Bob, I just saw this article and it mentions a Houston offer. Who knows?
https://247sports.com/college/duke/A...fer-153110113/
"This is the best of all possible worlds."
Dr. Pangloss - Candide
recruits watch the games on TV and can assess much about the state of a program. The state of our program is not good.
This doesn't look promising
Adam Rowe
@AdamRoweTDD
2021 Duke commit Cameron Bergeron offered by Michigan. https://247sports.com/player/cameron-bergeron-46081952/
"This is the best of all possible worlds."
Dr. Pangloss - Candide
This article on Crim indicates that 600 players decommit every year around the country. It'd be unusual for us not to lose a few guys every year.
Crim attributes part of the decommitment to the long Dead Period, which has prevented Duke staff from maintaining/developing a meaningful connection. Lots of reasons for this guy not to want to follow through on his commitment, and genuine explanations are rarely available to them such as us.
It's been a rough year for Duke in regards to W/L, but if we'd been playing our usual schedule (including a few guaranteed OOC wins), it wouldn't be so bad. I'm a fairly casual observer of the team, but the team has seemed competitive with a bunch of very good teams. Compared to some of our opponents, we lack explosive talent, but I imagine explosive talent is hard to come by. All teams have injuries, but a couple of our best players happened to have had their careers derailed, and we don't have elite depth. Basically, since D Jones, we haven't caught a break in regards to 3 star recruits blossoming into NFL players (and DJ was one of our very few 2 stars). Without a few surprise NFL players, it's going to be tough to compete against all of the Power 5 State U's, which tend to be the destination for the 4 and 5 star players who grew up in that state. Ie, Carolina can be a hot mess, and they'll still have a big recruiting advantage for most elite players from the Carolinas.
That's not to say the program isn't in trouble, but I'd say that even during our best seasons, we have always needed a few breaks and have been facing ongoing structural issues that make it tough to compete at the top level of the ACC. So I'd say we've always been in trouble.
As for Coach Cut, I don't think mid 60's is especially old, but I'm 61 and have spent much of the past year listening to 24/7 news that focuses on two men a lot older than I.
Anyway, Mr. Crim's decision may reflect these chronic/acute systemic issues, but I'd hesitate to put too much weight on a few decommitments.
https://247sports.com/Article/Almari...ng--155039911/
Some good news - Duke RB/Slot Rec. recruit Trent Davis was named by Sports Illustrated as a top 250 finalist for its High School All American team.
https://www.si.com/college/duke/foot...PfBRCHLlfPURQg
"This is the best of all possible worlds."
Dr. Pangloss - Candide
Linebacker Nick Morris, Jr. commits to Duke. Nice size at 6’3” 225. A 3* from Austin, TX.
http://www.espn.com/college-sports/f...nick-morris-jr
Bob Green
"This is the best of all possible worlds."
Dr. Pangloss - Candide
Two more commitments today.
Mandela Tobin, a defensive lineman from California. https://247sports.com/Recruitment/Ma...ruitInterests/
Jaquez Moore, an athlete who will likely play running back, from Florida. https://247sports.com/Recruitment/Ma...ruitInterests/
Both are rated low three stars. Jaquez has no P5 offers. Mandela has P5 offers from Nebraska. Kansas and Kansas State.
"This is the best of all possible worlds."
Dr. Pangloss - Candide
Here is the correct second link. https://247sports.com/Recruitment/Ja...ruitInterests/
"This is the best of all possible worlds."
Dr. Pangloss - Candide
https://twitter.com/jamion_franklin/...265976320?s=21
Under the cloak of Friday evening, Duke got some defensive help from Notre Dame
Here’s more on the Notre Dame D Line transfer, including a bit on his own difficult struggle with Covid:
https://247sports.com/college/duke/A...fer-156091734/