Renfree to Duke!

[Clipsfan]

Excellent! Strong Quarterbacking is absolutely critical for college football success. This news suggests great improvement at the position from what we've seen for quite some time. I expect (and suspect) that he'll play significant minutes very soon.

But one player is only a start. Cutcliffe and crew need to start laying in successive classes of nationally prominent players. Success breeds success. Let's hope that Renfree is the igniter.

Didn't Lewis do a good job for us this past season? Are you suggesting that Renfree will leapfrog him?

[Acymetric]

Didn't Lewis do a good job for us this past season? Are you suggesting that Renfree will leapfrog him?

I think he was getting at being an "igniter" as far as recruiting success, not actual field success. There are several players this year that I think will help push Duke up, with Thad being one of them. I also wish that Thad and Lewis weren't in the same class, because I think both of them would be good contributors, they can't both be full time starters.

[wilson]

I think he was getting at being an "igniter" as far as recruiting success, not actual field success. There are several players this year that I think will help push Duke up, with Thad being one of them. I also wish that Thad and Lewis weren't in the same class, because I think both of them would be good contributors, they can't both be full time starters.

Aren't "Thad" and "Lewis" the same person? Do you mean Thad and Zack?

And yes, I agree that people are excited at the prospect of Renfree being that "igniter," though he should eventually be pretty darn good on the field too. We've talked for quite some time now about finding the "Johnny Dawkins of Duke football." Just maybe Renfree will be the one.

[formerdukeathlete]

i hadn't heard that. I heard that track was there and will stay there (from Bob Harris). Also, that's a heck of an investment since it was only a handful of years ago they just dug the whole field up to redo it (when they found the original drainage pipes in all the dirt (not sand)).

imho, they need to take the idea of the president's box and wrap it around the other side of the stadium so there's a bit of a canopy there and you can do boxes/suites without having to build a huge building on the east side. if and when we get to the point that it's necessary, THEN build that building and redo the pressbox on the west side as well (poor finch-yeager). that would improve the stadium, give box/club seat revenue and be a less expensive option so the concourse can be gutted and made manageable. putting a huge new building up at the east gate is a boondoggle as far as i'm concerned. betterto wait on that and ring the edge of a new & improved concourse with better concessions and what not.

id' also (as a grad/fan) prefer not to see the concourse become what has happened in the newer major league baseball stadiums where they have carousels and swimming pools and the like. we should get to the point where the team/game is the attraction, not side things. and i think coach cutcliffe can get us there.

just my $0.02.

The concourse redo is not ornate.

The Iron Duke building can house addtional football facilities.

This building (proposed) is not that large, and the suites really help in the revenue department.

As long as the concessions and bathrooms are built to overcapacity, then I think the whole thing works, as planned, in stages.

I submit that the single most important thing regarding getting fans excitedly back into the game would be to bring fans right up to the field. 3 BCS schools have tracks separating the field from the fans. Kansas, Washington and Duke. Washington is planning, right now, to get rid of the track. Kansas has no immediate plans. Many, many schools have expanded stadiums and improved viewing experiences in this fashion.

When Duke is winning, we will be able to draw 45k for a game. Removing the track will allow for such expanded capacity without disturbing anything along the concourse. It would be brilliant, IMO, all things considered.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Not so fast there!! VO was a HUGE get for Duke. He was one of the TOP DT in the country. And given that Duke already has a decent QB, I would say getting another VO in these years class would be just as impressive as signing Renfree (although we do need at least 1-2 more QBs besides Lewis and Renfree)

Getting Renfree is huge too. But it's probably not going to have a HUGE quick impact . For one reason, T Lewis ain't too shabby. And another is that a true freshman rarely does well in college football.

You are absolutely right! Vince was a huge recruit (pardon the pun) not only because of his ranking when he chose Duke, but also because his signing opened the door to the Nigerian community.... a great potential source of outstanding recruits whose families want a good education to go along with the football scholarship.

[jjasper0729]

The concourse redo is not ornate.

good to know

The Iron Duke building can house addtional football facilities.

does that mean the practically brand new Yoh center is already obsolete?

This building (proposed) is not that large, and the suites really help in the revenue department.

but taking the president's box and enclosing the top half of it while leaving the bottom half "open" yet blocked off to a degree (as it is now) and expanding that concept all the way around the stadium would do the same thing in creating the suites that a new building would do while making the stadium more cozy. THEN if it's warranted, lowering the field, removing the track and adding more seats. as someone with seats in row c, sitting that close to the field, while exciting, is hard to see to a degree with the players right there on the sidelines.

As long as the concessions and bathrooms are built to overcapacity, then I think the whole thing works, as planned, in stages.

stages are good.

