Interview – Bonus Episode with Robert Brickey

If you’re my age or older, you know who Robert Brickey is.

Robert Brickey in action.

If you’re a youngster, you missed out. Robert Brickey was a great player at Duke who was a lot of fun to watch.

See? I told you he was fun to watch.

Turns out that Robert Brickey isn’t just a former Blue Devil basketball player, he’s also a Duke football fan. Robert was kind enough to take some time out of a Thursday evening to talk about basketball, the legacy of his jersey number, number 21, finances, life and football. This was a fun talk with a great Blue Devil. I know you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.

Listen here.

2021 Game Previews – Duke versus Georgia Tech

I tried to do an audio version of this, but it turned into me ranting and being a little too negative. So, with that in mind, I’m turning back to the written word. My preview will be short and sweet because there are really only two things that you have to look at coming into this game: 1) inconsistency from Georgia Tech; and 2) the larger trend for Duke.

Let’s start with Georgia Tech. Sure, they have been inconsistent. A loss to Northern Illinois, a win against Kennesaw State, a nail-biter against Clemson, a big victory against UNC followed by an embarrassing loss to Pitt screams inconsistency and a likely loss. But, while the Yellow Jackets have put together some bad losses, they have better wins and beat a UNC team that … you remember how that ended. Add to that the pattern of alternating losses and wins and you realize that Georgia Tech is on track to get a win on Saturday.

Now, let’s turn to the Blue Devils’ general trend since the 2019 season and why that’s important for Saturday – blowout losses in conference. Here’s what happened in 2019 – three blowout losses (defined as a margin of victory by the opposing team of at least 20 points) (and the Wake game could have been one but for DPJ’s play on the kicking teams):

Take a look at 2020 and we see the same general pattern:

I count a total of five such losses (BC by 20, UNC by 32, Georgia Tech by 23, Miami by 48 and FSU by 21). And 2021 is off to that same concerning trend with a 31 point loss to UNC.

All of this should worry us coming into Saturday. The coaching staff (notice I’m not saying anything about the players) are not able to field competitive games against ACC teams that have changed coaches in recent years. While other teams are moving forward, we’re still running the same bubble screens we ran when just getting to a bowl game was almost unheard of in Durham.

While Georgia Tech has been inconsistent, the inability of the Duke coaching staff to compete in conference has me thinking that Georgia Tech is likely to win this game, inconsistency issues notwithstanding. The Blue Devils have a chance and can pull it off, but not if we keep running WR screens, botching the Moore package and failing to let Gunnar run the ball. Until we get a different approach to the offense, expect the trends to continue.

My prediction – Georgia Tech 33, Duke 13.

But I want the Blue Devils, the players, to read this, get angry and use this as motivation to win. Make me eat my words, guys – I’ll be more than happy to do it. I’m rooting like crazy for you guys and won’t stop just because of a bad loss. Bull City Coordinators may be pessimistic, but we’ve still got your back.

Go Duke!

2021 Game Recap – The Real Game on Saturday

To try and get the terrible taste of the last game out of our collective mouth, I was going to post a video of my daughter scoring a goal in her soccer game on Saturday followed by her brother, the “referee”, celebrating with her, but I’d have to pay $84 to upgrade the website plan and I don’t want to do that. So, instead of a video, I’m doing another audio breakdown of the real game on Saturday. I hope you all enjoy it.

Go Duke!

2021 Game Recap – The Winning Streak Ends (Brutally)

Duke went to Chapel Hill. The Blue Devils lost. Despite a good first quarter, it got ugly. The same problems that have been hovering around this Duke team all season cropped up and it cost them – big plays, the wheel route, penalties and questionable situational football. We all saw it, so I won’t spend a lot of time wondering why we used Moore in short yardage instead of giving the ball to Gunnar or Durant. I also won’t spend a lot of time trying to figure out why we didn’t throw down field. Let’s just get to the Five Things and skip over the fact that we didn’t run Gunnar despite him having four rushing TDs against Kansas.

