Duke 55, Virginia 48 Post Game Thread

[Duvall]

The Refs: Just Miserable. Bad Call on the Cockrell INT in the end zone. and early in the first half, the Refs were miserable in calling on UVA two Personal Fouls (one while UVA was on offense for a late hit). Yes they helped Duke, but both god that's bad.

Wait, are you including the play where two Virginia defenders hit Renfree as he ran out of bounds, one of which hit him three yards past the sideline? Because unless you're playing Virginia Tech, that's a penalty.

[loran16]

Wait, are you including the play where two Virginia defenders hit Renfree as he ran out of bounds, one of which hit him three yards past the sideline? Because unless you're playing Virginia Tech, that's a penalty.

That first one (I'm including it) was borderline. it was just as he stepped out and by momentum.

The second was clearly bad.

EDIT: Jim3K, huh, maybe it'll be up later.

[TheDevilMadeMeDoIt]

I posted the first time 3 weeks ago after another loss. There was a lot of negativety, but as the eternal optimist I thought we had a young, but talented team, that just needed some confidence. Today I saw something I have rarely seen over the last 40 years, that was Duke coming from behind not once but twice in the second half. It seems like we used to regularly lose games like this to NC State. I think that what Cut brings to the table is what all good coaches have, the ability to instill in the kids that they can win. I actually was thrilled when UVA scored so quickly after the fumble. I thought we had a chance to win since we only needed a field goal. Boy, did Desomnd redeem himself. And I agree Renfree's 4th down pass when he need 18 yards was the biggest play in Duke football since I can remember. I think we have some more wins left this year, but I think we are going to be very good next year, with the young talented kids we have.

[Jim3k]

EDIT: Jim3K, huh, maybe it'll be up later.

Found it!

[arnie]

Wildest game I've ever seen at Duke work out the way it should have!

A game that no one should have missed - that message goes out to all the season ticket holders and students that weren't there today.

[RelativeWays]

I was there, felt like collapsing when Verica's shot at the endzone went incomplete. There are things to fix here but this team DID NOT quit. Just wow.

Also, UVA is a little dirty now. They love leading with the helmet under London I guess.

Couple of questionable calls maybe made this game closer than it should have been, the INT that wasn't and the fumble caused by the ground. Great dive and redemption by Dez though.

[Mike Corey]

My favorite part of the game was after Duke converted the two-point conversion, and Cutcliffe made it clear to his center how appreciative he was of all the good work he'd done all game. What a display of emotion.

Keep up the work, Devils.

[loran16]

I was there, felt like collapsing when Verica's shot at the endzone went incomplete. There are things to fix here but this team DID NOT quit. Just wow.

Also, UVA is a little dirty now. They love leading with the helmet under London I guess.

Couple of questionable calls maybe made this game closer than it should have been, the INT that wasn't and the fumble caused by the ground. Great dive and redemption by Dez though.

On Replay, ball looked out before the knee hit the ground.

The interception, looked good on replay, but Jim Sumner posted earlier in this thread that Cockrell said the ball hit the ground after the game and the refs got it right.

[Duke84]

Don't think I ever saw that before, but I did see Duke with three 100 yard rushers in the same game. My best guess is 1982, and I believe the RBs were Mike Grayson, Joel Blunk, and Carl Franks. As I have never walked out of a Duke football game sober, I may have all 3 backs wrong.

[Duke84]

November 7, 1981
Duke has three players rush for over
100 yards in a 31-10 win at Wake Forest
... Blue Devils Mike Grayson (21-118),
Joel Blunk (20-110) and Greg Boone
(16-101) all top the 100-yard barrier
on the day.

Got the year and one of the backs wrong - and I should have remembered with it being my only trip to W-S to see a game at Wake. At least I didn't drive.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Hey Duke Students - you missed one helluva football game today. Where were you? The team noticed you weren't there. What's your excuse? This is what your classmate Brett Huffman had to say about you on Facebook.

Duke's students are the worst fans in Division 1 football... I hate all of you so much... but i do love being a BRO, i do love AMERICA, and i do love WINNING

We Crusties saw you weren't there too. I hope you show up in force next Saturday. Another noon start. Don't get so sh** faced drunk on Friday night that you can't drag your sorry butts out of bed by 11 a.m. and get over to Wallace Wade Stadium.

[RelativeWays]

On Replay, ball looked out before the knee hit the ground.

The interception, looked good on replay, but Jim Sumner posted earlier in this thread that Cockrell said the ball hit the ground after the game and the refs got it right.

When they showed the replay on the jumbotron, the ball looked like it popped out right after Dez hit the ground on his back. Again, I think even college replay is supposed to be indisputable evidence to overturn so maybe there wasn't enough.

Cockrell knows those evil ACC refs will stick it to us against BC if he calls their shenanigans, and besides, he's a Duke player so he's naturally going to take the high road. I seriously do not know how that was not an INT. It was a phenomenal effort by Cockrell.

[loran16]

When they showed the replay on the jumbotron, the ball looked like it popped out right after Dez hit the ground on his back. Again, I think even college replay is supposed to be indisputable evidence to overturn so maybe there wasn't enough.

Cockrell knows those evil ACC refs will stick it to us against BC if he calls their shenanigans, and besides, he's a Duke player so he's naturally going to take the high road. I seriously do not know how that was not an INT. It was a phenomenal effort by Cockrell.

I'm not going the argue the INT, because I agreed with you on replay.

The fumble though was good. On replay, the ball was clearly jarred loose before he hit the ground, though it was upon hitting the ground that the ball clearly separated from his body (Basically he was juggling it and no longer had control before he hit the ground).

