Duke struggled last week against a weak Maryland program. It stands to reason, then, that the Blue Devils would be hoping for a bye week on their schedule, or perhaps a third contest against a military academy. That's not what they're going to get, though-Duke faces No. 4 Florida State on Saturday. And the players and coaches couldn't be happier.
Head coach Fred Goldsmith relishes the opportunity to finally play a home game against Florida State. This will be his first meeting with the Seminoles on home territory, since Duke sold the game in 1995.
"It's nice playing them here, in North Carolina, in Durham," Goldsmith said.
Goldsmith, though certainly presented with the option to sell the game again this year, chose instead to keep the game at home for the students and fans. He claimed no financial need to sell the game again and certainly no desire.
"Duke University is not the kind of athletic program that has to be one of these road programs to survive financially," Goldsmith said. "The money that's equivalent to a bowl, actually better than most bowls, is very nice. But it sends the wrong message.... I think it just sends the wrong kind of message to your football players and people you're trying to recruit and things like that, that you're up for sale. The fact that we don't have to do that to survive, then it's just not the right thing to do."
Both Goldsmith and his players will enjoy the game on a different level-that of men presented with a challenge. The Blue Devils know the statistics and they have heard the odds. Florida State holds a 5-0 edge on the series, and circumstances have not changed enough to give Duke any advantages. Rather than discouraging Goldsmith, though, the thought of playing Florida State thrills him.
"If you can't get excited about going and playing the best, then you shouldn't have 'coach' on your shirt," Goldsmith said. "It's kind of like a golf course. I don't like to play those little pitch and putts or carpet golf-I'd probably be a lot better on them than I am on the real golf courses. These are fun games."
If the players enjoy a challenge, then they should have as much fun on Saturday as their coach. Redshirt freshman quarterback Bobby Campbell seemed to lack confidence in his return against Maryland, and might be expected to fear a matchup with the No. 4 team in the country-a game which will mark only his third collegiate start at quarterback. Goldsmith, though, views the Florida State game as a way for him to regain his confidence.
"It's a heck of a challenge," Goldsmith said. "But you know what? I believe Bobby Campbell came to college for that kind of challenge. It'll make him make decisions quickly, and that'll be good.
"I thought Spence Fischer became a much better quarterback in the Florida State game a few years ago as time went on in that ball game. This is all part of one's education. We've been training our quarterbacks to play the best against the best, and that's what the whole thing's about."
Sophomore safety Darius Clark sees only the positives in playing a team like Florida State. He is playing against guys he knew in high school and hoping to be the one who is able to stop them this year.
"It can be done, and we just need to shock the world," Clark said. "We just need to make every read right, make every block, make every tackle, just to execute to the best of our abilities, and good games will happen."
Whether it be Duke's defense, its offense, or its coach, everyone is looking forward to playing the high-powered Seminoles on Saturday. Some will enjoy the home crowd. Others will like the chance to pull off the upset. Still others thrive on the challenge of playing against the best.
"As a football player that's what you should be looking for," Goldsmith said. "A chance to go out and test what you do against people who are supposed to be awfully good, and find out if they're just that good or not, and just where you shape up."
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