I submit that the single most important thing regarding getting fans excitedly back into the game would be to bring fans right up to the field. 3 BCS schools have tracks separating the field from the fans. Kansas, Washington and Duke. Washington is planning, right now, to get rid of the track. Kansas has no immediate plans. Many, many schools have expanded stadiums and improved viewing experiences in this fashion.

When Duke is winning, we will be able to draw 45k for a game. Removing the track will allow for such expanded capacity without disturbing anything along the concourse. It would be brilliant, IMO, all things considered.

then do we put in hedges a-la kenan stadium? I'd rather have the concourse sparkling as a nice thoroughfare/plaza with overcapacity concessions/restrooms and the bare concrete wall in front of the Yoh Center cleaned up as well. The track, right now really doesn't bother me as you're really as close as you can get anyway to the field without dropping it.

[formerdukeathlete]

does that mean the practically brand new Yoh center is already obsolete?

but taking the president's box and enclosing the top half of it while leaving the bottom half "open" yet blocked off to a degree (as it is now) and expanding that concept all the way around the stadium would do the same thing in creating the suites that a new building would do while making the stadium more cozy. THEN if it's warranted, lowering the field, removing the track and adding more seats. as someone with seats in row c, sitting that close to the field, while exciting, is hard to see to a degree with the players right there on the sidelines.

IMO, the Iron Duke Building to house suites, including a new President's suite, is the second best idea, next to removing the track, lowering and bringing seats to the field. The Iron Duke Building adds symmetry, heigth, as well as suites in which catered food and adult beverages may be served to folks, guests of companies who will pay top dollar to rent the suites. The expanded President box idea you suggest does not give us the same amenities, nor the same opportunities for revenue (top revenue per seat).

What is planned when lowering the field is that the seats would still be 6 to 10 feet above the field. You won't be blocked from the action by players or what is going on in the sidelines. Check out a number of even brand new stadiums (designed from the ground up) with seating right up to the field, such as Stanford Stadium and Gillette Stadium (NE Patriots). The lowest row, closest to the field, is raised above the field sufficiently to ensure an unobstructed view.

Re Yoh - it is not obsolete. We could use more space, expanded facilities for strength and conditioning. The Iron Duke Building could offer such a dual-purpose. Parts of the building would be used year round.

[johnb]

Very old news, but DeMarcus would likely have been a higher rated quarterback than anyone aside from Paulus--if he'd played fooball all the way through high school. As a part-time starter, he threw for 1700 yards and 27 touchdowns. And that was as a freshman.

[Devil07]

I also think getting rid of the track can only help when selling recruits. Since practically no other schools still have a track, having one in Wallace Wade would stand out; and not in a good way. Recruits want to feel like they're playing big time college football, and I don't think the track says that.

[Acymetric]

Aren't "Thad" and "Lewis" the same person? Do you mean Thad and Zack?

And yes, I agree that people are excited at the prospect of Renfree being that "igniter," though he should eventually be pretty darn good on the field too. We've talked for quite some time now about finding the "Johnny Dawkins of Duke football." Just maybe Renfree will be the one.

Oops...caught me. I guess this is why I need more than 5 hours of sleep...but then I'd have to go to bed by 2...I wonder how many points I've lost on tests doing that...but yeah. Thad and Zack. Thanks.

[Papa John]

Did I miss something? Isn't Thad still around and have 2 years of eligibility left? Wouldn't he be our starter next season? I think he has played pretty well given the circumstances. I saw Renfree was thinking about Red-shirting, but then wouldn't it still be another year on the bench?

Your recruiting goal should be to bring in one desired quarterback recruit a year... Not all prospects pan out at the position, so sometimes guys will move to another position (or transfer)... You also never know when an injury is going to hit, so you want one or two capable starters backing up your go-to guy... Young players need time to learn, so ideally you want to be able to let incoming frosh take it slow, learn the playbook, and get their sea legs before throwing them to the wolves... Finally, you want as much competition as possible, so that your QB recruits are pushing one another to improve...

[OrangeDevil]

Didn't Lewis do a good job for us this past season? Are you suggesting that Renfree will leapfrog him?

Yes, not immediately. But I am not impressed by Lewis. He's small, without much quickness and mobility, and lacks the arm strength and accuracy to be successful in the pass happy offense Cutcliffe is sure to install. Conversely, Renfree is a strong-armed passer big enough to see downfield and with decent footspeed.I really don't believe that he'll be redshirted unless the quarterback situation is solidified very early. In fact, I think Asack, with his mobility and running ability, is more promising than Lewis. Could be wrong, but I'm betting that if Lewis falters early Cutcliffe will allow Renfree to make some mistakes and perhaps takes some lumps in an attempt to bring him along more quickly. As I've said earlier, next season's pre-conference schedule is crucial. If Lewis or Asack don't execute, Renfree will come in. He is a much more skilled passer that the incumbent(s), all that he lacks is experience and there's only one way to get it.

