DURHAM, N.C. - During his first spring practices, Duke coach David Cutcliffe has seen flashes of a "really good" football team.
But really, that's not good enough. He says the Blue Devils must become more consistent to end a string of 13 straight losing seasons.
Cutcliffe also has seen his team collectively lose about 400 pounds since January and gain speed, a priority. But to beat Florida State, it must reach Seminole speed. To beat Miami, it must achieve Hurricane speed.
He wants to put Duke on the fast track to success. After all, Cutcliffe is used to winning - as a head coach at Ole Miss, as a longtime assistant at Tennessee.
It's apparent he has given the Devils a hearty dose of SEC philosophy.
"The first day out there was like, what's going on?," said defensive end Ayanga Okpokowuruk. "The intensity is through the roof."
Quarterbacks, often spared hard knocks in practice, have been fair game and taken plenty of hits. Last year's starter, junior Thaddeus Lewis, emerged from the pile-ups still a starter - "right now," with Zack Asack in a backup role, Cutcliffe said.
Lewis, who threw for 21 touchdowns and 2,430 yards, fourth best among ACC quarterbacks, has impressed Cutcliffe with his grasp of a more up-tempo, pro-style, no-huddle offense, as well as accuracy and overall efficiency.
"He has really started to pick up what we want in tempo," Cutcliffe said, adding that Lewis' ability to take care of the ball has given him the edge. "But it will remain a competitive situation. We will have competition at every position."
Getting close inspection in the fall will be Arizona prep star Sean Renfree, the nation's No. 10 quarterback prospect by Scout.com. Other freshmen also will have opportunities.
Whoever does the throwing will have capable receivers led by Eron Riley, a second-team All-ACC performer Cutcliffe believes has the skill to reach NFL status.
"They (wide receivers) are quicker, which is encouraging," Cutcliffe said. "Quick enough? No. Are they making enough catches in tough situations? No. They've got to use their size better."
Defensively, Cutcliffe believes the front seven can be competitive, but wants to build more depth in the secondary. Overall, his biggest concern still swirls around the specialists' positions - snapping, punting and place-kicking, none of which has been settled.
But Joe Surgan created excitement in a recent scrimmage by booting a 55-yard field goal, prompting Cutcliffe to celebrate "three or four minutes."
Seeing quicker, faster running back Re'quan Boyette make two nifty cuts and dash 65 yards also looked good, especially considering Duke averaged an ACC-low 64 yards rushing per game last year.
"There are many positive things I can talk about," said Cutcliffe, who concluded drills with a spring game Saturday. "This football team came to work. Their focus, intensity level and attitude have never wavered. I don't know if I have been around a team that did not waste a single minute on the practice field."
He just hopes all that will translate into fall triumphs.
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Comments » 33
Timed_vol (Inactive) writes:
Betcha they don't run worth a darn. Still, Cut will mold some good QB's if the kids listen.
I've never understood, with Duke being Duke, why they can't have a better program. Look at their BBall, mena and womens. Sure, football is different, but to sell a Duke education to a smart kid shouldn't be too hard, and there ARE smart football players, believe it or not.
DannyVol writes:
I don't follow Duke football, so I could care less.
Goodvol writes:
So if you could care less, then you do care a little. I don't mind checking out what Cut is doing at Duke. He has been a great coach and friend to Tennessee and I wish him well. I hope to see an article or two during the season!
khelton657 writes:
I enjoy seeing how Cut is doing, this is going to be interesting to see if a former UT coach can turn around one of the nation's worst college football programs. I'm pulling for him and enjoyed the article.
BIGEJ writes:
It is bad enough Living here on tobacoo road, I have the opportunity to see all the local news about these ACC teams; I do not like seeing it the KNS. Tennessee or other teams do not make the news or papers here. Have to jump on the internet to KNS, even ESPN to get info. Report about the grass growing at Neyland before this stuff.
GreerVol22 writes:
The problem is, as is with all conference bottom feeders, is that the second string usually is the difference. You just can't play the big hogs every play of every series, they will turn into bacon.
He will make this team competitive for a while, but in the end it could take several years to upgrade the second team to become competitive.
Spurrier won at Duke with speed at a time when the old slow ACC, was sleeping. Now, everyone is fast.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Aw, still like old Cutt. He saved Phil's bacon by masking problems with dink and dunk.
Had a 11th ranked defense to assist him and somehow won ten. Miracle.
Free TDTN and bring back John Ward!
eb502us#225637 writes:
What is the KNS's fascination with ex coaches? I could care less about Cutcliffe and even more so about Buzz. One is a good guy who was an average OC and the other was a loser who was way over his head. File these stories under the topic of "who cares"
Hotllama2 writes:
Can we lose the Cutcliffe hatred? I think an article or two about Cutliffe's undertaking at Duke is more than appropriate. Cutcliffe spent many years in Knoxville building good relationships and my personal belief is that he has earned as article or two. This is the Knoxville News Sentinel, not the University of Tennessee News Sentinel. Cutcliffe has been celebrated as Knoxville's favorite son and the savior of UT footbal on more than one occasion, so for this paper to check in on him occasionally is fine by me. This article could have been about UT women's golf. DO YOU REALLY WANT THAT?! Instead it's April and we're talking football. That's beautiful. I'll read about a Pop Warner game in Oregon in April... but only if we're recruiting their tailback.
stroker writes:
Thank KNS I was wondering how Cutt is doing.
rootin4volz writes:
I have nothing against Cutt, he was a splendid coach here...BUT WHY DO WE CARE WHAT DUKE IS DOING? For that matter, why does ANYONE care what Duke football is doing...Cutt or not, they'll continue to get smacked in the mouth over there.
