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I really haven't followed the team long, just the past few years because I started as a bball fan bc my parents moved here and became bball fans, but neither really watched college football. However, when I started to watch CFB regularly, I decided to stay with Duke even though they stunk. The team looks so much better now and the whole program just looks completely different even from just a few years ago. What a great turnaround and I hope they keep improving.

Went to my first Duke football game on Monday night and that was an amazing experience, the whole place was buzzing practically the whole night
 
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Notebook from Monday night.

It's premium and focuses on the defense in Game One under Tyler Santucci, the transfer DBs who were brought in because they're big and played that way, the blocked FGs (both by Wesley Williams), and the tie-ins to 1989.

One nugget in it: This was Clemson's 114th game since the start of the 2015 season and it was the third time being held to single-digit points. The other two times were in a CFP semifinal against Alabama in 2017 and the season opener in 2021 against Georgia; both of those teams won national championships.
 
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I believe that Coach Elko raved about Wesley Williams during training camp, correct? This young man is not even 19 years old yet according to the Duke program and has nice size for a defensive end! His name was called several times on Monday evening.
 
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Liftee said:
I believe that Coach Elko raved about Wesley Williams during training camp, correct? This young man is not even 19 years old yet according to the Duke program and has nice size for a defensive end! His name was called several times on Monday evening.
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Elko yes, but we heard more about him from Santucci and other defensive players. I know DeWayne Carter mentioned him at media day in Charlotte and again at Duke's media day.

There's usually one or two guys who take massive leaps forward in summer workouts after zero or limited playing time in the previous season; that was him.
 
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Liftee said:
I was of course a big Duke FB fan when I attended Duke back in the Middle Ages. Then I kind of lost interest during the '90s until my son attended and was a big FB fan in the early '20s. I remember him calling me when they beat ECU in his very first Duke FB game from the field while they were taking down a goal post. Unfortunately the euphoria didn't last.

Then one day I turn on the TV and I see the Cut-led Duke team competing with Pitt and I realized something was going on. From that day forward I was hooked and haven't missed a game that was televised since, except for 2 I remember where I listened on the radio because I was at a wedding. Even in the late Cut era when it was obvious the team had lost its heart.

And I have great confidence that it is only going to get better from here!
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Keep the "great confidence" Lift!! You are correct!! OFC
 
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Liftee said:
Wow that's amazing about Lewis. The broken finger didn't seem to affect him at all.
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It's amazing isn't it. Tate Armstrong (Duke Basketball '77), played 2nd half of a game at UVA with a broken wrist and ended nite with 30+ points(no 3 pt line then either).

Armstrong didn't know wrist was broken at halftime and continued to play. Tate said it was giving him pain, but kept playing remarkably well and led Duke to an upset win. It broke a long Blue Devil losing streak at the old University Hall ("U Hall") @ Charlottesville.

Costly win as Tate was sidelined rest of year with a broken wrist. However he was an NBA Draft pick by the Chicago Bulls. Armstrong was one of best I have ever seen! Old man rant over, back to Duke Football!!!

OFC
 
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I remember Tate trying to come back for the last game of the season shooting left handed. Knowing him and Duke teams at the time, he probably was the best shooter on the team even shooting with his left hand.

Somewhat easier to play DB with a broken finger but still, it shows how much playing means to Lewis. He played a great game.
 
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Liftee said:
I remember Tate trying to come back for the last game of the season shooting left handed. Knowing him and Duke teams at the time, he probably was the best shooter on the team even shooting with his left hand.

Somewhat easier to play DB with a broken finger but still, it shows how much playing means to Lewis. He played a great game.
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Lewis truly did Lift. As Riley said: "God is GOOD, and so is our defense!!" OFC
 
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Got off to a slow start per human nature after the huge win over Clemson. It was 7-7 early, but obviously we went about our business to score 35 unanswered vs Lafayette.Riley was 12 for 12, and Henry Belin IV was 6 for 6 off the bench!! Running game was strong today.

Serious rest of way, as no more FCS opponents. A hungry Northwestern team is in Durham next Saturday! OFC
 
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kingbluedevil said:
Was impressed with our backup quarterback. I guess the cheats will move up in the polls with overtime win over Appalachian st
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I hate the Holes, but no need to take a jab at my Mountaineers. They always play the P5 teams tough. They’ve beaten SC, UNC, Texas A/M, Michigan, loss to Penn St in OT.
They should of took down UNX last night.
 