Renfree is the first legit quarterback prospect to sign with Duke in a long time. He seems to be the face and future of Duke football and I'm predicting that future, i.e. with Renfree on the field, will come sooner than others on this board seem to think.

[jlear]

Jordon Byas turns down offers from Clemson and Mississippi to play for Duke.

From Scout.com
"A very talented safety prospect, who also plays wide receiver, Byas missed pretty much all of his junior season because of a torn ACL. He put his name on the map with an impressive sophomore season, however, and will be a Division 1 recruit for the Class of 2008."
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 190 40: 4.52

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Jordon Byas turns down offers from Clemson and Mississippi to play for Duke.

From Scout.com
"A very talented safety prospect, who also plays wide receiver, Byas missed pretty much all of his junior season because of a torn ACL. He put his name on the map with an impressive sophomore season, however, and will be a Division 1 recruit for the Class of 2008."
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 190 40: 4.52

Excellent! The defensive backfield was already a strong point for this year's class and this makes it even better. Can't wait for these guys to officially sign next week (Feb. 6)!

[formerdukeathlete]

Yes, not immediately. But I am not impressed by Lewis. He's small, without much quickness and mobility, and lacks the arm strength and accuracy to be successful in the pass happy offense Cutcliffe is sure to install. Conversely, Renfree is a strong-armed passer big enough to see downfield and with decent footspeed.I really don't believe that he'll be redshirted unless the quarterback situation is solidified very early. In fact, I think Asack, with his mobility and running ability, is more promising than Lewis. Could be wrong, but I'm betting that if Lewis falters early Cutcliffe will allow Renfree to make some mistakes and perhaps takes some lumps in an attempt to bring him along more quickly. As I've said earlier, next season's pre-conference schedule is crucial. If Lewis or Asack don't execute, Renfree will come in. He is a much more skilled passer that the incumbent(s), all that he lacks is experience and there's only one way to get it.

Renfree is the first legit quarterback prospect to sign with Duke in a long time. He seems to be the face and future of Duke football and I'm predicting that future, i.e. with Renfree on the field, will come sooner than others on this board seem to think.

Ozzie, Jason and I were among the few on the boards mentioning last season that Asack should be given more pt, in order to shake things up, and possibly avoid sacks and other misreads and mistakes by our QB. Most posters overlooked that Lewis' play deteriorated as last season went on, maintaining that he was the future.

We forgot that Asack and Delle Donne for that matter had been higher rated Qbs coming out of high school, and that Asack had a pretty darn good 2005.

I think your assessment about TL's potential versus Asack's and Renfree's, for example, and what might happen with qb play next season, is spot on. Lewis has good arm strength. Accuracy has been an issue, particularly on shorter routes where this is more important than the zing a qb puts on a ball. Du82 on these boards had a couple of posts last season about Lewis missing shorter throws by wide margins. I think you do that in a game with Cut and another qb will get some pt - immediately.

[killerleft]

Sean Renfree is a great recruit for Duke. But I wouldn't write off Thad Lewis just yet. After all, he IS on a pace to threaten career Duke passing records. And with the coaching insights from Cut and his staff, there is no telling how much improvement he may show by 1st game next year. And what's supposed to be the problem with his arm strength? I think his arm strength is a plus!

Coach Cut will certainly help Thad in the mental parts of his game, which is where he needs help, in my opinion. If he can automatically do what he has had to think about for a split-second in the past, he becomes a 1st-flight quarterback.

Asack is no slouch, either. He may give Lewis a big run for the spot. He certainly showed promise early.

I hope Coach redshirts Renfree.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Sean Renfree is a great recruit for Duke. But I wouldn't write off Thad Lewis just yet. After all, he IS on a pace to threaten career Duke passing records. And with the coaching insights from Cut and his staff, there is no telling how much improvement he may show by 1st game next year. And what's supposed to be the problem with his arm strength? I think his arm strength is a plus!

Coach Cut will certainly help Thad in the mental parts of his game, which is where he needs help, in my opinion. If he can automatically do what he has had to think about for a split-second in the past, he becomes a 1st-flight quarterback.

Asack is no slouch, either. He may give Lewis a big run for the spot. He certainly showed promise early.

I hope Coach redshirts Renfree.

What a wonderful prospect to have THREE good quarterbacks.... even if one is red shirted!

[Acymetric]

Yes, not immediately. But I am not impressed by Lewis. He's small, without much quickness and mobility, and lacks the arm strength and accuracy to be successful in the pass happy offense Cutcliffe is sure to install. Conversely, Renfree is a strong-armed passer big enough to see downfield and with decent footspeed.I really don't believe that he'll be redshirted unless the quarterback situation is solidified very early. In fact, I think Asack, with his mobility and running ability, is more promising than Lewis. Could be wrong, but I'm betting that if Lewis falters early Cutcliffe will allow Renfree to make some mistakes and perhaps takes some lumps in an attempt to bring him along more quickly. As I've said earlier, next season's pre-conference schedule is crucial. If Lewis or Asack don't execute, Renfree will come in. He is a much more skilled passer that the incumbent(s), all that he lacks is experience and there's only one way to get it.

