Devils Host Deacs On Thursday Night

[Devilsforlife]

Bowl eligible for the second year in a row, and the eighth out of 12.

First walk off FG since Matt Brooks vs Clemson in 2004.

Won ACC games with three different starting QBs for the first time…. ever?

 

[Devilsforlife]

Also, we are 7-4 against Wake since 2012. Really flipped that series after they just owned us for a decade plus.

 

[aiw]

lol

 

[Inveigle]

I cannot believe this was a Duke win. Down to a true freshman QB making his debut start. multiple injuries and Duke's best WR (Calhoun) with more drops than I can remember. And yet Elko pulls it out. Amazing.

 

[DUKERULES14]

This is the kind of game previous Duke teams under previous regimes lose.

Rough last two weeks for sure. But we stopped the bleeding tonight

 

[DUKERULES14]

I think Loftis will be okay, his WR's just need to catch the dang ball

And the OL needs to run until they puke for giving up a sack on a 3-man rush

 

[Pantone287]

Sigh, I see Loftis still spent the days leading up to his first start liking/reposting stuff from accounts like "End Wokeness". I might have to take a season or two off if this little asshole ever gets the permanent job. At least Schutt has the manners to keep his anti-vaxness to himself.

Glad we won, but holy shit what a fucking disgusting game. Whichever couple dozen fans stuck it out through 59:59 of Wake beating us despite repeatedly shanking chip shots and yakkity saxing uncontested throws straight up into the air deserve medals of honor.

 

[Pantone287]

At this point, I think I lean towards the opinion that we've 1) never been as talented as our results have shown, and 2) the talent we do have is pretty top heavy.

When everyone was healthy and riding the wave, we had just enough talent that heroic efforts and good coaching could make us competitive with anyone if we got decent breaks. Which, I mean - huge credit to everyone involved for that, but it always felt pretty precarious.

I think what we're seeing now is what happens when the lack of depth behind a few of our gamechangers gets exposed and the team-of-destiny confidence and energy dissipates. Still a ways to go before we have the horses to absorb a season of hits and still be playing at a big-time level deep in November, which shouldn't be shocking in year two.

 

[Pantone287]

Not the hottest take, but I also think we probably slightly underrate how special fully healthy Riley is on the ground. His ability to avoid negative plays and seemingly get whatever we needed whenever we needed it covered up a whole lot for us.

 

[Devilsforlife]

[Todd] Pelino's game-winning kick marks the third Blue Devil win in program history occurring on the final snap of regulation and the first since Matt Brooks drilled a 53-yard field goal as time expired against Clemson on November 13, 2004.

It’s kind of incredible how this is only the third walk-off regulation win Duke’s ever had. Have we always sucked in close games?

 

[dukeberto]

Sigh, I see Loftis still spent the days leading up to his first start liking/reposting stuff from accounts like "End Wokeness". I might have to take a season or two off if this little asshole ever gets the permanent job. At least Schutt has the manners to keep his anti-vaxness to himself.

So maybe Calhoun’s yips were from being thrown the ball by our MAGA-QB (QB45? Dunno still workshopping)

 

[rhfarmer]

At this point, I think I lean towards the opinion that we've 1) never been as talented as our results have shown, and 2) the talent we do have is pretty top heavy.

When everyone was healthy and riding the wave, we had just enough talent that heroic efforts and good coaching could make us competitive with anyone if we got decent breaks. Which, I mean - huge credit to everyone involved for that, but it always felt pretty precarious.

I think what we're seeing now is what happens when the lack of depth behind a few of our gamechangers gets exposed and the team-of-destiny confidence and energy dissipates. Still a ways to go before we have the horses to absorb a season of hits and still be playing at a big-time level deep in November, which shouldn't be shocking in year two.

This is how I've felt all season. The "program changing" win against Clemson was really catching Clemson in a really down year for them as it turns out.

This season turns out very differently if Duke gets a stop on 4th and 16 at home against Notre Dame. However, football is as much about managing attrition as it is about scheme and coaching, and the true powers can plug the gaps with another 5 star when their linemen inevitably go down. Hell, Bama had Tua and Hurts on the same team.

Duke was never gonna be able to slug it out at FSU this year, but some recruiting depth will make a huge difference in the handful of annual coin flip games going forward.

Duke is on the cusp of being an elite football program in the ACC, which is incredible and really exciting. I did not expect a bowl game this year, as on paper there were 5 clear losses to Clemson, ND, FSU, Louisville and UNC, and the Northwestern game was no gimme.

Super proud of the win last night and I'm cautiously optimistic about the rest of the schedule.