Is It Time For Cut To Retire?

[AustinDevil]

Good long post, but please take NW off your list. I can comment on TCU when we go there in 2028/2029 or so. It will be post-Cut and post Gary Patterson (coach and ACC referee).

Why?

[HereBeforeCoachK]

To say Duke football was moribund before Cutliffe would be understatement. Ted Roof was 4-42 in his tenure. What exactly are the expectations here? Attendance , even in the 10 win seasons, is the lowest in the league. We are in a similar position to Vanderbilt in the SEC and Northwestern in the B1G. Yes, dips have to be expected.
I think part of the reason this thread appeared is Cut just looks older than he is. He just turned 65. He should be good to go for another 4 years, if his heart is in it.

Now I was waiting for this notion to appear, and frankly, I agree with it. Cut looks older than Nick Saban and Pete Carroll, to name a couple, who are both 3 years older. This is a TV driven sport now, and that matters. I actually think Cut looks younger than he did years ago, as he's trimmed down and clearly takes care of himself...because IMO he looked very old for his age when he got here at what, 52-53?

Now does this matter? Well, it probably does matter vis a vis recruiting when the program is on a down cycle., as we appear to be. Should it matter? Probably not, but life-sux sometimes, and recruiting is cut throat. Being 65, looking older, and a down cycle are no big deals taken individually. But all together? I'm just looking at this through the lens of coaches recruiting against us.

[jv001]

I love our head coach because: 1) he's brought Duke Football back from the grave. I was a Duke Football fan when we were very good and when we were really bad. Coach Cut has changed that. 2) he represents Duke with class. 3) he's beaten the cheats even though they were cheating.

However: I think if we had a decent OC, we would have won at least two more games this season and this thread or any other thread regarding Cut's retirement would not have been started. I can't for the life of me understand why Roper hasn't been relieved of his duties. The dumbest play call of all time against the cheats and watching an offense that's boring are enough to fire Roper.

GoDuke

[DukieInKansas]

My understanding from my nephew, who works with another ACC football program, is that Coach Cutcliffe is very well respected and thought of by other coaches. I can't argue with that. I like the kind of players he recruits as I think the represent the university very well. I hope there are some changes in the coaching staff to help make the team better.

Thanks for all you have done for Duke football, Coach Cutcliffe.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

It is interesting how some folks are calling for a rollback to Ivy League style sports - academic requirements, actual student athletes, less money around the sports programs - and some people are questioning the fitness of Coach Cut. I know they aren't necessarily the same people, but it sure seems like two different directions for Duke sports.
I love what Coach Cut brings to our program. I like the caliber of young man he pursues for the team and the expectations he has for those men on and off the field. I love the way he talks about Duke and the ethic he aspires to.

I'm sorry we didn't beat UNC. But that changes zero of those feelings.

[Steven43]

Now I was waiting for this notion to appear, and frankly, I agree with it. Cut looks older than Nick Saban and Pete Carroll, to name a couple, who are both 3 years older. This is a TV driven sport now, and that matters. I actually think Cut looks younger than he did years ago, as he's trimmed down and clearly takes care of himself...because IMO he looked very old for his age when he got here at what, 52-53?.

I don’t think it’s fair to compare Coach Cutcliffe to Saban and Carroll — two men who have aged better than the average person, particularly in regard to them both still having a mostly-full head of hair. Also, it is a common misperception that being skinny as you age makes you appear to be younger, at least facially.

A thin face is the main cause of looking older as being slender causes a loss of volume in the face. The older we get, the more the face gets depleted. When you lose weight, facial depletion is enhanced and the appearance of aging is accelerated. A bit of a rounder, chubbier face once you are in your 50’s or older actually makes you appear to look younger.

[A-Tex Devil]

Duke has spent a fortune on football facilities over the past decade. What's missing? Not arguing, just asking.

For Duke standards, perhaps. I'd like to see where we rank among other FBS private schools (including Big 5 schools like SMU). That's not rhetorical. I genuinely don't know. Honestly, we need a new stadium, but I don't imagine that happening any time soon. It doesn't need to be bigger, just without the track, and with more modern amenities. Wallace Wade wouldn't crack the top 25 in Texas high school football stadiums in terms of modernity and amenities (including restrooms and concessions).

[Acymetric]

For Duke standards, perhaps. I'd like to see where we rank among other FBS private schools (including Big 5 schools like SMU). That's not rhetorical. I genuinely don't know. Honestly, we need a new stadium, but I don't imagine that happening any time soon. It doesn't need to be bigger, just without the track, and with more modern amenities. Wallace Wade wouldn't crack the top 25 in Texas high school football stadiums in terms of modernity and amenities (including restrooms and concessions).