Renfree is the first legit quarterback prospect to sign with Duke in a long time. He seems to be the face and future of Duke football and I'm predicting that future, i.e. with Renfree on the field, will come sooner than others on this board seem to think.

I would hesitate to have him "take lumps" his freshman year. He IS going to be the face of Duke football soon, but it would make more sense give him a year to get ready, which would also give the team a year to get better.

Ozzie, Jason and I were among the few on the boards mentioning last season that Asack should be given more pt, in order to shake things up, and possibly avoid sacks and other misreads and mistakes by our QB. Most posters overlooked that Lewis' play deteriorated as last season went on, maintaining that he was the future.

We forgot that Asack and Delle Donne for that matter had been higher rated Qbs coming out of high school, and that Asack had a pretty darn good 2005.

I think your assessment about TL's potential versus Asack's and Renfree's, for example, and what might happen with qb play next season, is spot on. Lewis has good arm strength. Accuracy has been an issue, particularly on shorter routes where this is more important than the zing a qb puts on a ball. Du82 on these boards had a couple of posts last season about Lewis missing shorter throws by wide margins. I think you do that in a game with Cut and another qb will get some pt - immediately.

As for Thad's play deteriating, is it possible that this was because we could quite literally only pass? I mean sure, they'd try to run twice before they put in in the air, but teams didn't need to stack the line to stop our run, so they could pretty much play pass on every down and be safe. Plus, in games I saw we'd run it on two downs and gain maybe a yard. Even great QB's can't convert 3rd and 9 every time, you have to give him SOMETHING. He's on pace to set a bunch of records, and with Cutcliffe his interceptions and sacks should go down, and his accuracy should go up. Will Thad get beat out his senior year by a redshirt freshman Renfree? Possibly. Maybe probably. And that'll be fine. But at least let him show what he can do under a good coach. (If you're convinced that Roof was a good coach, admit that he wasn't a good offensive coach, which is all that matters when it comes to QB performance. Vaas was no help, as far as I could tell).

[formerdukeathlete]

I would hesitate to have him "take lumps" his freshman year. He IS going to be the face of Duke football soon, but it would make more sense give him a year to get ready, which would also give the team a year to get better.

As for Thad's play deteriating, is it possible that this was because we could quite literally only pass? I mean sure, they'd try to run twice before they put in in the air, but teams didn't need to stack the line to stop our run, so they could pretty much play pass on every down and be safe. Plus, in games I saw we'd run it on two downs and gain maybe a yard. Even great QB's can't convert 3rd and 9 every time, you have to give him SOMETHING. He's on pace to set a bunch of records, and with Cutcliffe his interceptions and sacks should go down, and his accuracy should go up. Will Thad get beat out his senior year by a redshirt freshman Renfree? Possibly. Maybe probably. And that'll be fine. But at least let him show what he can do under a good coach.

I am in the "Zack is better than many think" and "Thad is not head and shoulders above anybody" camps, for sure. I like the way Zack moved the ball against UNC and Notre Dame (albeit when we and ND had second and third stringers in the game). He has good vision (he is about 6'4"), good mobility, good speed. Thad has the better arm strength (I would say accuracy short to mid is not better than Asack), but less mobility, and struggles within the pocket. Part of this is due to his height (which is really about 6' even). I am not sure Cut changes the core strengths and weaknesses of each of these guys.

Now, Renfree - he is actually quite mobile. One rating service commented that his mobility was an issue. What they neglected to mention was that Renfree played with a broken foot all season. Renfree is almost as fast as Asack, almost as tall (he really is 6'2.5"), and his arm is more accurate as well as stronger than either Lewis or Asack, not to mention that quick Joe Namath release.

My prediction - and this depends as other posters have mentioned on how well Lewis and Asack do next season, is that as soon as Renfree plays, if it is between Lewis and himself, he will emerge quickly as the starter. Asack may surprise under Cut's system. That aside, Renfree has incredible potential.

[buddy]

Jordon Byas turns down offers from Clemson and Mississippi to play for Duke.

From Scout.com
"A very talented safety prospect, who also plays wide receiver, Byas missed pretty much all of his junior season because of a torn ACL. He put his name on the map with an impressive sophomore season, however, and will be a Division 1 recruit for the Class of 2008."
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 190 40: 4.52

This is more like it. We need to compete with Clemson and Mississippi, and not Georgia Southern and Western Carolina, for recruits. I think this is what Cut will do for us. And I have faith that with decent athletes, he will produce much better results.