Five things I liked:

  1. Let me see here … Not much on offense to like thanks to the lousy play calls discussed in Number 2 of what I didn’t like.
  2. Defense got a lot of sacks, that was good.
  3. We punted the ball pretty well.
  4. I didn’t break anything at the house during the game and I didn’t throw anything, either. Am I becoming an adult?
  5. My profanity was kept to a respectable minimum

Five things I didn’t like:

  1. We lost to Carolina, so let me just say … F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! MOTHER F*&^%#$!
  2. Jeff Faris called the worst game for a Blue Devils team in a long, long time. And that says a lot. Gunnar wasn’t allowed to run and Faris botched the Moore package. Maybe there was some truth to that joke I made about a walk-on safety being allowed to call the plays? I’m not sure what the offensive strategy was, but Carolina loaded up the box after Durant burned them a few times and we never got the ball consistently to a TE. Why not try a screen to a running back? I don’t get it. I just don’t get it
  3. We didn’t see a lot of Woods. He should have played a lot, lot more.
  4. Oh, and back to Number 1 – F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%! F*&^%!
  5. We’re 3-2 and 0-1 in conference. The rest of our schedule is BRUTAL. It’s going to be a long season for us if Faris keeps calling plays like this and we can’t figure out how to cover a wheel route.

Go Duke!

2021 Game Previews – Duke versus UNC

Let us never forget this glorious moment of football history.

I’m doing a little something different this week for my game preview. Because I despise UNC so much, I cannot and will not engage in any sort of objective breakdown of what to expect on Saturday. I will only state the obvious facts which are more fully set forth below. In brief, Duke will win. And I will tell you how the Blue Devils will do that in a post inspired by one overlooked classic internet comedy bit – Carl from Aqua Teen Hunger Force giving you his stone cold lock of the century of the week. Be it “Carl’s Pissed”, “Carl” or the ESPN Radio bit “Stone Cold Lock of the Century of the Week”, this segment was perfect. Carl would make predictions each week, the reasons behind his predictions and would also generally discuss what had pissed him off. The first season when he predicted the Giants would beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl (which they did) was comedy perfection. It’s time to honor the legend. You can watch a few segments at the end of the post. Sorry if they’re a little dated.

That said, the only serious analysis I will do relates to our inability to use timeouts in two minute situations. I think it’s costing us chances to put more points on the board late. So, with that in mind, here’s my take on Saturday’s game. Just imagine a football themed musical arrangement playing in the background as you read this …

It’s Week 5 of the College Football Season and that means one thing, Rivalry Week. It’s that magical time of year when, just before midway through the season, some teams play their biggest rival instead of waiting for the end of the season when bowl games, conference championships and trips to the College Football Playoff are on the line. That means Duke goes to Chapel Hill to deliver a beatdown to North Carolina.

And I know what you’re saying, “There’s no way the Blue Devils can beat the Tar Heels. Look what happened last year.” First and foremost, shut up about that. Just keep in mind that this team was a Jump Pass away from beating the Tar Heels four years in a row back in 2019. And we have a new offensive play caller who is putting up four touchdown games like it’s nothing. That’s exactly why you bypass the former running back with almost a decade of offensive coaching experience in favor of a former walk-on safety who never played an offensive snap in college. Anther example of underappreciated brilliance from our offensive guru head coach.

But I digress. Here’s why Duke can and will win this game. To begin with, we have a quarterback in Gunnar Holmberg. And I don’t mean “quarterback” in the strictest dictionary sense of the word like we’ve had from time to time in seasons past, I mean a real quarterback. With a name like Gunnar, you’re going to do one of two things in life – be a starting quarterback or be a special ops assassin for a government program of dubious legality ala Jason Bourne. Gunnar Holmberg is doing what he was born to do. And he proved it last week when he tackled that Jayhawk defender who thought he had a pick 6. Gunnar ran that guy down and went a little Jason Bourne on that guy and it was beautiful.

But it ain’t just Gunnar. We got a tough as nails tight end in Nicky Dalmolin. And when I say he’s tough as nails, I mean it. I met that kid’s mom at the Kansas game last week. She was so excited to see me that she slapped me right on the chest. And did I get hurt? You bet I did. But it wasn’t too bad. It only took an ER admission followed by five rounds of morphine and a brace for my sternum fracture and I was back in the stands cheering on our beloved Blue Devils. Look, Nicky got “get your game face on” slaps from his mom growing up and while he may have broken the occasional collar bone, he learned two valuable lessons: 1) don’t surprise a lady in line at the concession stand; and 2) be tough. There’s a reason that kid held onto the ball despite the missed PI call against Northwestern. Throw Nicky the ball and let him run through the Tar Heel defense so we can ring the Victory Bell to the sound of a bunch of crying Carolina fans.

