Duke Football Staff Watch 2021

[Phredd3]

It has shifted the meaning, no doubt. In fact - in an earlier post, someone asked what was meant by "pro style" - and I did respond that it is an evolving answer, changing all the time, because football at every level is changing all the time. It has been quite a while since pro style meant "power I" or anything like that. It is a fact that the pros use a lower percentage of shotgun, lower percentage of spread or other 3,4 WR formations, lower percentage of RPO type motion, than the college game does...and is certainly more conservative and less wide open in a general over all sense.

Therefore I think it was reasonable to read some "conservatism" and "traditionalism" into Elko's comment.

You must have watched a different press conference than I did. Right before the "pro-style" phrase, he said this:

"We're going to run a multiple offensive system that really allows us to utilize who we are. We're going to be able to bring in kids who have a very high football IQ. We're gonna wanna make sure that we're adapting this system to them to give them some freedom and flexibility to make sure that we're running the right plays at the right times against the right looks...maybe create a more pro-style mentality."

I took "pro-style" to essentially just mean the ability to run more complicated, difficult-to-learn schemes and to adapt them on the fly. Earlier in the presser he set a pretty high store on the academic part of the Duke brand, and I took this comment to mean exactly the opposite of "conservative and traditional". I heard as meaning we're going to be as flexible as possible on offense to try to confuse opposing defenses, and take advantage of the fact that Duke can attract athletes who can learn more complexities than your average team.

[OldPhiKap]

You must have watched a different press conference than I did. Right before the "pro-style" phrase, he said this:


I took "pro-style" to essentially just mean the ability to run more complicated, difficult-to-learn schemes and to adapt them on the fly. Earlier in the presser he set a pretty high store on the academic part of the Duke brand, and I took this comment to mean exactly the opposite of "conservative and traditional". I heard as meaning we're going to be as flexible as possible on offense to try to confuse opposing defenses, and take advantage of the fact that Duke can attract athletes who can learn more complexities than your average team.

Yup.

He also said that there are seasons we’ll be better at running so will run more, some we’re better at a different style so we’ll do that. He sounds flexible to maximize the talent he has. And yes, he emphasized the intelligence of the players as an asset.

[OldPhiKap]

Lyle Hemphill from Wake is our new safeties’ coach, and Elko’s first hire.

https://goduke.com/news/2021/12/19/f...ies-coach.aspx

Hemphill was the Deac’s DC. We must be throwing top money around (which is good by me).

Elko and Lyle worked together at Hofstra in the late aughts.

Welcome, Coach Hemphill!

[Acymetric]

Love it. History with Elko, history with NC, history with the ACC, history with football at a small private school. Apparently Wake fans were not thrilled with his performance as DC but his reputation as a safeties coach was excellent (which is how he got the DC job to begin with). Even if his seat at Wake was hot grabbing a P5 coordinator from a peer school to be a position coach is nothing short of a huge win.

Welcome to Duke Coach Hemphill!

[Bob Green]

This seems to be a good first addition to the coaching staff. With it being a defensive position coach, I suspect the DC is already identified just not announced.

[OldPhiKap]

This seems to be a good first addition to the coaching staff. With it being a defensive position coach, I suspect the DC is already identified just not announced.

Agreed. Which makes sense if the DC’s current team still has a bowl game to play.

[PDDuke85]

Agreed. Which makes sense if the DC’s current team still has a bowl game to play.

I believe that to be the Gator Bowl. Texas A&M VS Wake Forest. I’m convinced our new DC comes from that game. More? Stay tuned.

[OldPhiKap]

I believe that to be the Gator Bowl. Texas A&M VS Wake Forest. I’m convinced our new DC comes from that game. More? Stay tuned.

Would love this to be correct. Elijah Robinson knows his stuff.

[Acymetric]

I think Robinson could be a good hire (supposed to be a dynamite recruiter as well) but I'm not quite as certain as you guys that we're going to opt for someone with no DC experience.

