FB: Duke 27, Kansas 35

[devilirium]

I think the better team won, but Duke is closer than I thought they'd be. This Kansas team will probably be in the top 25 this week and spend most of the season hanging around the fringes of the top 25.

Duke's D needs to be better. There were way too many missed tackles and wide open receivers. QB pressure was pretty weak sauce but that might be more of a reflection on Kansas' QB.

Duke seems to have a good offense though the play calling was too conservative for much of the game. Duke faced too many 3rd and longs.

Gonna need to recruit our way out of it as always. The development will be there.

[Wander]

I'd put the o/u at 1.5 wins

No way. The O/U on Virginia, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, and BC alone is 2 more wins. UNC and Miami will be unlikely wins but not impossible. Pitt and Wake I agree will be very tough. So I think the O/U on wins for us on the season right now is 5.5, or 2.5 more wins.

[HayYou]

Two things:

a) I think getting 0-fered in the ACC this year and with our schedule is very unlikely.
b) Real trouble is relative. If we don't win another game, we're already ahead of last year. If we don't win another game, but are competitive in all or most of them, we're still pretty far ahead of last year.

We're only four games into the Elko era. I don't think we should completely reset the bar just yet. We should have expectations, yes, but modest ones. A bowl this season is gravy. I like gravy. But I live on what's underneath the gravy.

WFU might O-fer us. When it matters. We might tack on a few late scores once it is over. I'd love to be wrong, but I don't think so. WFU is really good this year. Clemson is on the verge of being one of the elite 5-6 teams this year (I think it is a top 2 with OSU on the fringe of being top 3) and WFU is just below that.

[Devilsforlife]

The Coastal and BC are terrible this year. I would be very disappointed if we don’t win at least 2-3 ACC games.

[HayYou]

The Coastal and BC are terrible this year. I would be very disappointed if we don’t win at least 2-3 ACC games.

If we don't win 2 ACC games this year, vs our schedule, Duke is in far worse shape than we thought.

[jafarr1]

WFU might O-fer us. When it matters. We might tack on a few late scores once it is over. I'd love to be wrong, but I don't think so. WFU is really good this year. Clemson is on the verge of being one of the elite 5-6 teams this year (I think it is a top 2 with OSU on the fringe of being top 3) and WFU is just below that.

I'm personally not buying Clemson in the top 6. I feel they've dropped a tier in recent years. That said, Wake is very good, and almost certainly a loss for us, especially given that Clawson will have his relationship with Elko and playing for a better bowl to help focus the team for their regular season finale.

But there are some not-good ACC teams on our schedule. BC, GT, UVa and Va Tech are all winnable games for us.

I just hope we have the depth to manage injuries and knocks this season. Might take another year or two to get there.

[duke09hms]

KS should finish in the middle of the Big 12 if Daniels stays healthy. He really is the difference for them between a 1-2 win season and 7-9. We don't have to face that type of individual talent the rest of the year.



Bronco said in his postgame last year he was surprised by the--cough--margin. I wouldn't read anything into last year's game. The current UVA team has flipped its MO from last year's version with a lot of the same personnel (e.g QB). The line isn't out yet, but Sagarin would favor Duke solely because we're playing at home.

That mental edge of UVA > Duke was solely down to Bronco owning Cut year after year (undefeated I think). Both those coaches are thankfully out, so we actually have a chance this year.
Big game this Saturday!

[budwom]

That mental edge of UVA > Duke was solely down to Bronco owning Cut year after year (undefeated I think). Both those coaches are thankfully out, so we actually have a chance this year.
Big game this Saturday!

I think Bronco called our offensive plays vs Cut...woeful mismatch.

[peloton]

That mental edge of UVA > Duke was solely down to Bronco owning Cut year after year (undefeated I think). Both those coaches are thankfully out, so we actually have a chance this year.
Big game this Saturday!

Yes, it's a very big game. Let's get back on the winning track and regain some momentum heading deeper into our ACC schedule. With a little luck, minimal injuries, and some improved play, we should surprise some team(s).

[HereBeforeCoachK]

If we don't win 2 ACC games this year, vs our schedule, Duke is in far worse shape than we thought.

Or, in my mind, as bad as I thought. That said, I think we do win 2-3 ACC games this year. Unless Kansas, West Virginia and Houston are freaking terrible...we compare favorably against several in the ACC.

[HayYou]

I'm personally not buying Clemson in the top 6. I feel they've dropped a tier in recent years. That said, Wake is very good, and almost certainly a loss for us, especially given that Clawson will have his relationship with Elko and playing for a better bowl to help focus the team for their regular season finale.

But there are some not-good ACC teams on our schedule. BC, GT, UVa and Va Tech are all winnable games for us.

I just hope we have the depth to manage injuries and knocks this season. Might take another year or two to get there.

Clemson HAS slipped a tier. A few years ago the top tier was, in order, Ala then Clem then OSU. Now it is UGA then Bama then OSU. I really think Clemson is in, and near the top of, that second tier below those top 3. But Clem is definitely in that 4-7/8 range. USC is ascending, but aren't there yet. Clemson is a little worse than they used to be while some ACC teams are better than they were.

But, rest assured, Clemson is really good. And Wake gave them a gam.

And, unfortunately, WFU will never ever ever take Duke lightly. They treat that as a huge rivalry. If Duke could get a WFU that took Duke lightly, we'd surprise them with a very close game, though probably a loss. But WFU will treat the Duke game like it is a huge game (and they'll be jockeying for a better bowl) and that bodes poorly for the devils.

I'm thrilled with how the team has looked so far. For a variety of reasons. But WFU is a really good team. Barring some injuries by them they are just better right now.

[dukelifer]

If we don't win 2 ACC games this year, vs our schedule, Duke is in far worse shape than we thought.

