2009 NCAA - Duke
The Blue Devils won four games last fall, which matched their win output from 2004-2007's four seasons combined. The optimistic outlook says that Duke was 4-4 and could have been 6-2 with a couple of breaks. But realistically, first-year savvy coach David Cutcliffe did about as well as could be expected considering his program's lack of depth across the board. A bowl bid this season is not unrealistic, but also not probable. Still, there is hope in the program, a legitimate sense of a positive future in the ACC for the first time since Steve Spurrier roamed the Durham sidelines in the 1980s. |
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Duke
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Depth won't be a problem at quarterback, where senior four-year starter Thaddeus Lewis will be the starter, and highly-touted redshirt freshman Sean Renfree is set to see some time as well. The situation at O-line and other skill positions on offense are similar: the Blue Devils lose quality while trying to add depth. It should be a work in progress. On defense, the line appears to be the strength, while the secondary is short on quality depth. Losing safety (and former QB) Zak Asack in the spring for getting kicked off the team will certainly hurt, but Cutcliffe is trying to build his program the right way. |
| ASK the bookie? - Duke plays two teams from Division I-AA, which means that it has to win seven games to be bowl-eligible this fall. That might be too tall of a task, even for Cutcliffe and Lewis, who both need to be respected. Duke plays no non-conference home games on the Vegas board, so their first game at home this fall that means anything to bettors is Oct.3 against Virginia Tech. |
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