[PDDuke85]

I think Robinson could be a good hire (supposed to be a dynamite recruiter as well) but I'm not quite as certain as you guys that we're going to opt for someone with no DC experience.

As was mentioned up thread, Coach Robinson would have the expertise of 2 former DC’s already on staff. His success as a recruiter, his success with defensive line coaching, plus, like Mike Elko, it’s his time.

[HoKogan]

So the OC for UVA left, I wonder would be interested in him. They ran an exciting offense even if the defense couldn't stop anyone.

[PDDuke85]

https://twitter.com/adamrowetdd/stat...560246279?s=21

Wrong, again

Welcome to Duke, Coach Smith

[CameronBornAndBred]

It is a confusing hire. Can't tell if he was fired by Rutgers, simply not renewed by them, or if he told them Duke is gonna hire him, maybe in hopes of leverage, and they said "ok, have a nice trip." Whatever transpired, it went down quick, and as far as how Rutgers seems to be framing it, they are leaning more towards the "Seeeya" side.

https://www.onthebanks.com/2021/12/2...tor-at-rutgers

[sagegrouse]

https://twitter.com/adamrowetdd/stat...560246279?s=21

Wrong, again

Welcome to Duke, Coach Smith

The new Duke DC is Robb Smith, currently defensive coordinator at Rutgers. He spent a year working with Mike Elko at A&M.

[Acymetric]

Someone on TDD noted that all three members of our current staff so far were calling plays for P5 defenses last year.

[polaremu]

Someone on TDD noted that all three members of our current staff so far were calling plays for P5 defenses last year.

Yeah, I hadn't really thought about Smith as a possibility, but there's definitely a lot of defensive experience on the staff now and he's got the background to help lay the groundwork as the program heads in a new direction. I probably would have preferred someone with more of a recruiting reputation, which is why I was hoping for Robinson, but Smith seems like a solid hire and I'm excited to see some defensive improvement next year given these hires.

[OldPhiKap]

And with Robinson not coming, I hope we keep Ben Albert for D-Line.

[hallcity]

The new Duke DC is Robb Smith, currently defensive coordinator at Rutgers. He spent a year working with Mike Elko at A&M.

Rutgers didn't renew his contract. Was that before or after Duke made an offer?

[Acymetric]

Yeah, I hadn't really thought about Smith as a possibility, but there's definitely a lot of defensive experience on the staff now and he's got the background to help lay the groundwork as the program heads in a new direction. I probably would have preferred someone with more of a recruiting reputation, which is why I was hoping for Robinson, but Smith seems like a solid hire and I'm excited to see some defensive improvement next year given these hires.

I didn't (still don't) know much about Smith either. Neither of these defensive hires has me jumping out of my seat with excitement, but you've probably got 2 full seasons before I start to question the way Elko chooses to assemble the staff on the defensive side. I'm confident that I don't know that much about who is good at coaching defenses, and that Elko knows how he wants things run on that side of the ball.

Happy to have Coach Smith and Coach Hemphill on board, and really​ looking forward to starting to see some offensive names start to roll in (but of course I'm fine with patiently waiting until after bowl season).

[cato]

It is a confusing hire. Can't tell if he was fired by Rutgers, simply not renewed by them, or if he told them Duke is gonna hire him, maybe in hopes of leverage, and they said "ok, have a nice trip." Whatever transpired, it went down quick, and as far as how Rutgers seems to be framing it, they are leaning more towards the "Seeeya" side.

https://www.onthebanks.com/2021/12/2...tor-at-rutgers

Maybe Elko was looking for someone with specific experience to match Duke’s defensive strategy:

The Scarlet Knights finished 11th in the Big Ten in total defense this season. They allowed 24.6 points per game, which was fifth most in the conference. Rutgers struggled against the run allowing 162.9 yards per game, which was second most in the conference.

;-)