2009 Duke Football Preview
2008 Record: 4-7 (1-7)
Bowl Game: N/A
Head Coach: David Cutcliffe
Offense Coordinator: Matt Luke
Defensive Coordinator: Marion Hobby
Duke only won four games last season under new head coach David Cutcliffe which sounds awful, but really had awful is it to Duke fans? Lets just say four wins was more than enough to make fans smile. Those four wins matched the previous four seasons win record at four wins. The people at Durham North Carolina don't expect Duke to get back into a bowl game in fact they haven't been in a Bowl Game since 1994. Duke fans are very patient knowing that they are in the stages of rebuilding under former Ole Miss head coach David Cutcliffe. They also know it will take some time to develop into a winning team being in such a strong conference; Duke only winning one of their eight conference games last season.
Going into their 2009 footbal season the players and coaches have already set a goal for the season. To win more than one conference game this season. You would expect higher expectations from coach Cutcliffe but defensive lineman
Vince Oghobaase isn't surprised. "Coach (Cutcliffe) knows what he is doing he knows just like we know conference games are the key to going to a Bowl Game and being successful. In order to be successful you have to have the right mind set you know and that's what coach is doing here. We gotta go in these conference games thinking we can win and not just lay down and take a beating." Going back to last season if Duke had won more than one conference game last year they still wouldn't be at the top of the conference but they wouldn't be last either and that is a step in the right direction for a struggling Duke football legacy. A legacy these players carry on their shoulders every time they step foot on the green grass of Wallace Wade Football Stadium in front of 30,000 die hard Duke football fans.
Wallace Wade Stadium
Defense
Duke will be led by their defense this season anchored by All-American defensive tackle
Vince Oghobaase. Experts say Vince would have been a first day selection in the 2009 NFL Draft last year if he chose to leave after his Junior year. Behind him is another play maker returning this season middle linebacker
Vincent Ray who had 109 tackles last season. However, the defense does have some weaknesses on defense and pressuring the quarterback is at the top of the list on things to improve. The sack leader for Duke in 2008 was Oghobaase who had just 6.0 sacks and as a result Duke had one of the worst secondaries in the ACC as opposing teams beat Duke through the air last season.
Conclusion
The defense is going to have to get to the quarterback so opposing teams will rely more heavily on the run which could be a problem if your trying to get pass "the beast" Oghobaase at 6'5" and 305 lbs. and if he doesn't
Vincent Ray will.
Offense
The offense will need to improve from last season after getting man handled by most of the opposing defenses they faced last season. Senior quarterback
Thadeus Lewis isn't the best quarterback but he should improve from last year under Coach Cutcliffe's teachings who has also coached big names like Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, and Brady Quinn. Lewis will lose his favorite target Eron Riley who led the team with 61 receptions.
Johnny Williams will likely be Lewis's main target in the 2009 season. Johnny was second in receptions least season hauling in 30 receptions for 327 yards. Junior tight end
Brett Huffman should also rely as a solid target for Lewis to dump it off to when under pressure.
Conclusion
The major problem for Duke on offense isn't the quarterback its not the receiving corps and its not even the running game, its the offensive line. Three of the o-lines current starters did not start last season and the line has to do a better job blocking for Lewis, they gave up way too many sacks last season and were out sized by most opposing team's defensive line. Coach Cutcliffe has acknowledged the problem this off season working extra on blocking assignments and getting the hogs conditioned. "We are focused on a conditioning program to lose fat and gain muscle. It's alright to weigh over 300 lbs. as long as the majority of it is muscle we don't mind a little junk in the trunk they're lineman but at the same time they can't be eating whatever they want they need to have a well balanced diet and they need to be focused in the weight room."
*Tickets on sale on Saturday September 18th at 3:30 p.m. as Duke takes on Alabama at Wallace Wade Stadium*
Media- ABC Sports