Duke Blue Devils News

When seniors go to Miami, they tend to retire there, but when Duke's seniors head to Miami Saturday, they will be hoping to extend their football careers.

MIAMI-Growing up on the same football fields in South Florida, Thaddeus Lewis was the mentor, Jacory Harris the pupil.

Not often does a single loss have a ripple effect on a team that leads into the following year.

Believe it or not, Duke's football season is technically not over.

DURHAM, N.C.-From doormat to decent team, Duke has come pretty far in two seasons under David Cutcliffe.

Sporting News' Dave Curtis analyzes what Thursday's buzz means to college football. Corwin Brown: Middies play dirty. Irish insanity So on Veterans Day, of all occasions, Notre Dame associate head coach Corwin Brown blows off steam about Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo's comments and questions the Mids' blocking techniques. Thing is, the frustration in Brown's voice only had a little to do with last Saturday. The folks around the Fighting Irish can feel the pressure, and for the second straight... year it's weighing on their emotions. Brown, remember, launched into a tirade last November, which included some gems about the de-emphasis of personal responsibility in American society. Emerson, he isn't. What he is is a guy under duress helping to coach a team that tumbled at this time last year and sits one loss away from making a mayday call. And that's the big challenge facing Notre Dame and coach Charlie Weis this week: Can they hold things together? They're likely to throw the ball on Pittsburgh on Saturday night, and they figure to struggle with Panthers running back Dion Lewis. The team's attitude could be the difference. And if Brown's comments are a hint, the Irish might be coming apart at the time they most need to stand together. Iowa's challenge Here's a verbatim account of quarterback James Vandenberg's bio, courtesy of Iowa's official athletics website: "One of two redshirt freshmen named to the 2009 Leadership Group. Listed as co-second team quarterback following spring practice." That, plus a note of his redshirt season in 2008, is about all the world knows about the guy who'll start Saturday in Ohio Stadium with a Rose Bowl berth up for grabs. Oh, wait, there's this. He went 9-for-27 for 82 yards and a pick in his debut last weekend against Northwestern. And with Vandenberg at the helm, Iowa gained 132 yards in 45 plays. So how doesn't Ohio State roll this weekend? Well, the Hawkeyes could get some extra doses of the magic that made them 9-0 through September and October. But it's likely going to take a big day from Vandenberg, who holds 12 Iowa high school passing records. Coach Kirk Ferentz says he's giving his freshman a pass for Saturday. "Any of our first-time players, when they go in there, it's probably their most difficult exposure," he said this week on a teleconference. "As a quarterback, what you do is a little more evident." Vandenberg returns to the spotlight Saturday, likely without top tailback Adam Robinson. He needs to add a little to that bio if the Hawks are hoping for New Year's in Pasadena. Related Links Hot topic: Irish angst over Navy tactics This week: Notre Dame-Pittsburgh Scoreboard: Prep for all this week's games We want your take on college football Week 11 picks: Check them out now Duke's destiny So Georgia Tech-Duke pops up on the schedule, and since Cameron Indoor Stadium doesn't appear nearby, well, why bother? Here's why—Duke's got a chance to hang with the Yellow Jackets, and a Blue Devils win would muck up an ACC Coastal Division most folks think GT has sewn up. Coach Paul Johnson's defense ranks No. 68 in the nation and No. 10 in the 12-team ACC against the pass. And few teams throw it better than Duke, led by senior star Thaddeus Lewis. "There is a chance, if we play extremely well, that we can score some points," Blue Devils coach David Cutcliffe said on a teleconference. Solid quarterbacks can enjoy big days against Tech: Miami's Jacory Harris hit 80 percent of his passes for three touchdown in the Jackets' lone loss, and Florida State's Christian Ponder torched GT for 359 yards and five scores. The Dukies at least can match that production, which makes them a real threat to spring a Saturday upset and move closer to (gulp) a share of a division crown. Dave Curtis is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at dcurtis@sportingnews.com.more>>

Duke's chances of reaching a bowl for the first time since 1994 took a serious hit this past Saturday.

