Cutcliffe Asks For Student Support In Blast E-mail

Head coach David Cutcliffe has talked about drawing more students to Wallace Wade Stadium for almost two years now. Now, his words are going directly to students, as this e-mail from someone named Coach Cutcliffe—sent from the e-mail of Bart Smith, Duke's director of promotions—just landed in the inboxes of all undergraduates:

Hey Students,

Coming off our 49-28 victory over NC State and an off weekend, Duke Football is chomping at the bit to play in front of our fans and keep the momentum going. Come out this weekend and support us as we take on Maryland at 1:30 pm on Saturday. I want to express how important you are to the atmosphere and overall success of our football team. Our players feed off of the energy and excitement you create at our games, and we need each and every one of you inside Wallace Wade Stadium for the Maryland game this Saturday. We’ll be giving away Time Warner Cable Rally Towels to the first 12,000 fans in attendance.

Also, I want to personally invite everyone to come out to “Cokes with Coach Cut” TOMORROW, October 21st at 8 pm in the Gilbert-Addoms common room on East Campus. I appreciate your continued support and look forward to seeing the student section packed this Saturday!

Go Duke!

David Cutcliffe

Head Football Coach

It's an interesting strategy, one that coaches at many other schools have used to appeal to students. My memory might be wrong—it often is!—but I don't recall Cutcliffe mass-messaging students in the past, although Duke Student Government has certainly used its all-school listserv to beg students to move from the Blue Zone to Wally Wade.

Will the ploy work? It can't hurt. Plus, with too many parents descending on Durham this weekend, I have a feeling the stadium will look the way it did for Duke's season opener against Richmond. The Blue Devils can only hope the result's not the same, too.