracuse overachieved by 3-4 games last year, lost its QB and other personnel, and the schedule flips. Syracuse is locked between ND and @Wake, which does scream letdown like Wake 2018, UNC 2015, Richmond, etc.
40-45%. UVA and Pitt. We've played poorly against them since their coaching changes, but neither team is insurmountable. Both will be improved and physical. Jones v. UVA might have been like Ross Martin v. VT.
20-40%. VT. They didn't get the Clemson RB transfer, and it's the toughest road game we have on a regular basis. Their defense should be improved in Foster's last season. :D Miami is another empty stadium against a more talented team. They will be motivated this year even at 0-7 in the ACC, but I ultimately don't think Diaz fixes the problem that Coker, Shannon, Golden, and Richt could not.
That analysis puts us at 3+ wins, which I would round down this season. 0-8 is very possible with multiple or key injuries, and 6-2 (2-2 at home) with a Coastal championship is a possible ceiling with momentum and some favorable bounces.
Coach Cut and Tre Hornbuckle talk about our first practice in pads - good stuff here.
https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/...233548117.html
I believe that's the first time I've heard Tre extensively in an interview. I am consistently impressed with our student athletes.
Coach Cutcliffe discusses wide receiver Jake Bobo:
https://twitter.com/i/status/1158881233503490050
our man Daniel gets big and generally good ink:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/07/s...section=Sports
Ready for some football and to watch this team. I think Coach Cut has really built depth and upgraded our talent. We shall see b/c the schedule is very tough.
IMO DL should be solid as well as our LBs plus the DBs but sure would like Gilbert back. Of course if Gilbert was healthy all last season IMO he would have entered the draft.
Offensively we have young talent and some new/old guys (AKA Returning Lettermen) in the program who are getting the opportunity they have been waiting and working for.
Hearing rumblings about a possible LB committing soon (today?) to the class of 2020...Bob Green waiting for you to confirm.
Also I really appreciated all the info Bob and Jim provide this forum about football...Let's Go DUKE!!!!!!!!!
Just saw Dorian Mausi 6-2 215 OLB from Detroit did commit...don't have any other info and really don't worry about the Stars that recruiting services had out. However he did have a couple of Power 5 offers.
Wait, is Duke still mailing subscribers paper tickets? I love keeping stubs but a couple years ago the Blues went to mobile entry and now you have to beg them for paper tickets if you have, say, a group of people on your season ticket and need to draft 44 separate regular season games among four people.
I attended nine of the Blues' thirteen home games in the playoffs. Have not one single keepsake stub.