The football team realized that its recent three-game stretch against the ACC's elite wasn't going to be easy, and that a sizeable losing streak was a definite possibility.
But that doesn't make three straight losses any easier to digest.
Coming off a disappointing 41-13 loss to Georgia Tech last Saturday, Duke knows that it must maintain its confidence and execute its plays better if it is going to end its recent skid against Wake Forest this weekend.
And yet despite their erratic play over the past three games, the Blue Devils remain optimistic.
"We have a team that's capable of winning every time we go out there, if we play like we can," defensive tackle Chris Combs said at the Blue Devils' weekly press conference yesterday.
While Duke has shown signs of potential in each of its games this season on both the offensive and defensive sides, Goldsmith believes that Duke needs to be more consistent in every aspect of its play in order to win.
Of course the first step is to recognize what has gone wrong.
"I sure hope [the players] are frustrated," Goldsmith said. "I hope that they're not complacent about [losing]. I hope they're frustrated-I'm frustrated. I'd be very disappointed if they weren't frustrated."
Despite the Blue Devils' recent losing skid, a few bright moments over the past few weeks have given Duke hope. Goldsmith specifically praised wideouts Richmond Flowers and Scottie Montgomery for their excellent play, as the pair has combined for an average of 240 all-purpose yards per game.
The past few weeks, the positives have been harder to find but easier to cling to.
"Every time we have a good play, that helps a little bit," said Combs. "It makes us that much more excited to go out the next play and do better."
Although Wake Forest is not as highly touted as Duke's last three opponents, the Demon Deacons will likely also treat this game as a must-win situation, especially after losing to Division I-AA Appalachian State last weekend.
Wake Forest has a dangerous offense led by quarterback Brian Kuklick, the ACC's most accurate passer with a 61.4-percent completion rate. The Demon Deacons also have a talented corps of receivers that includes Desmond Clark, Wake's second all-time leader in total receptions, and Jammie Deese. Stopping Clark will be a major focal point, as his 6-foot-3 frame gives him a considerable height advantage over Duke's corners, the tallest of whom stands 5-11.
Wake Forest's running attack is led by Morgan Kane, who posed problems last season for Duke when he ran for a career-high 146 yards.
"I'm very upset about how we played the ground game in that ballgame," Goldsmith said. "It was a complete embarrassment."
To avoid another embarrassment and help get the season turned back around, Duke feels that the Wake Forest game is one in which it must come out victorious.
"We've had some disappointing losses, but for us right now, we're not so much focused on the [21-game ACC losing] streak needing to end," said Combs. "We just want to win-[that's the] bottom line."
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