Duke Football: 10 Reasons Blue Devils Fans Have To Be Optimistic in 2010
Sure, Duke football isn't a big draw in the world of the ACC, much less college football as a whole, but that isn't stopping the Blue Devils from being a little bit optimistic.
The 2010 version of the Duke football program will be unveiled next Saturday in its home opener against Elon. While the game won't garner much fanfare, it will offer everyone an opportunity to see what this year's group of Devils hopes to bring to the table.
Fans have plenty of reasons to cheer of late, having seen the team go from winning no games or one game consistently for a decade to winning nine in the last two seasons.
Here are 10 reasons why the program as a whole is on the upswing and may surprise some people in the future and give fans a reason to be excited in 2010 and beyond.
Duke Brings in the Champs
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The Duke fanbase and the triangle in general are all abuzz about the Alabama Crimson Tide coming to town.
Now while any talk of a miraculous upset is being quickly dismissed as improbable, the attention the Blue Devils will receive is a positive.
The game will be nationally televised, and while most likely the game will be over after the first quarter, it is an experience the players and fans will never forget. It also exposes the program to recruits on a national scale.
Alabama fans don't need to worry about losing their recruits, but Duke, which is shooting for those middle-tier recruits, can show off to the nation. So while it is most assuredly a loss, it should pay dividends in both the wallet and overall marketability of a program trying to establish a niche.
Season Tickets Are All Sold Out
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For the first time in more than a decade Duke season tickets have been sold out.
That is quite an accomplishment considering the Blue Devils haven't posted a winning season since 1994. No doubt the matchup with Alabama is fueling a good amount of the sales, but the recent success, by Duke standards, has spurred a new sense of optimism.
Conference and neighboring rivals NC State and North Carolina can't boast that feat yet, although they have much larger capacities to their stadiums than does Duke's Wallace Wade. That being said, it is clear coach David Cutcliffe has raised the interest of the long dormant fanbase.
Of course, tickets sold and attendance are two different things, but at least that is revenue toward the program.
Wallace Wade Is Getting a Face-Lift
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Those who have ventured to Wallace Wade known the old horseshoe-shaped stadium hasn't received much TLC lately.
With most of the attention focused on Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium, and with the lack of football success, Wade Stadium has fallen on tough times. The poor conditions have led many to believe, and believe correctly, that a lack of adequate facilities has done nothing but hurt a program that once was an elite football power.
Enter David Cutcliffe and Kevin White, who together are spearheading an effort to change things. An outside consulting firm presented a multi-step plan to renovate Wallace Wade and the football facilities.
This included more modern concessions and restrooms, for starters. They extended the practice field to make it an official 100-yard field and added a practice building.
Future plans include building an indoor practice facility and expansion of the stadium to include additional seating and a new press box and luxury boxes.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Recruits Are Taking Notice
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Build it and they will come. That is exactly what David Cutcliffe is doing by essentially building the Duke program from the ground up.
One great example is the annual Duke Summer Football Camp. Campers are invited from all over the country to attend. This gives future talent a chance to evaluate the Blue Devils' program and coaches.
It also give the Duke coaching staff a chance to work with guys that could eventually be suiting up for the Blue Devils.
While Duke will likely never compete with the likes of Florida, USC, or other big name schools for recruits, they can go after the best of the rest, which includes pretty talented players.
Sean Renfree, Duke's current starting quarterback, was rated No. 4 in his recruiting class at the quarterback position and was greatly influenced by Cutcliffe's background and the Duke summer camp.
Sean Renfree Has Fully Recovered from His Knee Injury
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Sean Renfree went down in a late-season ACC contest against Georgia Tech last season. Ironically Georgia Tech was the school he had initially intended on going to before a coaching change helped change his mind.
After missing all of the contact portion of spring football, Renfree has assured everyone that his knee is good to go.
He has looked solid in each Duke scrimmage, and Cutcliffe has said he has an unbelievable grasp on the offense, maybe even better than Thad Lewis, the Blue Devils' all-time leading passer.
Duke will need Renfree at his best in 2010, and all indications are he is clicking on all cylinders.
Duke Has Plenty of Receiving Options
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The Devils have a plethora that even El Guapo of Three Amigos fame would be envious of—in this case that plethora of wide receivers.
Led by All-ACC candidate Donovan Varner, the Blue Devils also boast Conner Vernon and senior Austin Kelly, who all project to get a lot of snaps. It is possible that Vernon and Varner might be the best receiving tandem in the ACC, and yes, they play for Duke.
But quarterback Sean Renfree will also have junior college transfer Cooper Helfet, who has been impressing a lot of people in the Duke camp.
There will be plenty of targets to go around, and if the injury bug bites, then Duke could weather the storm at least when it comes to the wide receivers.
The Blue Devils Are Young
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While Duke has veterans, especially where it counts—the offensive line—they are filled to the brim with youth.
While that is not always a good thing, it is a good indication that Duke is heading in the right direction.
In past glimpses of success, it has been veteran Blue Devil teams that have led the charge. However, with the youth movement currently going on at Duke, that means the Blue Devils will continue to get better over time.
David Cutcliffe is recruiting like a madman, already having gotten verbal commitments from 22 recruits for the 2011 class. Eventually as the team becomes more seasoned, he will be able to redshirt more young players and build them up as players.
So while for now the youth may have its risks, in the long run it will pay dividends to have youth on the field.
Duke Plays Seven Home Games in 2010
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There is no place like home. That sentiment easily applies to Duke football over the years. Usually when they have won, they've won at home.
Under David Cutcliffe, the Blue Devils have branched out and won more games on the road, but home games always provide an advantage, at least most of the time.
Duke will play seven home games in 2010. With season tickets high, a fast start will ensure a full or nearly full Wallace Wade Stadium—one that, with success, will be filled with Duke fans.
The Blue Devils also have the added advantage of forcing the visiting team to jog a mile and a half to get to its locker room.
Duke Wasn't Picked Last
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When the ACC had its football media days last month and the writers voted on how they thought the season would play out, there was an unfamiliar change: Duke, for once, wasn't picked to finish last in the ACC's Coastal Division.
This may not sound like much considering they were picked to finish next to last, but in a division as strong as the Coastal, and given Duke's futility in football, that is a positive step.
While many, including David Cutcliffe, believe Duke is a couple of years away from competing for a division title, the fact that anyone is talking about it at all means things are turning around.
So for once Duke won't begin the season looking up at everyone else.
David Cutcliffe Is Here to Stay
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After the 2009 season wrapped up and former Tennessee and current USC coach Lane Kiffin dumped the Vols for his familiar stomping grounds, many eyes were suddenly turned to Duke's David Cutcliffe.
Cutcliffe, in only two years, had turned around a Duke program into a team that could be respected, which was nothing short of miraculous. Many experts expected Cutcliffe to get a look from the Vols, if not an offer. If offered, most thought he would take the job.
Cutcliffe was Tennessee through and through. He coached there under Phil Fulmer. He coached the Vols' favorite son Peyton Manning. He was sure to answer the call when it came to restoring that program.
Reports even came out that it was a done deal barring any last minute hang-ups. Apparently there were.
Some reported that he had not been allowed to bring his staff and would be forced to accept some of the remaining staff from the Kiffin year. Those reports claimed that was the point of contention, and Cutcliffe decided to turn down what many thought was his dream job.
Cutcliffe said he ultimately made the decision that he and his family felt was right. They had built something at Duke and felt that the job wasn't finished. Much to the delight of the Duke football nation, he remained in Durham, and that only means continued growth for the program.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
