Carl Franks knows he has a long way to go to turn around the football program, but on national signing day yesterday, the coach expressed optimism that he's on the right track.
The Blue Devils signed 24 high school players from 14 different states yesterday, Duke's largest signing class since 1996. The recruiting haul was balanced, attracting 11 offensive and 11 defensive players, along with a punter and a versatile player designated as an athlete.
"We believe we signed another very solid class," said Franks, who enters his second year at the helm. "I'm very excited about these 24 young men that decided to be Blue Devils.... I think these guys are the right fit for Duke University and they're going to help us get to the level where we need to be."
On the whole, Franks was looking for one key ingredient-speed. Franks wants his offense to be high-flying, and that can't happen until the Blue Devils are faster.
"Speed is always something I think every coach looks at," he said. "That's an element you have to address nowadays and you certainly can't coach it to a great extent. You can train for it and get guys a little bit faster, but the God-given talent to run fast is certainly difficult to coach."
Franks addressed many of Duke's immediate needs by inking three quarterbacks and three wide receivers. The quarterbacks include New Jersey natives Darryl Scott and Chris Wispelwey, along with Californian Adam Smith.
"All three of them are going to need work," Franks said. "They'll need to learn the offense, certainly the mechanics of some of the things we're going to ask them to do. But they have the thing I don't believe we can coach-how the ball comes out of their hand. They have the qualities necessary to help us run this offense."
Smith was offered a scholarship with the Blue Devils before starting a single high school game, and the gamble may have payed off. As a senior, Smith was California's seventh-ranked passer.
While Wispelwey and Smith are standard drop-back passers, Scott is considered to be a strong runner. At Eastern High School in Voorhees, N.J., Scott ran a wishbone offense.
One of his favorite targets in high school was fellow signee Khary Sharpe, who is one of three wide receivers signed by Duke. Sharpe is the least heralded of the three, ranking behind Jeremy Battier and Reggie Love. With just five returning receivers, all three receiving recruits may be expected to start playing immediately.
An AP All-Starter and younger brother of basketball star Shane Battier, Jeremy Battier is one of Duke's top overall signees. He and Love-North Carolina's fourth-best prospect according to SuperPrep-both have an opportunity to walk on with the basketball team. Franks said nothing was guaranteed and that the situation would be discussed next fall.
The class also boasts the first time Franks, a former University of Florida assistant, has tapped into the deep talent pool of his former state. Although Franks signed one Floridian last year, he inked three more this season.
"I'm very pleased to sign three guys, especially considering the quality of the three guys we signed," Franks said.
The Florida trio is highlighted by defensive back Johnnie Mullins and offensive lineman Patrick Worsham. Mullins ran a 4.3 40-yard dash and is the state's reigning 100-meter champion. Worsham, meanwhile, is a 6-foot-5, 287 pound lineman who had firm offers from Florida State, Alabama, Notre Dame and Virginia Tech.
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