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I would be cautious labeling this as a slow start. There are a lot of FBS-FCS showdowns that are “close” for a quarter or so. Remember, these FCS opponents are Division athletes. Duke is coming off one of the biggest wins in recent program history less than 5 days ago. The defense was gassed and minus the opening drive, Lafayette did not do anything.

The Leopards played slow and methodical. Had they played a tinge faster, Duke is up 14-7 at the end of the first.

And a slow start suggests dropped passes, lack of execution, etc… execution wise, the only true fail was a missed 29 fg (and a bad miss even on the over as the o/u was 49). Duke was 20-for-20 passing and we had an RB go for more than 10 yards per carry. This was the first game since 1996 a team had two qb’s go for more than 100 yards passing and a perfect completion percentage. The only bad taste was first and 10 at the Leopard’s 12 near the end of the game and lose a yard on two consecutive plays (had Duke gotten 7 there, the over hits but a REALLY bad beat because Duke was giving 42.5 and Lafayette would have covered by 0.5 thanks to a missed chipper fg. But honestly, outside of taking OSU’s FCS opponent against the spread when Tressel was the coach, betting on an FBS vs FCS game is stupid).

And Clemson giving the game away narrative is bugging me. Clemson failed three times in the red zone. Yes, one was a gift, but all three was because of the DL getting good push all game. One was a blocked fg by a person who blocked two FGs in the game. The second was all Clemson, but you cannot get a procedure penalty goal to ho, especially at the 1. The third was textbook defense form to get a takeaway. You cannot fault the RB as much as tip your cap to the defense. Duke DOMINATED Clemson in the first half. But with that, Duke was down at half. The teams were about even in the second half and Duke out scored them 22-0. Football can be a funny game with a funny shaped ball.
 
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We could have scored 60 if Elko ran it up like some other schools do/did yesterday. They had no answer to our passing game but Elko kept the lid on it most of the game. Loved seeing Belin get some quality time with the first team line.

I wish we would clean up some of the penalties and turnovers though. Can't blame Pelino for missing one field goal--it was barely wide left and he's been spotless otherwise. Too bad he doesn't have a stronger leg.

Any game where we never punt, not even once, and are injury free other than Justin Pickett (which worries me), is a good win.
 
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Loved the way we came out and played on a short week, even if a lower tier opponent. Elko has the program elevating and deserves way more credit than he's got for the Clemson win. The media is just gloom and doom for the Tigers lol...

Mack is whining about having to play App State and how it is a lose-lose for Cryalotta... not surprised, and he's also not wrong but... you're the one who scheduled this so... why bitch about it? App State should have won, if not for some head scratching decisions in the final seconds. And yes, App State is a giant killer on a regular basis.
 
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Liftee said:
That's interesting that Leonard is throwing mostly short passes. Against Clemson, clearly Duke was avoiding a decent rush. Against Lafayette, was Elko trying to keep the long game under wraps?
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I think it's more a case of: Why cut it loose if you can run for 261 and average 5.8 yards per carry?

Just mentioned on a podcast with @DukeFBFans this afternoon: Kevin Johns' game plan more often than not has seemed to be run to set up the pass, rather than coming out firing on the first drive or two. And if they can physically dominate a team up front, they're going to stick with what works until it's stopped.
 
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ConorONeill said:
I think it's more a case of: Why cut it loose if you can run for 261 and average 5.8 yards per carry?

Just mentioned on a podcast with @DukeFBFans this afternoon: Kevin Johns' game plan more often than not has seemed to be run to set up the pass, rather than coming out firing on the first drive or two. And if they can physically dominate a team up front, they're going to stick with what works until it's stopped.
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I agree. Also the longer the pass play, the longer the OL has to block and the greater the risk to the QB. Notice Duke didn't exactly turn Leonard loose on called running plays. Need to keep him healthy and no reason to risk that against a Patriot League team.

I would expect a more open playbook this week. I think Leonard is a weapon NW can't match.
 
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Ideally, we’ll be able to give Henry some more reps this week, hopefully not due to injury. Elko referred to the inevitability of key players getting hurt, and Riley is certainly a candidate for that (just ask Rodgers). I’d like Henry to have more reps under his belt if/when he’s thrown into the fire.
 
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