And it isn’t just our players, it’s our coaches. We have David Cutcliffe and they have Mack Brown. What has Mack Brown ever done besides winning more than 260 games as a head coach, a national title and a couple of Big 12 championships … Okay, the Tar Heels may have an edge there. But David Cutcliffe is just as good at not winning ACC Championships and disappointing fans as any coach in the league, Mack Brown included. Did you know Mack Brown has never won the ACC? He hasn’t and it wasn’t just his first time in Chapel Hill when Steve Spurrier was taking photographs under the Keenan Memorial Stadium scoreboard.

But enough about Mack Brown’s underperforming distant history. What has Mack Brown done recently? Beat Virginia? Big freaking whoop. Beating a team whose fan base is made up of blazer and bow tie wearing, mint julep drinking losers who walk across “The Grounds” is meaningless. The Cavaliers need to go back to the cotillion where they belong and get off the gridiron.

And Carolina isn’t even losing to good teams. Georgia Tech? Pathetic. How can you lose to a team coached by a guy who can’t even spell his name right? Jeff with G? This is America – get with the program and stop trying to impress the Georgia Tech donor base by spelling your name with a G.

Look, I’m not saying this is going to be a blowout. Mataeo will fumble just enough to make the Tar Heels think they have a chance before breaking a long run for a touchdown on a beautiful Graham Barton pancake block which will seal the game for Duke. And if you say one negative thing about Mataeo and his ball control issues, I will come to your house in the dead of night and sue you like a Tar Heel football player suing a public university over the lousy education he received.

After the Blue Devils win, we’re all meeting at Porter Wilson’s house to party. I love watching that guy punt a football. It’s hard to believe a guy with that moustache-mullet combo doesn’t come on the field with a beer in one hand while taking a drag on a heater when it’s time to punt. Porter Wilson was genetically engineered to flip the field and party. And you know he’ll be partying on Saturday. But it ain’t just going to be him, it’s going to be the entire Duke kicking teams. We’ll celebrate with the finest beers that NIL checks can afford while dining on Charlie Ham’s signature dish – a rum ham. He’s been preparing that Rum Ham just for this game against the Tar Heels and it’s going to be … Wait … The Tar Heels are Rams … Rum Ham … Scratch the Rum Ham and get ready for a Ram Ham, baby – a ham basted not with brown sugar, but with the tears of Carolina’s wine and cheese fan base.

Ben Swain will have the Crying Jordan and the ceiling is the roof memes ready to flood the internet when the Blue Devils shock the world by beating the Tar Heels by a score of say, 52-9. We’ll pick a reasonable number of points for the Tar Heels offense to put up. Get ready for Duke to ring the Victory Bell for the first time since 2018 when Daniel Jones shredded the Carolina defense and got Larry Fedora fired. C’mon, Blue Devils, win this one and get us closer to a bowl game!

GO DUKE!

2021 Game Recap – Duke beats Kansas!

Eli Pancol and Gunnar Holmberg celebrate one of 5 Gunnar touchdowns.

It was a wild day in Wallace Wade as the Duke Blue Devils beat the Kansas Jayhawks by a final score of 52-33. And when I saw “a wild day”, I mean it. Duke found a way to keep Kansas in the game and were down at the half 24-21. Despite that, the Blue Devils didn’t quit and outscored Kansas 31-9 in the second half on their way to a third straight win (which, checks notes, is the first time this program has won three straight since 2019).

I was at the game and, despite being pretty darned nervous, loved watching Duke get a win. I was there with fellow Drinking Team Coordinator Tim and my aunt and uncle, Tom and Mary. It was great to be able to get together for our yearly game after not being able to last year (Tim hadn’t been there since our 2018 game due to a 2019 scheduling conflict). And it was also great to get to meet so many DukeGang parents. You all are wonderful people – thank you for letting me bother you. On top of that, I really enjoyed catching up with a lot of Blue Devils fans and a podcast guest.

