Although new head coach Carl Franks has yet to coach his first game, he's already helping to bring a new attitude to the football program.
After a disappointing span of four consecutive losing campaigns, and after finishing last season with a three-game losing streak, the Blue Devils brought Franks in to help reenergize the program. During offseason workouts and spring practice, his impact has immediately been recognized by the players.
"The biggest thing I get from him is just that he knows how to win," quarterback Spencer Romine said. "Whereas sometimes you can get a coach who you know they've won-but Coach Franks comes in and he kind of expects it.
"It's not where he comes out and says, 'OK, we need to do this to win and this to win,' but now it's sort of like, 'We're going to win, and we need to do this to get better.' You look in his eyes and you know that we're going to win. It's just that kind of feeling."
It was more than the winning feeling, however, that Franks brings to the table. He's brought in a new offense that will resemble the high-octane attack that has helped Florida consistently rank among the country's top offensive teams. It will be the third new offensive system in the past three seasons for Duke. Franks also brought in two new assistants: quarterbacks coach Ben Bennett and wide receivers coach Aubrey Hill, two college standouts.
The new offense is simpler and easier to understand. Not only is the new offensive terminology direct and clear, but the players say Franks treats them in the same manner.
"He's a straightforward guy," safety Eric Jones said. "He knows what he knows and he doesn't try to tell you what he doesn't know.... He's very thorough. He's not settling for anything in any way, shape or form. He knows what he wants, but at the same time he's an understanding coach and he lets you play.
"On both sides of the ball he tells you what he wants from you and what he needs from you straight up and down. It's not like a tyrant telling you; it's a coach. You just want to go out there and play for the guy."
Most importantly, Franks has kept the atmosphere relaxed during spring practice. Players attribute the relaxed feeling both to Franks and also to the more experienced squad that has already been through a few spring practices. Franks has let the veterans have their space while using the practice time to help teach the younger players.
One example occurred at a practice last week, when the quarterbacks were introduced to the finer points of "garbage football." Bennett and D. Bryant were matched against Bobby Campbell and Romine in a game where they would attempt to toss a football into a garbage can from 25 yards away.
Points were awarded for either hitting the garbage can on the fly or tossing the pigskin directly into the can. Although the quarterbacks are all battling for the starting position, they were heard joking around with each other.
The change in atmosphere in the recent spring practices reminds Romine of his earlier playing days.
"The best thing about [practice] is that it's much more relaxed, but the guys are taking to it so much better," Romine said. "We go out here and have fun, but we play just as hard and just as well and probably better. Just being relaxed and playing your game. It's kind of like going back to being in high school. You just go out to practice and you say, 'Let's do it.'"
Additionally, Franks has already backed up his words with his actions. Surprisingly, the 38-year-old former fullback has outrun some of the players during the offseason conditioning workouts.
"I remember one of the things that coach always tells us-to condition and stuff," Jones said. "One of the days he came out and ran with us and he was running ahead of a lot of the guys on the team. You have to respect a coach who can tell you to go out and be in shape and be in shape himself. For me, I was greatly impressed about that."
While Franks has yet to coach in his first contest, the players feel that he's already instilled a winning attitude on the practice field. Hopefully it is something that will translate into victories for the Blue Devils when the season finally does start in September at East Carolina.
"It's the first time that I've been here that we all have the same goals," Jones said. "Nobody's got their own agenda. We're all working together to achieve one common thing."
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