Duke Football 2025 — the Offseason Thread

OldPhiKap said:
Yeah, let’s say that a school wants to spend gobs of money on an ancient football coach and his girlfriend on staff. If that doesn’t turn to results, it is for naught.
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This was sort of my question (minus the focus necessarily on good ol' Bill, LOL) and ties into what budworm was saying. I get that football rules the roost and that's where the money is but if the ACC schools aren't fielding good teams, does it benefit us to spend 75% on football. Will it still help if the ACC does become toast? Will another conference want our schools (as evidenced by the struggles of Clemson and FSU to find suitors). I admit to knowing far less about this than the rest of you so I'm sorry for all the questions.
 
kmmk said:
This was sort of my question (minus the focus necessarily on good ol' Bill, LOL) and ties into what budworm was saying. I get that football rules the roost and that's where the money is but if the ACC schools aren't fielding good teams, does it benefit us to spend 75% on football. Will it still help if the ACC does become toast? Will another conference want our schools (as evidenced by the struggles of Clemson and FSU to find suitors). I admit to knowing far less about this than the rest of you so I'm sorry for all the questions.
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None of "knows" anything, but we enjoy speculating, hopefully intelligently. I suspect Nina believes, correctly I think, that bolstering our football program enhances both (i) the health of the ACC and its ability to survive and thrive and (ii) Duke's ability to land in the B1G if the ACC does eventually implode or decline into a permanently low tier status. While predicting which of these two outcomes will actually unfold is an imponderable given all the variables and uncertainties, Duke's strategy is the same: continue to strengthen our football program. Indifference to football makes strategic sense only if Duke would be satisfied with membership either in a low-tier athletics conference or a basketball only conference. Every move she's made suggests that Duke does not desire either of these outcomes.
 
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Mike Petrik said:
None of "knows" anything, but we enjoy speculating, hopefully intelligently. I suspect Nina believes, correctly I think, that bolstering our football program enhances both (i) the health of the ACC and its ability to survive and thrive and (ii) Duke's ability to land in the B1G if the ACC does eventually implode or decline into a permanently low tier status. While predicting which of these two outcomes will actually unfold is an imponderable given all the variables and uncertainties, Duke's strategy is the same: continue to strengthen our football program. Indifference to football makes strategic sense only if Duke would be satisfied with membership either in a low-tier athletics conference or a basketball only conference. Every move she's made suggests that Duke does not desire either of these outcomes.
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Thank you for sharing! I agree with you that if keeping the ACC intact (and I do hope this happens) doesn't work, the B1G is probably our best spot to land. I also trust deeply in Nina.
 
RoseBowl1942 said:
He’s a Taysom Hill-type. Will never be a starting QB in the league IMHO, but he’s an athlete that they will find a place for on the field for change of pace at QB or TE. He’ll make a roster. He just isn’t going to be a pure QB I would think. He’s the type of player that when he comes in, you think there’s a 90% chance he’s running it, 10% he’s throwing it, and it throws the defense into an uncomfortable spot of guessing.

Could be wrong of course, but that’s how I think it plays out
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I hope you’re right that Riley is a Taysom. As a diehard for both Duke and the Saints, Taysom is bigger, stronger, and I’d guess (but haven’t checked) faster. Might be a better passer too, honestly. If Riley can get stronger without losing speed? There’s a chance.
 
