FB: Duke 45, NC A&T 17 (Friday 9/10/2021, 8 pm, ACCN)

[devilirium]

Line is 21.5 on SBR’s book.

[paris95]

For those of you who don't read the front page.

https://www.dukebasketballreport.com...-duke-football

Any injuries of note coming out of the first game? How's Bobo? Will we get Gary Smith back this week? Could have used him in there last week.

[PDDuke85]

Any injuries of note coming out of the first game? How's Bobo? Will we get Gary Smith back this week? Could have used him in there last week.

I believe Cut mentioned Matt Smith from a non contact injury. No diagnosis given but Cut sounded pessimistic. Did I hear correctly, Jim?

[jimsumner]

I believe Cut mentioned Matt Smith from a non contact injury. No diagnosis given but Cut sounded pessimistic. Did I hear correctly, Jim?

Yes, very pessimistic on Matt Smith. He's a backup tight end. Duke didn't get much from that group last Friday. A chance for Cole Finney to step up and make a positive impression.

Jack Wohlabaugh came out of his first game in almost two years hale and hearty. No undue soreness and he did scrimmage today.

[CameronBornAndBred]

It’s a new week so time to move on to the Friday night matchup against NC A&T. Discuss the game here. Will we see adjustments and improved performance?

I'm guessing that both your questions are answered in the affirmative. If not, there will be nobody in the stands to watch us against Northwestern.
I've got no proof, but I can't imagine that both the film room and the locker room aren't both going to be energetic this week, and I think that will spill over on to the field come game time.

Unfortunately, Duke let this game get moved to a Friday night, and that was an absolutely horrible decision. All a Friday night does is guarantee less fans in the stands. Probably the powers that be assumed we'd be going in 1-0, and because of that, now they will have even less people due to a natural lack of enthusiasm.

I'll be there though, and honestly I'm going to be excited to see a game that isn't a blowout. I do expect us to win, but I don't think that the stadium will be empty going into the 4th quarter.

[Dr. Maturin]

Better to have the game on Friday night than Saturday at noon in the heat, I suppose. The students generally do come out better for night games.

Here's something to note. The last two home games Duke played in 2019 had the two lowest crowds of the entire Cutcliffe era - 16,286 against Syracuse and 15,913 against Miami. When A&T came to Durham that year the crown was an excellent 38,313 - as I recall the Aggies brought a lot more fans than any FCS team I've seen at Wallace Wade.

Anyway, I'll be there. Hopefully we can work some kinks out and things will look brighter ahead of the Northwestern game.

[thedukeman]

I am fairly certain he is making fun of the people who were bragging about bets in the Charlotte pre-game thread.

LOL I'm too dense. I even put a hefty $15 myself on the UNC charlotte game.

[arnie]

Better to have the game on Friday night than Saturday at noon in the heat, I suppose. The students generally do come out better for night games.

Here's something to note. The last two home games Duke played in 2019 had the two lowest crowds of the entire Cutcliffe era - 16,286 against Syracuse and 15,913 against Miami. When A&T came to Durham that year the crown was an excellent 38,313 - as I recall the Aggies brought a lot more fans than any FCS team I've seen at Wallace Wade.

Anyway, I'll be there. Hopefully we can work some kinks out and things will look brighter ahead of the Northwestern game.

Hey, we are a football school. First 3 and 5 of first 8 threads on the Duke Basketball Report forum are about football. Exciting times🤭

[TheTrain]

Unfortunately, Duke let this game get moved to a Friday night, and that was an absolutely horrible decision. All a Friday night does is guarantee less fans in the stands. Probably the powers that be assumed we'd be going in 1-0, and because of that, now they will have even less people due to a natural lack of enthusiasm.

There is no good reason to play this game at noon in the September heat

Night games are more fun regardless of the day of the week

Honestly, if we never played a game before 4 pm that’s fine by me

There is ZERO atmosphere for a noon game

[CameronBornAndBred]

There is no good reason to play this game at noon in the September heat

Night games are more fun regardless of the day of the week

Honestly, if we never played a game before 4 pm that’s fine by me

There is ZERO atmosphere for a noon game

They are more fun to watch from the comfort of your TV, but for folks that make a trip to Durham that can involve a few hours long drive there and back, a weekday is not convenient. For that reason alone, there will be less fans in the stands this Friday night than there would be if it were on a Saturday.

[Acymetric]

They are more fun to watch from the comfort of your TV, but for folks that make a trip to Durham that can involve a few hours long drive there and back, a weekday is not convenient. For that reason alone, there will be less fans in the stands this Friday night than there would be if it were on a Saturday.

Gonna be honest, I don't think game times are going to impact attendance much this year. Attendance is going to be sparse, barring a large contingent of visiting fans (which we may well get again from A&T). I agree that a weekday is not convenient for anyone coming from out of town, but as a local I'll agree with the other poster that Friday evening is better than noon Saturday: Saturday Evening > Saturday Afternoon (~3:30) > Friday Night > Saturday noon.

If I'm watching from home I actually prefer noon games. Get it over with so I can go on about my day. In-person, the atmosphere at a football game is just so much better under the lights.

[uh_no]

Gonna be honest, I don't think game times are going to impact attendance much this year. Attendance is going to be sparse

Given the direction things were going, I'm not sure much of that crowd is ever coming back. unfortunatly COVID will have been the impetus for people to no longer attend games in general.

[Acymetric]

Given the direction things were going, I'm not sure much of that crowd is ever coming back. unfortunatly COVID will have been the impetus for people to no longer attend games in general.

Just in case it wasn't clear, I was expecting the sparse attendance because of COVID related issues not on-field performance (although it is now exacerbated by what looks to be a fairly bleak season).

[uh_no]

Just in case it wasn't clear, I was expecting the sparse attendance because of COVID related issues not on-field performance (although it is now exacerbated by what looks to be a fairly bleak season).

sure. I'm just suggesting that even post-covid, and with a decent team, we may not climb to whatever numbers we got too in cut's couple of really good years. People are creatures of habit, and attendance was lagging nationwide. People are/were finding other things to replace football fandom, and I expect covid hastened that for some subset that will simply never return.

[arnie]

sure. I'm just suggesting that even post-covid, and with a decent team, we may not climb to whatever numbers we got too in cut's couple of really good years. People are creatures of habit, and attendance was lagging nationwide. People are/were finding other things to replace football fandom, and I expect covid hastened that for some subset that will simply never return.

Do you forecast the same Duke and other attendance outcomes for b-ball games played inside this winter?

[chrishoke]

sure. I'm just suggesting that even post-covid, and with a decent team, we may not climb to whatever numbers we got too in cut's couple of really good years. People are creatures of habit, and attendance was lagging nationwide. People are/were finding other things to replace football fandom, and I expect covid hastened that for some subset that will simply never return.

Plus Duke's loyal fanbase, me included, is quickly aging out.

[Acymetric]

Plus Duke's loyal fanbase, me included, is quickly aging out.

Same is true for donors who care about football...

[uh_no]

Do you forecast the same Duke and other attendance outcomes for b-ball games played inside this winter?

coach k's last year, i think, came at an ideal time from that perspective.

In either case, the demand for duke bball would still be high enough to sell out even if there were a decrease in interested attendees.

[rtnorthrup]

My prediction- the Mataeo Durant Heisman train picks up steam Friday night.

[budwom]

My prediction- the Mataeo Durant Heisman train picks up steam Friday night.

Our man Mataeo is going to find the going tough if we can't put together a more threatening air game.