Really? The experts predicted Duke with 3-4 wins. Teams are different once the ACC season starts.

[plimnko]

I think Bronco called our offensive plays vs Cut...woeful mismatch.

I'm not going to lie. I don't keep up with Duke football as much as I should. From my limited perspective, given what Elko inherited from Cut and what he's put together from late recruiting and the transfer portal, I'm pretty optimistic about this Duke team and the future Duke teams. Besides the players, Elko seems to have put together a nice staff. It's a totally different attitude from last few years.

[TruBlu]

Just an observation on my part, but there is a difference in the players’ attitude this year. It is even noticeable in the pregame warmups, which seem better organized. The players are engaged, spirited, and look like they are having fun. Previous years, it looked like they were going through the motions, IMHO.

[AustinDevil]

Gonna need to recruit AND PORTAL our way out of it as always. The development will be there.

Fify with the all caps (sorry for yelling; I didn’t see a boldface option). But it’s such a new world in the last 3-4 years, and finding the studs who are unhappy with their college choice but would thrive at Duke is critical. I trust, based partly on A&M/SEC experience and partly on this past offseason, that Coach Elko understands the key points.

[HayYou]

Fify with the all caps (sorry for yelling; I didn’t see a boldface option). But it’s such a new world in the last 3-4 years, and finding the studs who are unhappy with their college choice but would thrive at Duke is critical. I trust, based partly on A&M/SEC experience and partly on this past offseason, that Coach Elko understands the key points.

A real danger for Duke is some guys playing well for us and then transferring out this summer after some key guys at other programs go down with injury during spring ball.

A guy who shows real promise might decide to go to a better FB school to further his career or pro aspirations, or to just compete on a team that will go do good bowls every year.

Because of the hoops focus on this board, and amongst this fanbase, we view the transfer portal as either a boon or a mild annoyance. We see player that can help a lot come in, and guys we'd like to see develop (who ultimately play minor supporting roles) go out. So, it is a net positive. Though we are too nice to say it out loud, but I will, we mostly have experienced a transfer portal wherein guys who won't help much the coming season exit to make room for guys who can contribute a lot.

In FB the transfer portal might bone us. Hard. Guys who were underrecruited might decide to exit once it is clear they can play for better programs.

One wonders if Daniel Jones, who'd burned his RS year as a frosh, would have stuck around at Duke. Having to sit out that transfer year kept him at Duke. There are a few FB schools in the SEC or Big 12/10 might have come knocking if he could've transferred in with immediate eligibility. Some kid could come to Duke and be better than expected, and head to Auburn to shore up a weakness on a team that will play 2-4 huge games a year. It would help that kid go pro.

[cato]

Yes. The uva game is huge. Great opportunity to show we are not ACC doormats

Which makes me worried. UVA has owned Duke on the gridiron in recent years — and getting stomped by UVA could be a back breaker.

I am cautiously optimistic, but have been more concerned about UVA than Kansas or Northwestern for a while.

[Papa John]

A real danger for Duke is some guys playing well for us and then transferring out this summer after some key guys at other programs go down with injury during spring ball.

A guy who shows real promise might decide to go to a better FB school to further his career or pro aspirations, or to just compete on a team that will go do good bowls every year.

Because of the hoops focus on this board, and amongst this fanbase, we view the transfer portal as either a boon or a mild annoyance. We see player that can help a lot come in, and guys we'd like to see develop (who ultimately play minor supporting roles) go out. So, it is a net positive. Though we are too nice to say it out loud, but I will, we mostly have experienced a transfer portal wherein guys who won't help much the coming season exit to make room for guys who can contribute a lot.

In FB the transfer portal might bone us. Hard. Guys who were underrecruited might decide to exit once it is clear they can play for better programs.

One wonders if Daniel Jones, who'd burned his RS year as a frosh, would have stuck around at Duke. Having to sit out that transfer year kept him at Duke. There are a few FB schools in the SEC or Big 12/10 might have come knocking if he could've transferred in with immediate eligibility. Some kid could come to Duke and be better than expected, and head to Auburn to shore up a weakness on a team that will play 2-4 huge games a year. It would help that kid go pro.

I hear what you're saying, but the transfer portal swings both ways. If Elko carries the improvement we've seen all the way through to the end of the season, there will be talented players who aren't seeing the field at higher profile programs interested in transferring in (e.g. someone like Jeremy Cash). Further, if we go bowling this season (thus exceeding expectations), a lot of the talented guys on the squad who form the core of this turnaround might want to stay and see where they can take it from here. Clearly, we need to see how the rest of the season plays out.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

If we don't win 2 ACC games this year, vs our schedule, Duke is in far worse shape than we thought.

Worse shape than we thought when? At the end of last season? At the beginning of this season? Right before kickoff on Saturday?

I stated my benchmark for a successful season before the games started, and was just looking to be more competitive in our losses. Last year we got boatraced almost every single game. It was embarrassing.

This year, we only have one reference point for "competitive losses" so far, which is excellent. And with just over a minute to go we were trying to tie the game up. Can't as for more competitive in a loss.

Obviously W's and L's are important. But this team may not win another game this season and I wouldn't necessarily write it off as a huge disappointment if we can keep every game close.

[budwom]

I hear what you're saying, but the transfer portal swings both ways. If Elko carries the improvement we've seen all the way through to the end of the season, there will be talented players who aren't seeing the field at higher profile programs interested in transferring in (e.g. someone like Jeremy Cash). Further, if we go bowling this season (thus exceeding expectations), a lot of the talented guys on the squad who form the core of this turnaround might want to stay and see where they can take it from here. Clearly, we need to see how the rest of the season plays out.

I agree. I feel pretty confident that Duke will be net beneficiaries of the portal. The lads seem to like the way Elko is leading the program.