Mike Petrik said:
None of "knows" anything, but we enjoy speculating, hopefully intelligently. I suspect Nina believes, correctly I think, that bolstering our football program enhances both (i) the health of the ACC and its ability to survive and thrive and (ii) Duke's ability to land in the B1G if the ACC does eventually implode or decline into a permanently low tier status. While predicting which of these two outcomes will actually unfold is an imponderable given all the variables and uncertainties, Duke's strategy is the same: continue to strengthen our football program. Indifference to football makes strategic sense only if Duke would be satisfied with membership either in a low-tier athletics conference or a basketball only conference. Every move she's made suggests that Duke does not desire either of these outcomes.
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Agree completely though I’d say her focus is on the second point, i e improving Duke is her focus because she has much more control over that than the health of the league. We go to a lesser conference and there goes her money for all the non revenue sports.
 
budwom said:
Agree completely though I’d say her focus is on the second point, i e improving Duke is her focus because she has much more control over that than the health of the league. We go to a lesser conference and there goes her money for all the non revenue sports.
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Agree 100% and didn't mean to suggest otherwise. She wants Duke to thrive, whether it is in a strong ACC or elsewhere (presumably the B1G).
 
Mike Petrik said:
Agree 100% and didn't mean to suggest otherwise. She wants Duke to thrive, whether it is in a strong ACC or elsewhere (presumably the B1G).
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We're fighting for a stronger program with a terrific brand. That could help in gaining a greater share in the ACC. And if the ACC should falter, find a better home for Duke athletics -- the BIg Ten or a reformed successor to the ACC.

And I want, Adam Silver and the Duke board, thehi wealthy Duke endowmenr, the Price administration, Fuqua strategists, talented AD leadership, and highly admired coaches all pushing the wagon to the top of the sports mountain.
 
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sagegrouse said:
We're fighting for a stronger program with a terrific brand. That could help in gaining a greater share in the ACC. And if the ACC should falter, find a better home for Duke athletics -- the BIg Ten or a reformed or new ACC.
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Exactly. There are a lot of ways this could go, but in the end a football program perceived as strong and potentially elite can only help us, matter the direction.
 
sagegrouse said:
We're fighting for a stronger program with a terrific brand. That could help in gaining a greater share in the ACC. And if the ACC should falter, find a better home for Duke athletics -- the BIg Ten or a reformed successor to the ACC.

And I want, Adam Silver and the Duke board, thehi wealthy Duke endowmenr, the Price administration, Fuqua strategists, talented AD leadership, and highly admired coaches all pushing the wagon to the top of the sports mountain.
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agreed...the best I can tell everyone is pushing in the same direction...they know what's at stake.
 
75Crazie said:
Bile rises to my throat every time I see Duke and Big10 mentioned in the same breath.
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Most of my family are B1G, so I agree that the arrogance gets old, though I think they felt the same way about ACC basketball for quite a few decades. This is one reason why I am rooting for the ACC to thrive, and I bet that is the Duke administration's preference too. But if it doesn't, I do not want to land in a conference that is either inferior or basketball-only, and I certainly don't want to land in the SEC. So, there you go.
 
Mike Petrik said:
Most of my family are B1G, so I agree that the arrogance gets old, though I think they felt the same way about ACC basketball for quite a few decades. This is one reason why I am rooting for the ACC to thrive, and I bet that is the Duke administration's preference too. But if it doesn't, I do not want to land in a conference that is either inferior or basketball-only, and I certainly don't want to land in the SEC. So, there you go.
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yep, agreed. Duke is a poor fit for the SEC and academically a very good fit for the B1G. I'd prefer it not happen but if we want to continue with a plethora of very good non revenue sports the B1G is a realistic destination...
 
budwom said:
yep, agreed. Duke is a poor fit for the SEC and academically a very good fit for the B1G. I'd prefer it not happen but if we want to continue with a plethora of very good non revenue sports the B1G is a realistic destination...
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The SEC isn’t the worst landing spot. Obviously the B10 is better for all the obvious reasons, but if you’re talking about places to go see a sporting event (which as a reminder occurs during the fall and winter seasons for most), it’s a lot more appealing to go to GA and FL than MI and MN, at least in my view. I’d still prefer the B10 with more like minded schools but there are pros and cons for both
 
So, our scorn for Maryland's move to the B1G years ago now gets turned back on us? Sorry, doesn't wash with me. But then, yet again, I'm Pollyana.
 
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