Duke Football 2021

[duke2x]

I am in agreement with Bob (what's new). To be quite honest, this is the most uncertainty to a new season in about 10 years. Just way too many question marks. That isnt necessarily a bad thing. Last season's team grossly underachieved relative to the talent on the field. Chase Brice was simply a swing and miss. I think some of the better players on defense saw the writing on the wall.

We could be legitimately good this season. We could also be in the midst of a rebuild. Who knows right now. Just way too many question marks. Im not going to try to talk down the optimists, but im not there yet.

Out of offseason boredom, I picked up a preseason rag at Food Lion this AM. They definitely join me in the pessimist camp. I'm very much afraid we won't see a winning season until 2024 at the earliest.

[budwom]

Out of offseason boredom, I picked up a preseason rag at Food Lion this AM. They definitely join me in the pessimist camp. I'm very much afraid we won't see a winning season until 2024 at the earliest.

that's just being realistic. Anything beyond three wins this year will surprise me. I would love to know what Nina and Kevin are thinking.

[Acymetric]

Out of offseason boredom, I picked up a preseason rag at Food Lion this AM. They definitely join me in the pessimist camp. I'm very much afraid we won't see a winning season until 2024 at the earliest.

The pros are definitely going to be pessimistic until we show that we aren't the worst ball security team in the country like we have been for two straight years (one of them being almost historically bad).

[arnie]

I would love to know what Nina and Kevin are thinking.

Nina is wondering how this Jon Scheyer guy is gonna work out. Kevin is thinking how to stay busy during retirement.

[peloton]

The pros are definitely going to be pessimistic until we show that we aren't the worst ball security team in the country like we have been for two straight years (one of them being almost historically bad).

Yes, all kidding aside...I don't see how we can't at least improve in that area *somewhat*.

[budwom]

Nina is wondering how this Jon Scheyer guy is gonna work out. Kevin is thinking how to stay busy during retirement.

I've been told that Nina is very involved in football, but I have zero notion of how she sees the program nor what comes next.

[brlftz]

Nina is wondering how this Jon Scheyer guy is gonna work out. Kevin is thinking how to stay busy during retirement.

Sure hope they also have some room for thinking about football...

[budwom]

Sure hope they also have some room for thinking about football...

yes, no matter how much they like the sport, there is a LOT of money involved, and we've been leaving gobs of it on the table by fielding fiercely unattractive teams.

[arnie]

I've been told that Nina is very involved in football, but I have zero notion of how she sees the program nor what comes next.

We shall see about that. However, a lot easier to manage Duke football expectations than for Duke b-ball. I’m sure she knows football can muck around without a lot of attention; but b-ball better be very, very good.

[hallcity]

yes, no matter how much they like the sport, there is a LOT of money involved, and we've been leaving gobs of it on the table by fielding fiercely unattractive teams.

We've got to get fans in the stands for football. The athletic department relies way, way, way too much on men's basketball. If there's a significant decline in men's basketball, even a temporary one, the athletic department is in trouble, unless it can increase football revenue significantly.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

We've got to get fans in the stands for football. The athletic department relies way, way, way too much on men's basketball. If there's a significant decline in men's basketball, even a temporary one, the athletic department is in trouble, unless it can increase football revenue significantly.

Agreed, though what percentage of football revenue comes from tickets and such from the actual games vs. from the conference TV package? We definitely need to maximize ticket sales and football-related donations but I'm guessing much of our revenue we are receiving whether Wally Wade is full or empty.

Also, Nina graduated from and worked at Notre Dame. So hopefully she picked up a few things about running a football program there. Then again, Kevin White came from Notre Dame as well...

[budwom]

We've got to get fans in the stands for football. The athletic department relies way, way, way too much on men's basketball. If there's a significant decline in men's basketball, even a temporary one, the athletic department is in trouble, unless it can increase football revenue significantly.

yes, we both know how empty the stands have been (regardless of Covid) the past few seasons. It's just not a good product on the field, and of course I can easily see you and your wife even though we are quite a few rows apart...lots of room to stretch out. Like you, I recall how people actually DO come and buy day of the game tickets when the product on the field is interesting...they went into some significant debt (I am told) to refurbish WW, and they have to be unhappy about ticket sales, perhaps most importantly about high roller seats up in The Tower that are not being renewed.

[PDDuke85]

Yes, all kidding aside...I don't see how we can't at least improve in that area *somewhat*.

https://twitter.com/adamrowetdd/stat...466395650?s=21

This is an arrow in the side of my optimism

Anyone know the scoop here?

[Acymetric]

Yes, all kidding aside...I don't see how we can't at least improve in that area *somewhat*.

That's what we said in between the 2019 and 2020 seasons...

[budwom]

https://twitter.com/adamrowetdd/stat...466395650?s=21

This is an arrow in the side of my optimism

Anyone know the scoop here?

don't know (yet). Add that to the defections of Jordan, Tangelo and Waters (all would have been defensive leaders this year) and you can see why it's a rough road ahead.

[CameronBornAndBred]

https://twitter.com/adamrowetdd/stat...466395650?s=21

This is an arrow in the side of my optimism

Anyone know the scoop here?

I see what you did there

Sucks the rest of the article is behind a paywall.

[chrishoke]

The hits just keep on coming.

[Raleighfan]

We've got to get fans in the stands for football. The athletic department relies way, way, way too much on men's basketball. If there's a significant decline in men's basketball, even a temporary one, the athletic department is in trouble, unless it can increase football revenue significantly.

Mr Hallcity, as I’ve told you many times (in person!): Duke just doesn’t have the fan base in numbers to fill Wallace Wade on a regular basis….regardless of the team’s success. And not every Duke alum in this area/within reasonable driving distance is even interested in college football (that goes for UNC and State alums as well). After faithfully attending football games in WW since 1982, I conclude that the only way to fill/have a respectable crowd in WW is for Duke to have an opponent whose fans travel en masse to see their team. There’s a school right here in Raleigh whose fans would be glad to come to Durham to watch their guys play Duke.

[budwom]

Mr Hallcity, as I’ve told you many times (in person!): Duke just doesn’t have the fan base in numbers to fill Wallace Wade on a regular basis….regardless of the team’s success. And not every Duke alum in this area/within reasonable driving distance is even interested in college football (that goes for UNC and State alums as well). After faithfully attending football games in WW since 1982, I conclude that the only way to fill/have a respectable crowd in WW is for Duke to have an opponent whose fans travel en masse to see their team. There’s a school right here in Raleigh whose fans would be glad to come to Durham to watch their guys play Duke.

I respectfully, and to a limited extent, disagree. On those rare occasions when the product is good, fans DO come, but that's become a rarity. No, we won't automatically fill WW, but we can do much, much better than we have...

[jwillfan]

I respectfully, and to a limited extent, disagree. On those rare occasions when the product is good, fans DO come, but that's become a rarity. No, we won't automatically fill WW, but we can do much, much better than we have...

I totally agree, speaking as an admittedly fair-weather fan. To me it's a combination of the draw - are we going to even compete? not turn the ball over constantly? - and barriers to entry, literally. The renovation killed the atmosphere and the no re-entry policy killed tailgates except for those hardcore fans that buy 2 tickets to every game. And don't even get me started on the promotions fiascos of the recent years. Oh and the food sucks.

At this point I may attend tailgates and not games just to see and catch up with old friends, but have no desire to go into the stadium until and if the above are improved.