You do know there isn't a track there anymore, right?

[CameronBlue]

You do know there isn't a track there anymore, right?

Wait wait, he may have a point there. And those damn wooden bleachers just have to go!

[91Duke]

In addition to being a Duke fan, I am also an Arkansas native (and fan) -- believe me when I say that I am very familiar with coaching disasters and Coach Cutcliffe is definitely not one. He has done an amazing job making Duke football relevant. Could it be better? Sure. But Duke is one of those programs that is always going to exist on the edge between success and failure, and Cutcliffe has managed to keep us on the successful side more often than not, which I think is an achievement worth keeping in mind.

[A-Tex Devil]

You do know there isn't a track there anymore, right?

Ha! I apologize for that. You are right, I just still picture the track when I think of the stadium. Rest of point still stands.

[kako]

I hope this has been said, but I'll say it. I believe anyone with a sense of history and reality would realize that Duke is lucky, absolutely lucky, to have Cutcliffe as coach, as well as the seasons he has produced. Other than brief - very brief - moments of success in the past half century, Duke has really just been awful in football. Worse than awful, at times Duke has been the college football laughingstock. He has resurrected this program, made it competitive, produced NFL players, gone to multiple bowl games (and won), and has ran the program with dignity and class. Armchair quarterbacks can always find fault with a coach (woulda/shoulda/coulda). It's true - maybe Duke could have a won a game more here and there. But overall? He's been a resounding success. Any notion to push him out the door is absolutely crazy. Given Duke's history with football, we should make a statue of the man.

And btw, who would people replace him with? And what's the guarantee that Duke would be better without resorting to cheating? Duke plays in a conference with schools that have lower academic standards, more money, more expectations and more undergraduates (and they cheat). I'll take being competitive in the ACC with Cutcliffe, playing with honor and maybe finding lightning in a bottle one season than to push him out for another guy, risking the start of another 50 years of Duke football embarrassment.

9F

[jimsumner]

I don’t think it’s fair to compare Coach Cutcliffe to Saban and Carroll — two men who have aged better than the average person, particularly in regard to them both still having a mostly-full head of hair. Also, it is a common misperception that being skinny as you age makes you appear to be younger, at least facially.

A thin face is the main cause of looking older as being slender causes a loss of volume in the face. The older we get, the more the face gets depleted. When you lose weight, facial depletion is enhanced and the appearance of aging is accelerated. A bit of a rounder, chubbier face once you are in your 50’s or older actually makes you appear to look younger.

The sidebar to end all sidebars.

[Steven43]

I hope this has been said, but I'll say it. I believe anyone with a sense of history and reality would realize that Duke is lucky, absolutely lucky, to have Cutcliffe as coach, as well as the seasons he has produced. Other than brief - very brief - moments of success in the past half century, Duke has really just been awful in football. Worse than awful, at times Duke has been the college football laughingstock. He has resurrected this program, made it competitive, produced NFL players, gone to multiple bowl games (and won), and has ran the program with dignity and class. Armchair quarterbacks can always find fault with a coach (woulda/shoulda/coulda). It's true - maybe Duke could have a won a game more here and there. But overall? He's been a resounding success. Any notion to push him out the door is absolutely crazy. Given Duke's history with football, we should make a statue of the man.

And btw, who would people replace him with? And what's the guarantee that Duke would be better without resorting to cheating? Duke plays in a conference with schools that have lower academic standards, more money, more expectations and more undergraduates (and they cheat). I'll take being competitive in the ACC with Cutcliffe, playing with honor and maybe finding lightning in a bottle one season than to push him out for another guy, risking the start of another 50 years of Duke football embarrassment.

9F

Wow, what a GREAT post. You pretty much said it all, at least as far as I can tell.

Maybe a shake-up of the staff would yield dividends, but who knows? It’s certainly not for me to say. I’m almost fully-content with the direction and results of the football program the past 7 or 8 years.

The things that concern me a bit are the sparse Wallace Wade crowds and the mediocre game-day experience, particularly in regard to Duke concessions. But I’m preaching to the choir on both of those issues.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

I hope this has been said, but I'll say it. I believe anyone with a sense of history and reality would realize that Duke is lucky, absolutely lucky, to have Cutcliffe as coach, as well as the seasons he has produced. Other than brief - very brief - moments of success in the past half century, Duke has really just been awful in football. Worse than awful, at times Duke has been the college football laughingstock. He has resurrected this program, made it competitive, produced NFL players, gone to multiple bowl games (and won), and has ran the program with dignity and class. Armchair quarterbacks can always find fault with a coach (woulda/shoulda/coulda). It's true - maybe Duke could have a won a game more here and there. But overall? He's been a resounding success. Any notion to push him out the door is absolutely crazy. Given Duke's history with football, we should make a statue of the man.

