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Duke Football: Blue Devils have found consistency in ACC

By Patrick Mayhorn

DETROIT, MI - DECEMBER 26: T.J. Rahming #3 of the Duke Blue Devils celebrates his first half touchdown with teammates while playing the Northern Illinois Huskies during the Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field on December 26, 2017 in Detroit Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - DECEMBER 26: T.J. Rahming #3 of the Duke Blue Devils celebrates his first half touchdown with teammates while playing the Northern Illinois Huskies during the Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field on December 26, 2017 in Detroit Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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Duke football seems to have found a sweet spot under David Cutcliffe. Is another bowl trip inevitable for the Blue Devils in 2018?

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Under David Cutcliffe, the Blue Devils have been to five bowl games in six years. After four rough years to start the former Ole Miss head coach’s tenure at Duke, he’s found a rhythm.

That rhythm has been above average, by Duke standards. After 17 years of no bowl appearances, Cutcliffe seems to have found the system for winning games in Durham. He’s had 10, 9, 8, and 7 win seasons in the last five years, and just one drop off, a 4-8 season in 2016.

That’s consistency we haven’t seen at Duke since Bill Murray and Wallace Wade, back in the early to mid 1900s. Cutcliffe is recruiting well enough, beating rivals, and competing in the ACC. That’s a huge contrast from his predecessors, Ted Roof, Carl Franks and Fred Goldsmith.

All three of those coaches had multiple winless or one win seasons. Even with some really awful rosters, Cutcliffe has never fallen that far. He’s the first good coach at Duke since Steve Spurrier in the late 80s. Unlike Spurrier, it doesn’t look like Cutcliffe is going anywhere anytime soon.

After a couple down years following 10-win and 9-win seasons in 2013 and 2014, 2018 may be another breakthrough for Duke, and Cutcliffe. If last season was any indication, this year could be special.

2017 was about as average as a season can be. Duke’s offense was pretty bad, their defense was pretty good. They went 6-6, and beat a MAC team in a bad bowl to get over .500. Luckily, quite a bit of that team is back for 2018, and should be improved. It’ll take some important developments, however.

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