For the recap this week, I’m going to address five things I liked and five things I didn’t like about the game. If we make this a regular part of the recaps, we’ll call it “Five Things”. Let’s start with what I liked:

  1. Gunnar is getting comfortable.
    1. The quarterback keeps getting better each week. On Saturday he completed 22 of 29 passes for 328 yards and a touchdown. His interception looked like a miscommunication with the receiver which is something that can be fixed. More important, he chased the Kansas defender down, tackled him and saved a touchdown. That’s a statement play.
    2. If his passing numbers weren’t enough, Gunnar ran all over the field on Saturday. He scored four, count them, FOUR, touchdowns on the ground. He also kept the ball on RPOs and it looked like he’s learned when to take chances running the ball. If he continues to be this comfortable each week, this could be a real fun season.
  2. The OL continues to improve.
    1. Just as Gunnar looks better each week, the offensive line seems to be settling into a groove. Coach Frey is utilizing his depth and giving Gunnar time to throw the ball. The line is also creating space between the tackles and Mataeo, Waters and Gunnar are taking advantage of the opportunities their line gives them.
    2. While things may change once we get into conference play, you have to be happy with how the line is playing. The offense put up 607 yards and 52 points on Saturday. The lowest scoring output of this season so far was a 28 point effort in Week 1 against Charlotte and that easily could have been a 40 plus point game for Duke. If this unit holds together, we could be looking at Fun ‘n’ Gun numbers.
  3. Mataeo and Waters ran the ball well.
    1. Fumbles aside (and we cover that in more detail below), the running backs had another great day. Mataeo ran for 124 yards on 21 carries and Jordan Waters added 59 yards on 11 caries. Both scored touchdowns. The Blue Devils have an outstanding one-two punch. When your two running backs combine for two touchdowns and 183 rushing yards, you’re doing something right.
  4. The defense locked Kansas down in the second half.
    1. Despite struggling early, Duke’s defense made adjustments and held Kansas to nine points in the second half. While the Blue Devils didn’t get many sacks, the defense snagged two crucial interceptions. Despite looking lost in the first half, they didn’t quit. It’s hard not to root for these guys.
  5. A lot of third down stops.
    1. If you’re a Duke fan, third down, particularly third-and-long, makes you close your eyes and hold your breath. Our defense has been vulnerable in those situations for what feels like forever. Despite that painful history, Tim and I both commented on how well the defense did on third down, holding Kansas to three conversions on fourteen attempts. Those are numbers you have to like.

Now that we’ve finished with what I liked, here are the five things I didn’t like:

  1. Sloppy play – too many turnovers and penalties.
    1. I mentioned it as an area of concern after Duke beat Northwestern, but the Blue Devils didn’t listen and finished the game with six penalties for 65 yards. That’s better than last week, but that will come back to haunt the team at some point. Duke has to tighten up.
    2. And on the turnovers front, one interception and one fumble isn’t bad, but it isn’t ideal, particularly if you factor in the fumbles that weren’t lost but could have been. While it didn’t cost the team on Saturday, it will at some point. Again, this team has to take better care of the football. And speaking of which …
  2. Durant is fumbling too much.
    1. If memory serves, he fumbled two times on Saturday and almost a third. The Blue Devils were fortunate to lose only one of those, but you can’t pretend this isn’t a problem. The coaches sure seem concerned about it because I got the sense that Durant got pulled for a bit after his last fumble.
    2. This has to stop. Mataeo is too good of a player to be this careless with the football. Maybe it’s just bad luck and people gunning for him, I don’t know, but I think we would all like to see the fumbles stop.
  3. The defense is still vulnerable to big plays.
    1. This one is self-explanatory. Kansas’ top receiver had 5 catches for 122 yards. The Jayhawks’ second best receiver had 4 catches for 99 yards. Three different receivers averaged 20 plus yards per catch. That’s a recipe for trouble, particularly if the defense doesn’t figure out how to cover the wheel route.
  4. We made Kansas look real, real good.
    1. As part of my game preview, I detailed pretty extensively how Kansas hadn’t played well coming into Saturday. Offensive woes aside, the Jayhawks sure looked like world-beaters in the first half. Despite having a quarterback who hadn’t thrown particularly well all season, Kansas’ starter finished with 323 yards and 2 touchdowns.
    2. It seems like Duke plays to the level of competition, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. While the Blue Devils’ offense finally played well in both the first and the second half, the fact that the defense hasn’t put together one consistent game has to be an area of concern for the coaching staff. Let’s hope this gets turned around as the season goes on
  5. Consistent with points three and four, the DL needs to get more pressure on the quarterback.
    1. While the one sack Ben Frye got was a huge one that killed a Kansas drive, it was the only sack the team managed. Add to that Kansas rushing for more than 200 yards and you have a defensive line that isn’t controlling the line of scrimmage. If Duke wants to keep up its winning ways, the DL will have to start getting more sacks and do more to control the line of scrimmage.