And btw, who would people replace him with? And what's the guarantee that Duke would be better without resorting to cheating? Duke plays in a conference with schools that have lower academic standards, more money, more expectations and more undergraduates (and they cheat). I'll take being competitive in the ACC with Cutcliffe, playing with honor and maybe finding lightning in a bottle one season than to push him out for another guy, risking the start of another 50 years of Duke football embarrassment.

9F

Thank you for sharing a perspective which is similar to mine. I am so thankful that Duke no longer has the longest active losing streak in Division I, but instead is relevant and competitive again.

The comments about age make me think of stereotypes applied to support an idea which otherwise lacks merit. Coach Cutcliffe's appearance hasn't driven away recruits. If anything, he has a presence which attracts many.

Filling the stadium is an ongoing challenge facing many colleges and other programs. We've had numerous discussions of that very issue on this forum. It's not an issue specific to Duke.

Despite my age, I plan to be in the stadium this Saturday supporting my team.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Geez, this thread hurts my feelings. This past summer, I posted that I ran into a recently graduated offensive lineman from Duke at the Detroit airport. He said that it was going to be a tough season but the team hoped the fans would hang in there with support.

The players are realistic and they trust in Cut. I know this thread is trying to discuss what might be seen as issues but boy, it kind of stinks.

I'm with you on this. I remember when students, deans and others publicly made fun of their own team and players. Don't want to go back there ever again.

[sagegrouse]

For Duke standards, perhaps. I'd like to see where we rank among other FBS private schools (including Big 5 schools like SMU). That's not rhetorical. I genuinely don't know. Honestly, we need a new stadium, but I don't imagine that happening any time soon. It doesn't need to be bigger, just without the track, and with more modern amenities. Wallace Wade wouldn't crack the top 25 in Texas high school football stadiums in terms of modernity and amenities (including restrooms and concessions).

Hi, A-Tex Devil: You missed some things. Duke rebuilt the stadium, lowered the field, moved the track to over near Koskinen, and put in the best real grass football turf in the world. It put in an enormous Blue Devil Tower that accommodates luxury boxes as well as VIPs -- the people that will pay thousands to watch Duke football.

the area around Wallace Wade and Cameron has also been redone -- a modern plaza with a store and other stuff. There is private club within Cameron, and it is available for outside groups.

There is another building -- Yoh -- just for football, which overlooks Wallace Wade. It is 70,000 sq. feet. Is that about 700 square feet per football player?

The athletic facilities are night and day in comparison to a decade ago. You should come for a game.

And, by the way, you should visit the Brodhead Center -- the old West Union that was rebuilt with a bunch of different dining options.

[Kfanarmy]

Isn't Duke two three-point losses away from bowl eligibility right now? Grant it, one of those losses was, somewhat, attributable to a truly bone-headed play call. Lets be honest though, if the play against UNC had been successful most folks would be lauding it.

IDK if I really see Duke headed into a multi-year down swing, but I haven't really looked at what the talent is coming in. I get the OPs point, but as long as Coach Cut is enjoying himself and there is a competitive product out on the field, he should stay. Maybe some shake up could help get more Ws though; sometimes changing even one guy can make a huge difference.

[Devilwin]

I love our head coach because: 1) he's brought Duke Football back from the grave. I was a Duke Football fan when we were very good and when we were really bad. Coach Cut has changed that. 2) he represents Duke with class. 3) he's beaten the cheats even though they were cheating.

However: I think if we had a decent OC, we would have won at least two more games this season and this thread or any other thread regarding Cut's retirement would not have been started. I can't for the life of me understand why Roper hasn't been relieved of his duties. The dumbest play call of all time against the cheats and watching an offense that's boring are enough to fire Roper.

GoDuke

The above quote says it very well...

[HereBeforeCoachK]

I'm with you on this. I remember when students, deans and others publicly made fun of their own team and players. Don't want to go back there ever again.

If we go 4-8 this year, for the second time in four years, a lot of that will have returned. As it is, students don't care most of the time.

BTW, I now think 4-8 is likely. After Pitt, I thought it was possible. After NC, I thought even more so. After not even putting up a fight with ND, I think very likely. So so so so so hope to be wrong.