@Ozzie, once again, you need to understand the culture at Duke. There are several factors in why the students aren't coming out for the games:
1. Football has a culture of losing. The early losses this year didn't help that. The fans also aren't used to being huge supporters of football (whereas they expect to be huge bball supporters) and thus are very fickle. Early losses kill attendance.
2. It's the last month before finals. Duke is still an academic institution, one of the best in the Country. The fans are less likely to commit to leaving study time during the day at this time for a sport they're not used to supporting.

Duke BBall is different (and even there there's been times the last couple of seasons where it wasn't as full as it should've been). The kids come to Duke expecting to support it, and are thus more willing to do so. It helps also that ACC season is in the start of the semester rather than at the end. Football on the other hand is something these kids wouldn't have cared for or noticed prior to coming. And so they make the choice to sacrifice it.

-------

If we want to get fuller crowds, we need to foster a culture of winning...and we're trying. Cutcliffe has clearly improved the team. But really, even 4 wins won't be able to wipe out the culture fostered by a team that went 10-72 from 2000-2007 (with 3 winless seasons). The team needs to go to a Bowl, then repeat that success the next year.

EDIT: Once again, it'd help if Duke-UNC WASNT ON THANKSGIVING WHEN THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS ARENT AT DUKE. Major Pet Peeve of mine.

[devildeac]

Wait, are you including the play where two Virginia defenders hit Renfree as he ran out of bounds, one of which hit him three yards past the sideline? Because unless you're playing Virginia Tech, that's a penalty.

How about the one where they knocked Renfree outta the game and then 2 of them did a aerial chest bump about mid-field? Oh, and no "excessive celebration" penalty for that one? BS.

Also overheard by one of the managers on the uva sidelines after Refree was knocked outta the game: Just like we did to Jacory Harris.

They could have flagged them for another couple unsportmanslike conduct penalties as far as I was concerned. They looked like they were playing "beamer ball."

[Duvall]

EDIT: Once again, it'd help if Duke-UNC WASNT ON THANKSGIVING WHEN THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS ARENT AT DUKE. Major Pet Peeve of mine.

On the plus side, if what you said before is accurate it probably won't make a difference before 2013 at the earliest. So why worry?

[TheDevilMadeMeDoIt]

I'm not going the argue the INT, because I agreed with you on replay.

The fumble though was good. On replay, the ball was clearly jarred loose before he hit the ground, though it was upon hitting the ground that the ball clearly separated from his body (Basically he was juggling it and no longer had control before he hit the ground).

@Ozzie, once again, you need to understand the culture at Duke. There are several factors in why the students aren't coming out for the games:
1. Football has a culture of losing. The early losses this year didn't help that. The fans also aren't used to being huge supporters of football (whereas they expect to be huge bball supporters) and thus are very fickle. Early losses kill attendance.
2. It's the last month before finals. Duke is still an academic institution, one of the best in the Country. The fans are less likely to commit to leaving study time during the day at this time for a sport they're not used to supporting.

Duke BBall is different (and even there there's been times the last couple of seasons where it wasn't as full as it should've been). The kids come to Duke expecting to support it, and are thus more willing to do so. It helps also that ACC season is in the start of the semester rather than at the end. Football on the other hand is something these kids wouldn't have cared for or noticed prior to coming. And so they make the choice to sacrifice it.

-------

If we want to get fuller crowds, we need to foster a culture of winning...and we're trying. Cutcliffe has clearly improved the team. But really, even 4 wins won't be able to wipe out the culture fostered by a team that went 10-72 from 2000-2007 (with 3 winless seasons). The team needs to go to a Bowl, then repeat that success the next year.

EDIT: Once again, it'd help if Duke-UNC WASNT ON THANKSGIVING WHEN THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS ARENT AT DUKE. Major Pet Peeve of mine.

I think our students need to get off their butts and get to the game. No excuses.

[loran16]

On the plus side, if what you said before is accurate it probably won't make a difference before 2013 at the earliest. So why worry?

UNC-Duke is different...kids would show up just because of the Rivalry. Putting it on Thanksgiving kills that.

I think our students need to get off their butts and get to the game. No excuses.

Think it all you want, it won't work.

[duke09hms]

Hey Duke Students - you missed one helluva football game today. Where were you? The team noticed you weren't there. What's your excuse? I hope you show up in force next Saturday. Another noon start. Don't get so sh** faced drunk on Friday night that you can't drag your sorry butts out of bed by 11 a.m. and get over to Wallace Wade Stadium.

Are you seriously asking "What is your excuse?" Duke is not a service academy where students are forced to go to football games. They go if they want to, and honestly, there is precious little reason for them to go. There was great turnout for the Elon win and the Alabama/Army losses. The Army loss in particular was a killer in many ways not just on the field. The whole 1-6 start wasn't helpful either.

Look the students know that duke football has been horrendous for almost the last two decades, and they know that things are improving, but can you expect them to come out in force for a 2-6 team with a 1-6 start? Plus there's the whole student body argument of ~6000 undergrads who have many other obligations unlike many other football schools.

The students arent the issue here, the football team's history and current record are.

[jimsumner]

Wildest game I've ever seen at Duke work out the way it should have!

A game that no one should have missed - that message goes out to all the season ticket holders and students that weren't there today.

Cutcliffe shared similar sentiments. Lots of praise for the regulars who showed up. The folks who didn't? Missed a helluva game.

[CBDUKE]

Wow! What a game. Not much to add to what has been said except this was one of the best games I've seen in almost 60 years of Duke football. To bad some missed it.