Duke Football: Can Blue Devils return to the postseason in 2021?
By Dante Pryor
Let’s give credit where credit is due. David Cutcliffe is the greatest football coach in the history of Duke football. There has never been a period of Blue Devil football so successful. In 13 seasons, Cutcliffe has six bowl game appearances and a 10-win season.
That said, the last two years have not been the greatest for Cutcliffe and the Blue Devils in Durham. Duke has gone 7-16 with the offense in decline.
Does this put Cutcliffe on the hot seat? Is this just a rut that comes with coaching Duke? The answer to that question comes at the end of this season.
This season, Cutcliffe looks to rebuild once again and restore the winning culture in Durham that took him years to build. It will not be easy as the Blue Devils break in a new quarterback and face an uphill climb in the ACC Coastal.
The Hurricanes and Tar Heels sit atop the division with better players than Duke. Virginia Tech, Virginia, and Pitt likely have comparable rosters, and Georgia Tech will be much improved. In addition, Cutcliffe has to do this with last season’s two best players, tight end Noah Gray and defensive end Chris Rumph gone.
How will the season shake out in Durham? Here is a preview of Duke’s offense, defense, and a game-by-game prediction of their season.