Basketball_Jones writes:
I think Cut is in a win win situation. At Duke the football expectations are not very high, he wins 3 or 4 games then its an improvement. He wins 1 game then they can't say he's doing worse. I would like to see him build Duke into a good program. It will take some time though
winbigvols writes:
Who really cares, he went to Duke. Next we will here about Peterson again. We really don't care what he thinks or wants, this is a Vols site.
givehim6 writes:
I do not hate coach Cut. I think he did a good job with what he had. I know he wanted to be a head coach of UT, but fulmer wanted to be the next coach Nealand so to be a H/C again. so Duke gave him the chance to bring the SEC drive to a low ACC team. Maybe to give him a Old Miss filling, i wish him luck. But GO VOLS!
IBleedOrange444 writes:
I wish him the best of luck. I hope they win a bunch of games and start to build a program.
CoverOrange writes:
This is not a "Vols site". It is a website where KNS publishes stories relating to college sports.
LadyVolsEighTimes writes:
Posted by WD40plusVol on April 21, 2008 at 3:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is not a "Vols site". It is a website where KNS publishes stories relating to college sports.
***************************************************
Glad ya cleared that up, I sure had it wrong thinking a site named, "Go Vols Xtra" would be about the Vols. SIlly me!
shoalcreekvol writes:
Does anyone really want a quarterback named Zack-A-Sack????
IBleedOrange444 writes:
Better than Take-A-Sack or Lick-A-Sack!?!?
CoverOrange writes:
Hey Lady! I suppose since you can give sarcasm you can recognize it too?
ncvol17 writes:
I went to the Duke spring game. They had a record crowd of 3100 show up on a beautiful afternoon. So many people they actually ran out of BBQ.The Game was booooring. A 7-3 masterpiece until a late fumble on the 4 yd line or so made it 14 - 3.
Lots of 3 yd. passes. There was 1 long run for a TD that was fun.Cut at halftime implored people to purchase season tickets (90.00 for sideline and 4 for 125.00 for end zone)
Just a bit different than our beloved Vol Nation.
DannyVol writes:
Umm, I was not "hating" on Cut...Some of you guys take everything personally, jumping at half a chance to argue like a bunch of menopausal housewives.
"I don't follow Duke football" means "I don't follow Duke football". I barely have time to follow the Vols, so when I get a chance to fire up govols, I do not want to see Duke stories.
jdcdjc#246285 writes:
Who really cares what Cutliff and Duke are doing.
I came into this site to read about the Vols.
burntorangeVOLffle writes:
I enjoyed this article. I too am interested in what Coach Cut is doing at Duke. That's not to say I want daily updates but one article at the end of spring practice is nice.
The fact is those of you that don't care, don't have to click on the article. No one is forcing you to read it. There are plenty of articles on here about the Vols to read so pick one of those.
Meanwhile those of us that do care can read this once in (duke) blue moon story about Coach Cut.
cjraney writes:
WD40-
Hard for the sarcasm to come through the keyboard sometimes.
philfan writes:
I like to hear about Cutcliffe every now and then. I think he took the Duke job for the sheer challenge of it. He turned Ole Miss around and will try to do the same at Duke. By the way, what ever happenned to Bill Battle? Remember him?
gohawks1 writes:
64 yards rushing per game last year - there's almost nowhere to go but up, coach Cut.
adimatteo#261830 writes:
nothing against Cutcliffe, I always liked him, but why on this page???
pdhuff#552644 writes:
"Never been around a team that didn't waste a minute on the field". Hmmmmm is that a back-handed reference to his presvious situation.
#10 QB prospect. Hmmmmm might be some surprises down the road.
They must not have fritter downtime.
Or be so over-frittered as to give up a 100 in two games.
At times........
lnbadger320 writes:
i'm so glad he's gone. it was so tough watching him try not to lose games for us.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Philfan - Bill Battle did very well in the athletic field after coaching to the tune of over $80 million. He is well.
Very well.
douglasawilliams#582863 writes:
GoodVol I am with you. Cutcliffe has been an outstanding offensive coordinator at UT and I wish him all the success at Duke. He made UT at least a respectable offensive force the last two years averaging 32.5 points a game last year. And really the only thing that matters for an offense is how many points they actually score not rushing/passing yards. Lets face it, 2002-2005 we were not even in the top 20 final AP standings last year we climbed back to 12 I believe so he (sorry Coach Fulmer) restored some credibility back to a sliding football program. Lets hope Clawson can take us yet to another level with a new look and that is definitely not any shot at all on David Cutcliffe.
Madkels writes:
I'll bet you won't see Duke on our schedule in the near future. Remember when Spurrier embarrassed us? I wouldn't put it past Cut making an ACC contender out the Dukies.
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