Relief is finally in sight.
The longest losing streak in the Ted Roof era should end this weekend against The Citadel. The Bulldogs have only accumulated 17 points in their two games this season—14 against Appalachian State and 3 against No. 10 Auburn. The Citadel is only averaging 91.5 rushing yards and 61.5 passing yards a game in its first two contests.
Duke has a chance to do more than just win its first game of the season against The Citadel. Roof’s team has the opportunity to prove it can win in times of adversity. With four of its most important players missing entire games this season, the Blue Devils need to win the first game they are expected to win.
Past Duke coaches have consistently said the Blue Devils have made excuses as to why the team does not win even when it is expected to do so.
“The league is getting tougher and tougher,” said assistant Fred Chatham said, explaining Carl Franks’ 7-45 record at Duke. “We made great strides here at Duke, but so did everybody else.”
Even Fred Goldsmith, who the University fired after the 1998 season, also rationalized the losses.
“My transition to the ACC wasn’t that tough because the conference wasn’t all that strong [in 1994],” Goldsmith said this fall. “I thought I could recruit just based on the strength of Duke University. But the University of Virginia, Georgia Tech and North Carolina all lowered their academic standard for their football players. The money poured into [other ACC schools] was unbelievable. I didn’t realize the commitment these guys were making. That caught up to me. At the time we could have asked for more; I didn’t realize how much to ask for.”
Roof, who has refused to use injuries as an excuse for the losses this year, may actually win this game. During the Carl Franks era, games against teams like The Citadel produced more anxiety than contests with powers like Florida State. The Seminoles are supposed to dominate the Blue Devils, but a loss to the Division I-AA Bulldogs is despicable for any ACC school.
But this year, Roof’s squad can finally show it is made up of athletes who play to win instead of competing not to lose. In addition to injuries, this Duke team lost a significant amount of talent to graduation. If the Blue Devils lose, they could make all these excuses against The Citadel.
For the future of the program, however, it is important that they come out on top. A loss to the lowly Bulldogs would dispel the remaining hope that Roof brought with his intensity and optimism.
The football team also has a chance to get the more fans to leave their tailgate parties and actually come to the game. Homecoming weekend should provide slight uptick in attendance. If Duke can show its fans that it is a different team, the Blue Devils—fans, players and coaches—finally can begin to move past the losing culture that is—present today.
If the team loses to The Citadel Saturday, there will be long-term damage. Pessimists will have even more evidence that winning is impossible at Duke.
This will likely not be the case. I expect the Blue Devils to have their best game of the season and blow out the Bulldogs. For every Duke fan, let’s just hope I’m right.
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