Can the Blue Devils do it? I sure hope so, because this is a real fun team to watch. Let me know what you think below.

Go Duke!

2021 Game Previews – Duke faces Kansas

It’s hard to believe, but Duke is on a winning streak. That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, our Blue Devils have won two straight games. With a 1-2 Kansas Jayhawks football team coming to town, Duke has a chance to get to 3-1.

The team captains will look to continue their strong play Saturday at Wallace Wade.

For this week’s preview, here are four things the Blue Devils have going for them heading into this game:

  1. While Duke hasn’t put together a complete game yet, Kansas is reeling right now. The Jayhawks skated past South Dakota in Week 1 and followed it up with two losses against Coastal Carolina (49-22) and Baylor (45-7). Losing becomes contagious and, given the circumstances surrounding Les Miles leaving, the program is in a state of uncertainty. That’s never a good thing.
  2. The Blue Devils have two really, really good running backs that can control the game. Given that Kansas has given up over 200 yards rushing in each of the last two weeks, expect Mataeo Durant and Jordan Waters to get lots of touches. And if Durant and Waters are carrying the ball a lot, expect Gunnar to do what he does best – make plays to keep drives going. Gunnar is currently completing 71% of his passes and coming through in the clutch (like that great pass to Eli Pancol last week – it must be The Wolitzer Group connection!). When you go heavy on the run, you need a quarterback to do what Gunnar has done all season – convert passes on third down to keep the drive alive. Between Gunnar and the running game, you have to like Duke’s chances.
  3. Moving to the defensive side of the ball, the Blue Devils are coming off their best game of the season. Duke forced five turnovers and picked up two sacks. The defensive line looked much improved and all signs indicate that it will continue next week against a team that only managed 57 passing yards against Baylor.
  4. Finally, the kicking teams continues to play well. I see no reason that won’t continue. We have a really, really good kicking teams unit. Expect that unit to keep us in a lot of games this season.

Despite all the positives, there are some things that we need to be worried about. Those things are:

  1. Kansas has a mobile QB. Duke is susceptible to running quarterbacks, as was established by the fact that Northwestern’s backup almost brought the team back from a 30-0 deficit. So, yeah, I’m a little worried about that. If the defensive line doesn’t maintain coverage, doesn’t stay gap disciplined and tries to make a big play on every down as opposed to making a play, it could be a long day.
  2. No one is expecting Kansas to win. The Jayhawks have nothing to lose in this game. All the pressure is on the Blue Devils. With a big rivalry game coming next week, this could turn into the proverbial trap game for Duke.

Concerns aside, I don’t think that Gunnar, Jake and Mataeo will overlook this game. Expect the Blue Devils offense to do whatever it takes to win this game. Further, DeWayne Carter, Ben Frye, Josh Blackwell, Lummie Young and the rest of the defense will come out ready to prove that the Northwestern game wasn’t a fluke. I like Duke in this game. And I can’t wait to be in Section 24, Row C cheering for the Blue Devils. If you’re at the game, please stop by. It’d be great to meet you guys.

Tell me what you think in the comments or on Twitter.

Go Duke!

Bonus Episode – Duke Northwestern Jam Session

We don’t have an interview, but the Coordinators have a jam session! After a year not being able to watch games together because of COVID-19, we got together to drink beer and watch Duke beat Northwestern!

Extra point: Duke football holds on against Northwestern for stunning win -  The Chronicle
Mataeo is a man on a mission.

Consistent with our pre-COVID routine, we played old time music during commercials and halftime and decided to record some songs for the first time in a long while. The track listing is below. Consistent with our tradition, we renamed the songs based on good moments in the game!

Track one – Last Steam Engine Train or Holding on by the skin of our teeth

Track two – Big Scioty or Gunnar to Durant

Track three – Walking Up Georgia Row – A whole lotta interceptions

Track four – Fanny Poer or Touchdown Duke

Tim played lead (mandolin and guitar) and I played rhythm guitar. If you guys like this, we’ll keep doing them throughout the year.

Can’t wait to see you all at Wallace Wade on Saturday! Go Duke!

Listen here.