Each week, Sporting News' Matt Hayes ranks the Division I-A conferences—and the teams within each league. Conf. rankings No. 1 SEC No. 2 Pac-10 No. 3 ACC No. 4 Big 12 No. 5 Big Ten No. 6 Big East Nos. 7-11 3. ACC 1. Georgia Tech 2. Clemson ... 3. Virginia Tech 4. Miami 5. Boston College 6. North Carolina 7. Duke 8. Wake Forest 9. Florida State 10. N.C. State 11. Virginia 12. Maryland Rising Clemson: Even the recent history of underachieving can't stop this train. Riding a four-game winning streak, the Tigers need another victory at N.C. State on Saturday, and maybe against Virginia the following week, to clinch the Atlantic Division and play for the league championship. Falling Florida State: If things weren't bad enough in Tallahassee, there's this: With QB Christian Ponder (shoulder) out for the season, the 'Noles won't win again. That's a mighty ugly 4-8 record for iconic coach Bobby Bowden. Matt Hayes covers college football for Sporting News. E-mail him at mhayes@sportingnews.com.more>>

Midnight may have finally chimed for the Cinderella Duke Football team this season.

The legendary intensity of the Duke-UNC rivalry was once limited to just the Basketball court?not anymore.

Thaddeus Lewis has blossomed under coach David Cutcliffe during his senior season. With a win over North Carolina on Saturday, Duke likely would be headed to its first bowl game since a 1994 Hall of Fame Bowl appearance. And Duke senior QB Thaddeus Lewis deserves much of the credit. Lewis ranks ninth in the nation at 289.3 passing yards per game. He has 15 touchdowns against just four interceptions and has averaged 383 passing yards in four ACC games. Lewis spoke this week with Sporting News'... Derek Samson. Sporting News: What's the buzz like on campus? Is it strange everyone isn't already consumed with basketball at this time of year? Thaddeus Lewis: The buzz is big. Winning football games, that hasn't been done around here for a long time. Other athletes in different sports have been supporting us. The basketball guys, they've come out and they sat out there in the rain cheering us on. SN: Coach (David) Cutcliffe is known as a quarterback coach. What sets him apart? TL: Coach Cutcliffe and his staff coming in, they instilled the things that they believe in and are giving us the mindset that you're going to win each week. You have to be self-disciplined with him. He's instilled that. They don't allow us to slack at anything. They want us to be perfect in everything. SN: How do you go from losing to Richmond in September to winning three straight ACC games in October? TL: The guys easily could have went into a shell. We decided to make a change and put it all together. That's all it was. SN: Being childhood friends with (slain UConn CB) Jasper Howard, how tough have the past few weeks been on you? TL: It hit me kind of hard. But I had a responsibility to my team to get over it quick. I still can't believe he's gone. I'm dedicating every game to him for the rest of the season. I wear a T-shirt under my uniform every game with his picture on it. When you make a good play, you've got to soak it all in and know he's watching you. SN: You're also close friends with (Miami QB) Jacory Harris, aren't you? TL: Yeah, we played for the same Little League team. I was in high school and I worked with him a little bit. We played for different high schools and he started varsity when I graduated. I actually talked to him (Monday) night, joking with him. I give him positive feedback on what he's doing. SN: Is he shocked about what's going on at Duke? TL: A couple guys around the ACC have been saying to me, "Y'all are doing really good." I don't think they're shocked. But we've got to keep it going. We're still just trying to get over that hump. SN: How did you end up at Duke? TL: What's gonna happen if you're not able to play in the National Football League? Being at Duke and having an opportunity to get a degree from here, that's going to set me up for life after football. My major is sociology. I'd like to work with kids, mentor kids. I grew up with a single mom, so I know what it's like for a lot of them. A Duke education will help give me more opportunities after football. Derek Samson is a senior editor for Sporting News. Email him at dsamson@sportingnews.com.more>>

Temple is bowl eligible for the first time in 30 years. Duke and Stanford aren't far behind. What is going on? It's academic, Dennis Dodd says as he looks at perennial losers that are now winning.