2021 Game Recap – Duke Wins (Again!)

Most people expected Duke to be 2-1 after playing Northwestern in Week 3 of the 2021 season. That’s because most people expected the Blue Devils to get wins against Charlotte and A&T followed by a loss to the Wildcats. But life is what happens when you’re busy making plans and Duke managed to end up 2-1 after losing to Charlotte and following it up with wins against A&T and Northwestern. It may not be the 2-1 we expected, but we’ll take it.

Duke football game: Blue Devils beat Northwestern Wildcats | Raleigh News &  Observer
Mataeo Durant runs through the Northwestern defense.

The game was a tale of two halves. The Blue Devils came out on absolute fire, putting up 21 points in the first quarter before slowing down and settling for three field goals in the second (and none after that). Gunnar Holmberg continued to look sharp, completing 31/44 passes for 314 yards, 1 touchdown and a pick that wasn’t really on him. He took a hand to the helmet (penalty? Anyone?), the ball came out a little ugly and he got picked. The rest of the team came to play, too. Mataeo ran for 102 yards on 22 carries and put up two total touchdowns. Jake Bobo caught 11 passes for 109 yards and Eli Pancol had 3 catches including one that sealed the win for Duke. On top of that, Jordan Moore resurrected the Connette package and gobbled up another touchdown (more on Moore below – great pun, right? The Dad jokes are strong with this one).

The defense showed up as well after two inconsistent weeks. The defensive line came to life and kept Northwestern in check for most of the game. Ben Frye looked like the player we heard so much about during the offseason and DeWayne Carter had a tremendous strip of the football that knocked Northwestern’s backup quarterback out of the game (who, by the way, almost brought the Wildcats back from a 30-0 deficit). That play may well have sealed the game and put the Blue Devils in the win column. Shaka Heyward had another game with double-digit tackles and the secondary, particularly Lummie Young, looked dominant. But for a terrible pass interference call that stole a pick-six from Josh Blackwell, Duke would have ended the game with 37 points.

There was a lot to like about this game. Gunnar continued to play very, very well. With the game on the line, he made a lot of throws to places where only the receiver could get it. He was efficient with the ball, got rid of it quickly and always seemed to find the right man. The defense also showcased its depth. Ja’Mion Franklin got extended minutes and controlled the middle. We need to see more of him. The guy can make plays and we need to give him chances to do that. The secondary made some big plays, snagging three (should have been four – thanks, officials) interceptions, and Dorian Mausi continued to play well. Hopefully J’Marick Woods will be back next week, because he looked real, real good until he left the game due to injury. As for the kicking game, Porter Wilson was Porter Wilson and Charlie Ham was Charlie Ham. Again, the Blue Devils have good kicking teams and that can get a team three wins each season.

But just as there were things to like, there were a number of things not to like. Duke had a lot of penalties, 10 for 104 yards. This is a worrisome trait that goes back to last season. Lack of discipline will cost you in close games, so the Blue Devils have to fix this. Now. While we all like Jordan Moore, the kid is confident, I thought he got utilized at times that didn’t make sense. There were times in the red zone where I felt we needed to give the ball to Durant. Mataeo only has 398 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in three games, so why not feed him the rock? It worked against A&T at the end of the first half. Why not keep doing it till it doesn’t work? While I’m not saying we shouldn’t have a Moore package, I am saying less might be more. (Two Moore puns in one post? I’m on fire, guys!) And speaking of Mataeo, stop running to the edge. Let him run between the tackles.

In addition, the coaching situation left a little to be desired. We subbed players at the end of the first half and Northwestern wisely took a lot of time to sub its players. This resulted in a lot of time coming off the clock and Duke wasting an opportunity to try for six (have coordinators forgotten how to spike the ball?). It ultimately didn’t matter in the end, but it was frustrating to watch. I also thought the play calls could have been better. I’m not going to freak out about it and will chalk it up to having a first year coordinator. Let’s hope things improve.

Finally, remember when I mentioned that Gunnar’s performance should cause all of us to wonder why he didn’t play last year? Well, I guess Fitzgerald read my thoughts on the A&T game because he sure pulled his struggling Clemson transfer quarterback for a mobile backup when his first stringer couldn’t stop turning the ball over. The result was almost overcoming a 30 point deficit. There’s a reason I said Fitzgerald is a better coach than Cutcliffe. His willingness to make a change proved it.

That said, I love the win. And I love this team. Congrats, guys. This was a big win. It gave the Blue Devils back-to-back wins for the first time since 2019. I can’t wait to see you play Kansas next week.

Go Duke!